Lee County, Florida Eviction Risk: Very Low

Lee County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.3/10 (Low), placing it 46th of 67 Florida counties on the risk index, where rank 1 is the highest-risk, least landlord-friendly county. In practical terms, 45 Florida eviction laws counties are riskier than Lee, and only 21 are more landlord-friendly, putting Lee solidly in the lower-risk third of the state. For landlords and investors, that rating reflects a market where tenant-placement decisions are still consequential, but the underlying legal and demographic environment is meaningfully more favorable than most of the state.

Across the county's 39 cities, scores span a notable range from 1.8 to 2.8, meaning a landlord's specific submarket matters more than the county average alone. Average rent runs $1,727 per month, the renter share of households sits at 27.6%, and an average rent-burden rate of 35.2% signals that a meaningful portion of tenants are financially stretched, a factor that can influence non-payment frequency even in otherwise low-risk counties. Operating in Florida eviction laws's Gulf Coast market means working within a state framework that is broadly landlord-friendly, which further moderates risk at the county level.

The cities inside Lee County

Risk is not uniform across Lee County. At the high end, North Fort Myers (population 44,993) and Page Park both score 2.8/10, the maximum observed in the county, followed by Lehigh Acres at 2.4/10 (population 132,353), one of the county's largest communities and one of its more challenging rental environments. Tice, Pine Manor, and Palmona Park also score 2.2/10, clustering near North Fort Myers on the risk spectrum.

By contrast, the county's anchor city Cape Coral scores just 2.4/10 (population 215,536), the lowest in the county, making it one of the more landlord-favorable operating environments in the region. Fort Myers proper scores 2.5/10 (population 95,051), also well below the county average. Bonita Springs comes in at 2.2/10. These gaps, more than a full point between the best and worst submarkets, underscore why investors should evaluate city-level scores rather than relying on the county figure alone.

State-level laws that apply here

Florida state law governs every tenancy in Lee County under Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies). Notice requirements are short and landlord-favorable: a 3-day notice applies for non-payment of rent under Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3), a 7-day notice covers material non-compliance (curable or non-curable) under Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2), and a 15-day notice is required to terminate a month-to-month tenancy under Fla. Stat. § 83.57(3). Squatters or unauthorized occupants with no rental agreement can be addressed under Fla. Stat. § 82.036 (HB-621, 2024) with no advance notice period. Florida does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts local rent control under FL Stat § 125.0103, except in a declared housing emergency, so landlords face no local rent caps in Lee County.

On costs, the Florida eviction process carries court filing fees of $185 to $400, sheriff lockout fees of $90 to $175, and attorney fees that typically range from $750 to $3,500. Uncontested cases generally resolve in 20 to 30 days; contested evictions can stretch to 45 to 110 days. Landlords evaluating total exposure should also review Florida eviction costs and Florida security deposit limits to build accurate pro forma budgets before acquiring rental property here.

With a poverty rate of 12.5% and a renter share of 27.6% across the county, financial stress is present but not dominant, and the city grid above shows exactly which of the 39 cities carry the most concentrated risk for landlords considering Lee County.