Estero, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Estero, Florida City of Estero
Village
Village of Estero
Motto(s):  Life Flourishes in the Estuary.
Location in Lee County, Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Lee
Incorporated (village)	December 31, 2014 (2014-12-31)
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	25.39 sq mi (65.76 km2)
• Land	24.37 sq mi (63.12 km2)
• Water	1.02 sq mi (2.64 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	36,939
• Density	1,515.82/sq mi (585.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33928, 33967
Area code(s)	239
FIPS code	12-21150
GNIS feature ID	2771501

Estero is a village in Lee County, Florida, United States. Its name comes from the Spanish word for "estuary", which is a place where a river meets the sea. Estero is right next to the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, Florida's first aquatic nature preserve. This area is also known as Estero Bay Preserve State Park.

In 2010, Estero was a community without its own government. But on December 31, 2014, it officially became an incorporated village. It is part of the larger Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, about 36,939 people lived there.

Estero is located on Florida's Gulf Coast, between Naples to the south and Fort Myers to the north. It's a popular spot for shopping, dining, and exploring history and nature. You can visit two state parks: Mound Key Archaeological State Park (which you can only reach by boat) and the Koreshan State Historic Site. Estero is also famous for its many golf courses, with 11 courses inside the village and many more nearby. It has about 35 gated communities and is considered one of the safest places in Florida.

The village is home to Hertz Arena, where the Florida Everblades ice hockey team plays. Florida Gulf Coast University is very close to Estero. The Southwest Florida International Airport is less than 5 miles north of the village. The main office for Hertz Corporation is also in Estero. In 2019, USA Today ranked Estero #8 for cities with the most homeowners, with 85.5% of people owning their homes.

A Look Back: Estero's History

Early Days and the Calusa People

Mound Key, located in Estero Bay, was an important place for the Calusa Indians. They were a Native American tribe who lived in Florida when the Spanish first arrived in the early 1500s. Mound Key is believed to have been their main ceremonial center.

The Koreshan Unity and Early Settlement

In 1882, a German settler named Gustave Damkohler started planting mulberry trees along the Estero River. Other settlers followed, setting up fishing camps and the first citrus groves in the area. In 1894, Damkohler gave land to the followers of Cyrus Teed. Teed had a unique idea called Koreshan Unity. He believed that people lived inside the Earth's outer shell, and that stars and planets were all inside this hollow Earth.

Teed's followers were very organized and lived together as a community. They were successful in business and even started their own political party. On September 1, 1904, they officially made Estero a town. However, the Florida government ended Estero's town status in 1907.

Growth and Transportation

In the 1910 US census, Estero had 299 people. By 1920, the population grew to 340 residents. Cyrus Teed died in 1908, which was a big shock to his followers because he had claimed to be immortal. The Koreshan group slowly became smaller over the years. Today, their original land is a state park called the Koreshan State Historic Site.

Getting to Estero became much easier in the 1920s. The Tamiami Trail, a highway connecting Tampa and Miami, was finished in 1928. Two railroads also started service through Estero: the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1925 and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1927. Today, parts of the old Atlantic Coast Line tracks are still used by the Seminole Gulf Railway. The old Seaboard tracks were removed and are now used for power lines.

Estero officially became a village on December 31, 2014.

Estero's Geography

The Village of Estero is in southern Lee County. It shares its southern border with Bonita Springs. To the north, it borders the communities of San Carlos Park and Three Oaks.

Estero covers a total area of about 65.7 square kilometers (25.39 square miles). Most of this area, about 63.1 square kilometers (24.37 square miles), is land. The rest, about 2.7 square kilometers (1.02 square miles), is water.

The heart of Estero is the Estero River. This river is fed by springs and flows into Estero Bay. Some of the first families to settle here were fishing families who lived on Mound Key, an island in Estero Bay. Later, they moved up the river to the settlement that became Estero. The Koreshan Unity community, which is now the Koreshan State Historic Site, is also located here. Until the 1970s, most of Estero's development was near the river.

Who Lives in Estero? Demographics

Population Changes Over Time

In 2010, there were 22,612 people living in Estero. By 2020, the population had grown to 36,939 people.

In 2020, the people living in Estero included:

• About 32,527 White people
• About 534 African American people
• About 43 Native American people
• About 761 Asian people
• About 20 Pacific Islander people
• About 795 people from other races
• About 2,259 people from two or more races

There were also 2,884 people who identified as Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

In 2022, the average income for a household in Estero was about $100,543. This income has increased a lot over time because many people with higher incomes have moved to Estero.

Estero's Economy

In 2013, Hertz Corporation announced it was moving its main office to Estero. This move brought about 750 jobs to the village. Hertz built a new $75 million building near US-41 and Williams Road. This location is just south of Corkscrew Village and about a mile north of Coconut Point Mall.

Arts and Culture in Estero

Estero is a center for arts and culture in Southwest Florida. It is home to the Art Council of Southwest Florida. This group runs the COCO Art Gallery, a non-profit art gallery located at Coconut Point Mall. In 2023, the Southwest Florida Symphony also moved its artistic and operations center to Coconut Point Mall.

Besides Coconut Point, Estero also has other large shopping areas. These include Miromar Outlets, which has over 140 stores, and the Miromar Design Center. Gulf Coast Town Center is also very close, just 3 miles north of Estero.

Parks and Recreation

Estero has two state parks for outdoor fun and learning:

• Mound Key Archaeological State Park
• Koreshan State Historic Site

The village also has the Estero Park and Recreation Center, which offers many activities. As of April 2024, the Estero government is planning to build a new Estero Entertainment Center. This center will be built through a partnership between the village and private companies on land owned by Estero.

See also

In Spanish: Estero (Florida) para niños