Lee County, Florida, lies along the picturesque Gulf of Mexico and shares borders with Collier and Charlotte counties. As of the 2020 census, its population stood at approximately 757,000 people. However, its economic landscape doesn’t paint a rosy picture, with a median household income of $59,608 in 2020.
This figure trails behind both the state average of $64,034 and the national average of $67,521. Moreover, the county’s poverty rate for 2021 was recorded at 12.4%, just slightly below the state rate of 13.9% and the national rate of 12.8%.
Despite these overall statistics, it’s crucial to note that Lee County encompasses diverse neighborhoods, each grappling with distinct socioeconomic challenges. These challenges include low income, elevated poverty rates, rampant unemployment, limited educational attainment, and restricted access to healthcare and social services.
In this article, we’ll delve into five of the county’s most impoverished neighborhoods, relying on data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) estimates for the years 2017 to 2021. Our primary indicators for measuring poverty include:
1. Tice
- Tice is a census-designated place (CDP) in the eastern part of Lee County, close to Fort Myers and Buckingham.
- The population here hovers around 4,000 people, primarily comprising White residents.
- According to ACS data, Tice exhibited:
- A median household income of just $32,500, which is 45.5% lower than the county median and 51.9% below the national median.
- A staggering poverty rate of 28%, more than twice the county and national rates.
- An unemployment rate of 11%, nearly twice as high as both the county and national rates.
- An educational attainment rate of 64%, indicating that only about two-thirds of adults had completed high school or higher education.
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2. Suncoast Estates
- Situated in northern Lee County, near North Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Suncoast Estates is another CDP.
- With around 5,000 residents, this suburban area boasts a diverse population, including Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians.
- However, its socioeconomic situation is dire, as indicated by ACS data:
- A median household income of $34,375, down 42.3% from the county median and 49% from the national median.
- A poverty rate of 26%, more than double the county and national rates.
- An unemployment rate of 10%, surpassing both county and national averages.
- An educational attainment rate of 68%, meaning only about two-thirds of adults had achieved high school education or higher.
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3. Harlem Heights
- Harlem Heights, located in the southwestern part of Lee County near Fort Myers Beach and San Carlos Park, is a suburban area with a predominantly Hispanic population.
- Its population hovers around 2,000 residents, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the region.
- Nevertheless, its socioeconomic conditions are grim, with ACS data indicating:
- A median household income of $35,417, 40.6% lower than the county median and 47.6% below the national median.
- A poverty rate of 24%, nearly twice the county and national rates.
- An unemployment rate of 9%, surpassing both county and national averages.
- An educational attainment rate of 53%, meaning less than half of adults had completed high school or higher education.
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4. Pine Manor
- Pine Manor is a CDP located in central Lee County, close to Fort Myers and Cypress Lake. It’s a suburban area with a predominantly Hispanic population.
- With approximately 4,000 residents, it faces significant socioeconomic challenges, evident from ACS data:
- A median household income of $36,250, down 39.1% from the county median and 46.3% from the national median.
- A poverty rate of 23%, almost double the county and national rates.
- An unemployment rate of 8%, surpassing both county and national averages.
- An educational attainment rate of 56%, indicating that less than half of the adult population had achieved high school or higher education.
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5.Page Park
- Page Park, a CDP located in central Lee County near Fort Myers and Villas, boasts a diverse population, including Whites, Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians.
- Its population numbers around 5,000 people, but it faces significant socioeconomic hurdles, as ACS data reveals:
- A median household income of $37,500, down 37.1% from the county median and 44.5% below the national median.
- A poverty rate of 22%, almost double the county rate and more than one-and-a-half times higher than the national rate.
- An unemployment rate of 7%, surpassing both county and national averages.
- An educational attainment rate of 69%, meaning only about two-thirds of adults had achieved high school or higher education.
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Conclusion
Lee County, Florida, may have a thriving coastal setting and a high population density, but it grapples with stark disparities in income, poverty, unemployment, and education across its various neighborhoods. Tice, Suncoast Estates, Harlem Heights, Pine Manor, and Page Park emerge as some of the county’s most economically challenged areas.
These communities confront multiple obstacles, including low income, high poverty rates, elevated unemployment, limited educational attainment, and constrained access to vital healthcare and social services. Addressing these issues will require concerted efforts from a range of stakeholders to improve the quality of life and well-being of these residents