Do you know what the most confusing thing is when you first come to Fort Myers?

When you look at the map, you see Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, and Naples, but you have no idea how they all relate to each other.

When people say they "live in Fort Myers," it can be unclear whether they mean somewhere in this vast area or a specific neighborhood; I was confused at first too.

After reading this article, you'll have a clearer picture of the map.

First, to get the big picture, this entire area is within Lee County.

Lee County includes several cities and unincorporated areas.

Fort Myers is the county seat of Lee County, meaning it is the administrative center.

The boundaries of Fort Myers are smaller than you might think, and many areas outside the city limits are classified as unincorporated areas of the county.

The area commonly referred to as "South Fort Myers" is often not under the jurisdiction of Fort Myers city but is instead an unincorporated area of Lee County.

If you don't know this difference, you might be surprised by how property taxes or garbage collection services are applied differently.

Cape Coral is a separate independent city located north of the Caloosahatchee River.

It has a much larger population than Fort Myers and is one of the largest cities in Florida by area.

It is characterized by canals running throughout the city.

Estero is an unincorporated area of Lee County located south of Fort Myers, home to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU).

Bonita Springs is an independent city located south of Estero and is the last city in Lee County before heading toward Naples.

Naples is part of Collier County, not Lee County.

Fort Myers Beach is a separate town located on Estero Island, which suffered significant damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022 and is still in the process of recovery.

Although its name is similar to Fort Myers, it is administratively a different entity.

While Fort Myers is the center of Lee County, the actual living areas extend across several regions, including Cape Coral, Estero, and Gateway.

The Gateway area is a planned development near Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), with many new homes and a lot of young families living there.

No matter where you look for a home, it's important to first check which administrative area the address belongs to for tax, school district, and service usage purposes.