Sanibel is an island and city in Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 6,382 at the 2020 census, down from 6,469 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida metropolitan statistical area. The island, also known as Sanibel Island, constitutes the entire city. It is a barrier island—a collection of sand on the leeward side of the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island. Most of the city proper is at the island's eastern end. After the Sanibel Causeway was built to replace the ferry in 1963, the city was incorporated in 1974, and the residents asserted control over development by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan, helping maintain a bal…

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From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Sanibel ranks

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#2Best schools in FL #8Fewest uninsured in FL #9Fewest smokers in FL All FL rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code33957

Area code239

Living in Sanibel

Housing in Sanibel

$800K▼ 1.8% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Sanibel home is worth about $800,000, down 1.8% in a year, 113% above the Florida typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market103

Sale-to-list92.6%

Sold in May40

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Sanibel

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About one in 5 of Sanibel’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Fort Myers (7%), Cape Coral (3%) and Bonita Springs (3%). Half commute less than 26 miles.

Fort Myers

Cape Coral

Bonita Springs

Cypress Lake

20%Work in townlive and work in Sanibel 26 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,764Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Sanibel →

Health in Sanibel

A⁻

Health Grade A−

Healthier than 84% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Florida

16better than FL·6worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 4 are too close to call.

Conditions 3▲ 6▼ 3 close Habits 4▲ 0 close Care 7▲ 0 close Mind 2▲ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.5%Fewer uninsured adultsFL 15.9% · better 6.3%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethFL 12.7% · better 19.4%More adults who have had cancerFL 9.1% · worse

Care nearby

Cape Coral HospitalCape Coral · 16.6 mi · ER

Summerlin Health CenterFort Myers · 10.8 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Sanibel · CMS · HRSAHealth in Sanibel →

Natural hazards in Sanibel

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 89% of U.S. communities.

🌀 Hurricanes🌊 Inland flooding🌊 Coastal flooding

5,501Does Sanibel flood?paid flood claims since 1981 13Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Sanibel

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Sanibel →

Climate in Sanibel

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Sanibel has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 55°.

76° / 57°Winter

84° / 66°Spring

91° / 76°Summer

86° / 70°Fall

Does it ever freeze?In about 14% of years.Frost →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.5° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Sanibel →

Schools in Sanibel

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School Grade C

The public schools Sanibel’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 71% of Florida’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

#2Best public schoolsof 488 in FL

DistrictLEESchools1

The Sanibel School A+Elementary · Grades PK–8 · 225 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within FL. Ratings are from neighbors.