Lee County, Florida
559,634 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 23.5% | 127,015 of 540,602 parcels with a known mailing state | 14.1% | 8 of 63 |
| Absentee owners | 52.0% | Estimated from 397,035 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 38.9% | 17 of 58 |
| Vacant lots | 25.4% | 141,872 of 559,634 parcels in all | 19.1% | 37 of 67 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.3% | 1,911 of 559,606 parcels with an owner name | 0.5% | 42 of 67 |
| Owned by individuals | 82.1% | 459,589 of 559,606 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 32 of 67 |
| Publicly owned | 0.9% | 4,970 of 559,606 parcels with an owner name | 2.7% | 65 of 67 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 127,015 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 14,038 | 11.1% |
| Illinois | 11,419 | 9.0% |
| Ohio | 10,416 | 8.2% |
| Michigan | 9,456 | 7.4% |
| New Jersey | 7,333 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 6,051 | 4.8% |
| Massachusetts | 5,748 | 4.5% |
| Indiana | 5,742 | 4.5% |
| Minnesota | 5,683 | 4.5% |
| California | 4,652 | 3.7% |
| 43 other states and territories | 46,435 | 36.6% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 42 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,961/month | $1,471/month (median county) | 14 of 67 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +63.8% | +49.3% (median county) | 6 of 67 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $362,200 | $276,000 (median county) | 17 of 67 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 15.4 | 15.3 (median county) | 31 of 67 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +14.6% | +9.0% | 15 of 67 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 23.5% | 52.0% | 25.4% | 0.3% | 82.1% | 0.9% | $1,961 | +63.8% | 15.4 | +14.6% |
| Charlotte County | 27.2% | no data | 42.4% | 0.3% | 75.9% | 1.2% | $1,470 | +37.8% | 18.6 | +19.3% |
| Collier County | 27.5% | 47.7% | 19.1% | 0.3% | 72.4% | 10.4% | $1,986 | +44.3% | 22.7 | +9.8% |
| Glades County | 13.5% | 55.4% | 48.6% | 1.2% | 68.4% | 9.4% | $1,252 | +59.5% | 9.1 | +6.8% |
| Hendry County | 11.3% | 68.4% | 56.4% | 1.0% | 75.0% | 2.9% | $1,271 | +73.2% | 14.4 | +19.1% |