Shell Point Golf Course - panoramio (1), 2009
Iona’s story
119 years in pictures
Census counts: 9,565 in 1990, 16,908 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1958 on.
- 1907Iona is settled
IonaFL
A town of 13,631, settled in 1907.
Population
13,631
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$323K
Census ACS
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
68.6
years
Jobs based here
3,902
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#404 of 634 in FL
Is Iona a good place to live?
Iona grades C overall, 404th of 634 graded towns in Florida, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 88% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $67K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $323K for a typical one and 4.2 times the Cape Coral metro’s $76K median household income. The biggest park or preserve is Deep Lagoon Preserve, at 104 acres. Iona is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 73% of U.S. towns.
What makes Iona stand out
Where Iona beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Iona has grown 10% from 2010 to 2020
15,369 counted in 2010 and 16,908 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Iona grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Iona is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 7.3% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →HealthGulf Coast Medical Center Lee Health 7 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsBehind 64% of Florida districts on tests and graduationC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Iona: who provides what
Iona is unincorporated, so Lee County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerFPL14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLee County UtilitiesNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLee CountyLee County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLee Supervisor of ElectionsLee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP code3390833908 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Iona.
Iona is a second-home town, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
Who lives here
59% of residents are 65 or older
31.7% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 7.8% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
People 65 and older are 59% of residents (21% statewide); children under 18 are 5% of residents (20% statewide). 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
68.6median age · FL 42.6
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 4.7% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 68.6 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 31% | 29% |
IonaFloridaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
35%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school30%
Some college17%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.9 points). Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 68.6, men 68.6.
| Iona | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 2.1% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 2.6% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.3% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.9% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.2% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.6% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 24.4% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 34.9% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.6% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.7% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.8% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.5% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.5% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.8% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsB−
Iona has set aside 1.5% of its land for conservation
9.8 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
#116for trails in FL
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.5% | 3% | 4.3% |
1.5%
conserved · 100 of 6,531 acres
9.8 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Deep Lagoon Preserve | — | 104 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Iona faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Since 1978, 1,697 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Iona.
88risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
1,697
paid flood claims since 1978
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Iona
January nights average 54.5°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.6°.
Iona has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Iona’s January low is 55°F.
92°summer high
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 55°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter57–76°
Spring65–84°
Summer76–91°
Fall70–86°
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Iona are healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Against the 10,173 U.S. towns with household incomes like Iona’s, it is healthier than 84%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Iona beats the Florida average on 16 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 10% of Iona adults binge drink.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 86% | 79% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Florida
16 better7 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Iona | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.1% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 18.1% | 9.1% |
Gulf Coast Medical Center Lee Health
7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
59th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Iona’s workers commute out
Jobs based here grew from 2,678 in 2013 to 3,902. 25.1% of workers work from home, against 15.7% across Florida.
Most working residents leave Iona for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Iona has added 1,224 jobs, to 3,902 in 2023. The top destinations are Fort Myers (11%), Cape Coral (5%) and Villas (3%).
7%work in town
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Iona7%
Fort Myers11%
Cape Coral5%
Villas3%
Bonita Springs2%
14 mi
median commute distance
3,902
jobs based in Iona
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Iona sells for about $289K
75.9% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 60.1% across Florida.
The median rent in Iona is $1,913 a month.
$289Kmedian sale price
| Iona | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,913 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 72% | 73% |
Market temperature
100
days on market
94.1%
sale-to-list price
51
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 18 attractions →Hertz Arena and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Iona. Close and well known come first.
12 mi Stadium & arenaHertz Arena
10 mi MuseumEdison and Ford Winter Estates9 mi State parkMound Key Archeological State Park
11 mi State parkKoreshan State Historic Site
21 mi State parkCayo Costa State Park
10 mi MuseumBailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & AquariumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hertz Arena: Tthaas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Edison and Ford Winter Estates: Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Koreshan State Historic Site: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayo Costa State Park: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrea_pauline/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium: Invertzoo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Iona
17pages on Iona
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Iona
Florida SouthWestern State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Fort Myers5.2 mi$3,401 in-state tuitionFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Fort Myers12.2 mi$6,118 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Iona residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
About Iona
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
Iona is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,908 at the 2020 census, up from 15,404 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. A strong EF2 tornado struck the town on January 16, 2022, causing major damage and injuring three people.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 10 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7 ft
- Area code
- 239
Iona’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Iona.
Punta RassaMcGregorIona
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iona | #404 | C | D | — | C+ | B |
| Punta Rassa | — | — | D− | — | C+ | B |
| McGregor | #246 | C+ | C− | — | C+ | A |
Punta Rassa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Iona, Punta Rassa and McGregor report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Iona with a neighbor →
Questions about Iona
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Iona, FL a good place to live?
Iona grades C overall, better than 26% of U.S. towns and #404 of 634 in Florida. It grades B for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Iona, FL expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $323,000, 14% below the Florida typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.