Fort Myers- a perspective from a teen to nearly re
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8/15/2015
I have lived in Fort Myers 36 years. We came here when I was in high school. It has changed so much- from a small town with little shopping or transportation to a metropolis with the typical generic business and restaurants. Critically speaking and, as a traveled person, the area does not have many established private businesses like restaurants, etc to discover. It is more the McDonalds or chain restaurant kind of place. Crime is high. It has touched my family three times and several friends as well in various ways. I took a state job here 30 years ago and plan on relocating when finished. Recommendation? If you are from the Bronx, Chicago, LA, etc, you would probably find it a pleasant place in a warm humid climate. If you are from someplace like Columbus, OH, Asheville, NC or Lexington, KY I would look elsewhere for it would seem congested and definitely expensive.
Fort Myers is a smaller city with big city problems and challenges in government and in the schools. If you are looking to move to Florida from another state, consider the living costs. Florida home prices for what you get (cheap CBS low grade construction in average homes) is high and homeowners insurance is some of the highest in the nation- gotta pay to live in the highest hurricane hazard zone (south florida). For many years the largest employer has been the school system which only confirms the better paying job situation- hard to find good paying jobs. If you are retiring get your medicare insurance rate established before you move (they base premiums on where you live at the time of initial) Florida is the highest premiums in the nation. As far as the Thomas Edison quote in the post- yeah, that was then, when it was a small river town being visited in the winter only.
RW | Fort Myers, FL