United States › Florida › Sanibel CITY
Sanibel Florida · 6,303 residents (2025 est.) · 16.2 sq mi
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The short version
Sanibel is a city of 6,418 people in Florida. At a median age of 67.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $957,300. 61% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. 90% of homes are owner-occupied. That puts it in the top 6% of US cities for household income.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 67.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
61% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,064 in 2000
6,303 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
397 / sq mi
+12%since 2009
from 354 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 60.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 6K 6K 7K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanibel Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $108,644
−25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,044 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $66,912 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 58.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.555 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 2.9%
Public administration 2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Education & health services 0%
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$957,300
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $380,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$811
−56%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,016 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 86.5% in 2000
10.1% rent
from 59.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 1.89 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.8%(5,872)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(84)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94%(6,034)
from 3 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 54.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 96.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 22.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 65.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 36.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 52.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 3.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 89.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 3.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 35.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 56.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 58.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 1.9%(7)
Share of the 368 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanibel, Florida? Sanibel, Florida has about 6,418 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanibel, Florida? The typical household in Sanibel, Florida earns about $108,644 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sanibel, Florida expensive? In Sanibel, Florida, the median home is worth about $957,300, and the typical rent is about $811 a month.
How educated are people in Sanibel, Florida? About 61.0% of adults age 25 and over in Sanibel, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sanibel, Florida? About 11.6% of people in Sanibel, Florida live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sanibel, Florida grown since 1990? Yes, Sanibel, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 950 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
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