San Carlos Park is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in

Lee County, Florida Lee County is located in southwestern Florida, United States, on the Gulf Coast. As of the 2020 census, its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in the state. The county seat ...

, United States. The population was 18,563 at the 2020 census, up from 16,824 at the 2010 census. It is part of the

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area Lee County is located in southwestern Florida, United States, on the Gulf Coast. As of the 2020 census, its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in the state. The county seat ...

Geography

San Carlos Park is located in south-central Lee County at (26.474458, -81.815467). It is an unincorporated community, bordered to the south by the village of

Estero Estero ( Spanish for "estuary") is an incorporated village in Lee County, Florida, United States, located directly beside the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida: The Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, otherwise referred to as Estero ...

and to the east by the Three Oaks CDP.

U.S. Route 41 U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miam ...

forms the western edge of San Carlos Park, leading north to

Fort Myers A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

, the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

, and south through Estero and

Bonita Springs Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 53,644 at the 2020 census, up from 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, on the state's sou ...

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the San Carlos Park CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 4.93%, are water. The land in the CDP drains west via Mullock Creek to Estero Bay, an estuary connected to the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 16,317 people, 5,901 households, and 4,449 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 6,580 housing units at an average density of . The racial makup of the CDP was 93.84% White, 1.26% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.31% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.14%. Of the 5,901 households 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 16.5% of households were one person and 4.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.09. The age distribution was 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males. The median household income was $45,870 and the median family income was $48,740. Males had a median income of $31,768 versus $25,541 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,022. About 6.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

Brothers Jules & Jack Freeman established San Carlos Park in 1953 in hopes of providing low cost homes for the middle class. The Freeman group purchased their land from the

Koreshan Unity The Koreshan Unity was a communal utopia formed by Cyrus Teed, a distant relative of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. The Koreshans followed Teed's beliefs, called Koreshanity, and he was regarded by his adherents as "the n ...

who gave them almost 250 acres for just under $3,000. When they acquired the land in

Estero, Florida Estero (Spanish for "estuary") is an incorporated village in Lee County, Florida, United States, located directly beside the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida: The Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, otherwise referred to as Estero B ...

, they found that it was in the middle of nowhere, with the county seat,

Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,395; it was estimated to have grown to 95,949 in 2022, making it the List o ...

, being over 20 miles away. In the 1970s, the Freeman's drilled down into the ground and hit a spring, this spring would become a local attraction located at the San Carlos Park arches Later on in the mid-1970s the Freeman group would go on to begin construction of their next community Three Oaks, Florida.

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Lee County, Florida Census-designated places in Florida