Florida · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lee County, FL

Prices around Lee County, FL run 2.3% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $76,107 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,961 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $78,440 a year.

Lee County, FL at a glance

Median household income

$76,107$6,342 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,961HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)102.3+2.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential FL
Population817,666Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lee County, FL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,961Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$78,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,903At 30% of $76,107
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Lee County, FL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lee County, FL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,629$19,548$65,16025.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,638$19,656$65,52025.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,961$23,532$78,44030.9%
3-Bedroom Home$2,560$30,720$102,40040.4%
4-Bedroom Home$2,836$34,032$113,44044.7%

Rent in Lee County, FL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Lee County, FL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $76,107 a year ($6,342 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,171/moRent ($1,961 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,903/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,268/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $76,107 leaves after Florida taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Florida tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$76,107
$30,000$155,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$76,107
Net 82%
Fed 10%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,371After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,198Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,399Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,914 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,822 / yr

Living in Lee County, FL: common questions

What is the median household income in Lee County, FL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lee County, FL is $76,107 per year (approximately $6,342 per month).

What is the average rent in Lee County, FL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,629 for a studio, $1,638 for one bedroom, $1,961 for two, $2,560 for three and $2,836 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Lee County, FL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.3% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 102.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Lee County, FL?

To keep a $1,961 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $78,440 a year, or $6,537 a month. That is 103% of what the typical household in Lee County, FL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Lee County, FL?

On the local median income of $76,107 ($6,342 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,171 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,903 for everything else and $1,268 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,961 takes 62% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lee County, FL?

Homes in Florida paid 15.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $136. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.