Census-designated place · Lee County, Florida

Palmona Park, Florida

Palmona Park is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area. It has 1,115 residents. Palmona Park, Florida has a quality-of-life score of 35 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,169 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Florida it ranks #479 of 780 cities and towns. It ranks best on unemployment rate (low), public transit commuters (high) and new business applications (high). It ranks worst on bachelor's degree or higher (low), uninsured residents (under 65) (high) and adult smoking (high).

35Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,169 of 15,651 cities and towns
Florida: #479 of 780 in FL
Population: 1,115 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,355.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 1254357

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 83 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety53#7,372/15,637
Economy41#9,253/15,631
Housing—
Health32#10,594/15,609
Healthcare29#11,183/15,650
Environment57#6,571/15,453
Education15#13,260/15,650
Infrastructure76#3,767/15,650
Community16#13,145/15,651
Leisure & amenities62#6,000/15,651
Nature & outdoors—

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Palmona Park, Florida ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Lee County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Florida 3.9%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Public transit commuters · high9.2%
97/100Florida 1.2%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty
New business applications · high24.7 /1k
95/100Florida 27.6 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauLee County value
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.233
95/100Florida 0.485United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Mammography screening · high55.0%
91/100Florida 46.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLee County value
Fast internet available · high100.0%
90/100Florida 96.6%United States 95.4%Dec 2025Federal Communications Commission

Weaknesses

Bachelor's degree or higher · low0.0%
0/100Florida 34.2%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Uninsured residents (under 65) · high38.3%
1/100Florida 13.7%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Adult smoking · high24.9%
2/100Florida 14.8%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · high23.2%
2/100Florida 18.7%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Hot days · high126 days
3/100Florida 102 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationLee County value
Rent-burdened households · high63.2%
3/100Florida 60.1%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
1,209 (2015-2019) → 1,115 (2020-2024)
−7.8%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Poverty rateImproving
60.7% (2015-2019) → 26.7% (2020-2024)
−34 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
95.0% (2015-2019) → 63.2% (2020-2024)
−32 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Unemployment rateImproving
28.8% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−29 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$22,257 (2015-2019) → $43,930 (2020-2024)
+97%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherWorsening
72.6% (2015-2019) → 57.9% (2020-2024)
−15 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Palmona Park, Florida improved on 2 of 9 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Unemployment−29 points28.8% → 0.0%
Household income+97%$22,257 → $43,930

Declined1

High school+−15 points72.6% → 57.9%

All 9 measures

Change of every measure of Palmona Park, Florida between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Child poverty rate	53.7%2015-2019	44.0%2020-2024	−9.6 points	Within the margin of error	81%
High school diploma or higher	72.6%2015-2019	57.9%2020-2024	−15 points	Declined	0%
Households subscribed to broadband	82.2%2015-2019	96.4%2020-2024	+14 points	Within the margin of error	77%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3062015-2019	0.2332020-2024	−0.072	Within the margin of error	91%
Median household income	$22,2572015-2019	$43,9302020-2024	+97%	Improved	98%
Poverty rate	60.7%2015-2019	26.7%2020-2024	−34 points	Within the margin of error	100%
Rent as share of income	42.3%2015-2019	38.2%2020-2024	−4.1 points	Within the margin of error	79%
Rent-burdened households	95.0%2015-2019	63.2%2020-2024	−32 points	Within the margin of error	98%
Unemployment rate	28.8%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	−29 points	Improved	100%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Palmona Park, Florida five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Palmona Park, Florida in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

No place that looked like Palmona Park, Florida five years ago has more measures that improved than declined, with a higher standing among its peers today.

For comparison, Palmona Park, Florida itself moved +9.9 points in standing on average over the same 6 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,115 residents (±378)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

363 households (±135)

Palmona Park, Florida
Florida share

Under $25k8.8%†32
$25k–50k53%†194
$50k–75k20%

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

363 households (±135)

Palmona Park, Florida
Florida share

Own48%†176
Rent52%†187

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

422 workers (±191)

Palmona Park, Florida
Florida share

Drive alone78%†330
Carpool2.8%†12
Public transit

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Lee County, the county holding most of Palmona Park's residents.

Lee County has 22,756 employer establishments, 269 for every 10,000 residents (1.08× the US rate of 248; 0.96× Florida's), with 264,855 paid employees at an average annual pay of $55,417. The Census Bureau also counts 114,704 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 22,756; 114,704 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 269; US 248 · Florida 282
Paid employees: 264,855
Average annual pay: $55,417; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Lee County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	2,697	31.9	2.06×More than typical	25,169	$57,963	10,087
Lessors of real estate	1,861	22	1.79×More than typical	5,822	$56,311	12,361
Ambulatory health care services	1,770	20.9	1.00×About typical	20,352	$74,372	6,551
Restaurants and other eating places	1,317	15.6	0.85×About typical	28,185	$24,141	634
Services to buildings and dwellings	1,254	14.8	2.20×More than typical	8,243	$40,048	10,331
Real estate agents and brokers	1,134	13.4	2.75×More than typical	1,811	$83,144	4,936
Construction of buildings	1,052	12.4	1.64×More than typical	6,504	$78,560	5,386
Building finishing contractors	916	10.8	2.85×More than typical	5,494	$48,601	3,853
Building equipment contractors	889	10.5	1.75×More than typical	9,076	$63,932	2,174
Full-service restaurants	692	8.2	1.06×About typical	17,117	$26,900	262
Management, scientific and technical consulting	686	8.1	1.21×About typical	3,288	$71,375	3,512
Offices of physicians	608	7.2	1.11×About typical	8,712	$88,676	648

Rank places for an industry Open Lee County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 846,125 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Public schools

Public schools located in Palmona Park, Florida and the districts that run them (NCES Common Core of Data). Students per teacher counts full-time-equivalent teachers, not the size of each class.

Palmona Park, Florida has 1 public schools with 530 students and 18.3 students per teacher (Florida: 18.1, US: 15.2).

1 schools serve free meals to every student.

Elementary schools: 1
Middle schools: 0
High schools: 0
Students per teacher: 18.3; US: 15.2

School districts

Districts with schools here, by students here.

District	Schools	Students	Spending / student
Lee	1	530	$12,384

Largest schools

School	Grades	Students	Students / teacher	District
J. Colin English Elementary SchoolFree meals for all	Pre-K–5	530	18.3	Lee

All 1 schools

Sources

Public schools and school districts (National Center for Education Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau), 2024–25 school year. NCES Common Core of Data and EDGE public school geocodes; U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances and cartographic boundary files (places).

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated -$270 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Palmona Park, Florida: -$0.24 per resident (US $2,158).

Obligations: -$270; −115% vs FY2025
Per resident: -$0.24; US $2,158
Sole-source: —; US 31%
Single offer: —; US 8.9%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

7.5KFY2017
8.1KFY2018
20.2KFY2019
7.9KFY2020
33.3KFY2023
10.8KFY2024
1.7KFY2025
-270.2FY2026

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 22, 2026, loaded Oct 22, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Palmona Park, Florida, so they do not add up across cities.

Palmona Park, Florida's figures are part of those of Lee County, FL ($122.5M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Palmona Park is mostly in Lee County.

See federal money in Lee County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Palmona Park, Florida is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Lee County61100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL64

Other cities and towns in Lee County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
National Broadband Map (Broadband Data Collection)Federal Communications Commission · release 2025-12-31
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1254357

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends