" Cape Coral is a vibrant and friendly community with all the beauty that you expect from Southwest Florida. With over 400 miles of salt and fresh water canals, it is a boaters "Paradise".

Cape Coral is made up of 114 square miles of land and is the largest city in Southwest Florida and the largest between Tampa and Miami. With golf courses, tennis courts, boat ramps, athletic parks, natural preserves and more, the quality of life in Cape Coral is second to none.

The City of Cape Coral has some of the best parks and recreation programs in the state, providing all types of activities and programs for young and the young at heart. To satisfy the cultural and recreational needs of a diverse population, Cape Coral residents and visitors are within easy reach of all sorts of activities and amenities. Shopping and dining; theater and art; sports, from children's leagues to professional team; clubs and organizations that appeal to just about every taste and hobby; and environmental activities, from kayaking to visiting our burrowing owl neighbors. 

Our city continues to be a safe community while Cape Coral's police and fire department are proactive, working with the community to make it safe for all."

" Until the birth of Cape Coral, the area was simply known as “the other side of the river” by homesteaders, loggers, cattlemen, professional fishermen, and sportsmen. However, in 1957 Leonard and Jack Rosen changed that by purchasing a 103 square mile tract, known as Redfish Point, for $678,000. The Gulf American Corporation (GAC) was formed to develop this “Waterfront Wonderland” and on November 4th of that year, ground was officially broken as Cape Coral.

Early in 1958, a stretch of “Miracle Mile”, later named Cape Coral Parkway, extended east from Coronado for one mile, and a main intersection was soon formed where it met Harney Point Road, now Del Prado Blvd. There was only one building located in Cape Coral, which was a fourplex at the corner of Cape Coral Parkway and Coronado Parkway, housing land sales offices. 

Through GAC, the development grew at a remarkable pace, and on June 10, 1958, the first residents moved in. These pioneers had to drive forever to get anywhere – 20 miles for a loaf of bread! Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development, through a mail order program with ads on radio, television and print media. In 1959, water view home sites were sold for $990, waterfront was sold for $1,900, and riverfront cost $3,390. Property sales reached over $9 million after the first year and planeloads of curious northerners were soon flown down for a quick look and a heavy sales pitch, landing an out-of-the-way strip, now called 47th Terrace.

On March 14, 1964, the two-lane Cape Coral Bridge was opened to traffic, making the area even more accessible to potential buyers. Interestingly, as far back as 1959 when the best location for a bridge was being considered, engineers picked a location connecting Everest Parkway with Colonial Blvd., now the location of the Midpoint Memorial Bridge. However, due to construction costs and proximity to the area of initial development, the Cape Coral Parkway to Braden-Sutphin Rd. (now College Parkway) route was chosen. 

The city was incorporated in 1970 with a population of 11,470, making it the 3rd largest city in a land mass in Florida. "

TOTAL POPULATION

Population reported from 2010 Census - 154,305
Estimated population end of 2012 - 161,492
Estimated population end of 2013 - 165,834

AGE % FROM 2010 CENSUS

% of Persons under 5 years of age - 5.4%
% of Persons from 6-18 years of age - 22.4%
% of Persons from 19-65 years of age - 55.2%
% of Persons 65 years of age and over - 17%

DIVERSITY DEMOGRAPHICS

2010 CENSUS
Caucasian - 88.2%
African American - 4.3%
American Indian - .3%
Asian - 1.5%
Tow or More Races - 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino - 19.5%
Caucasian alone, not Hispanic or Latino - 73.5%

PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH

2013 - 165,834
2014 - 170,809
2015 - 175,933
2015 - 181,211
2017 - 186,648
2018 - 192,247
2019 - 198,014
2020 - 203,955

EDUCATION DEMOGRAPHICS

No High School - 4,040 = 4.6%
Some High School - 9,104 = 10.5%
High School Graduate - 74,436 = 89.4%
Some College - 30,901 = 35.8%
Associates Degree - 11,164 = 12.9%
Bachelors Degree - 21,523 = 24.9%
Graduate Degree - 9,531 = 11%
**Adults, 18 over - **86,263

ECONOMIC DEMOGRAPHICS

2012 CENSUS
Housing Units - 78,948
Home Ownership Rate - 72.7 of Housing Units
Persons per household 2012 - 2.78 - Cape Coral | 2.58 - Florida
Per Capita money income - $23,742 - Cape Coral | $26,451 - Florida
Median household income - $50,213 - Cape Coral | $47,309 - Florida
Persons below poverty level - 13.5% - Cape Coral | 15.6% Florida
Consumer Price Index 2012 - 97% - Cape Coral | 98% Florida

CURRENT HOUSING MIX

Condo - 11%
4-Unit or Less - 7%
Apartment Building - 3%
Single Family - 79%

HOUSING LIST PRICE COMPARISON

June 2012
Average List Price - $163,000
Average Sale Price - $156,000
Price per Sq. Ft - $83
Inventory - 3.2 Mo

June 2013
Average List Price - $205,000
Average Sale Price - $198,000
Price per Sq. Ft - $103
Inventory - 2.8 Mo

June 2014 Est.
Average List Price - $228,000
Average Sale Price - $219,000
Price per Sq. Ft - $112
Inventory - 4 Mo