Cape Coral, Florida, is a vibrant, exciting city in southwest Florida, about 130 miles south of Tampa and 40 minutes north of Naples. If you’re moving to Cape Coral and need information about the town, like which neighborhoods are best, the cost of living, and how to enjoy the outdoors, read on! The Cape Coral Moving Guide from Hide-Away Storage has all the details below!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Relocating to Cape Coral, FL
Moving to Cape Coral is similar to moving to any other U.S. city. In other words, it’s a stressful pain in the butt that needs to be planned well to keep the stress to a dull roar. Below are a few of the best tips for moving to Cape Coral to help you plan your move like a pro.
- Start planning your move to Cape Coral 4 to 6 weeks ahead of time
- Call 3 or 4 movers and get estimates
- Choose a mover and lock in your moving dates
- If you pack your things, start packing right away
- Gather necessary paperwork and documents, including school transcripts, vehicle titles, medical and veterinary files, licenses, certificates, 401(k) and other retirement paperwork
- Get rid of, sell, or donate anything you don’t want, need, or use regularly
- Remember to pack very light, airy, and comfortable clothes
Impact of Hurricane Ian on Cape Coral
Hurricane Ian damaged Cape Coral when it landed on September 28, 2022. For example, the Sanibel Causeway, a major artery, collapsed, and Fort Myers Beach was almost completely destroyed. Many of Cape Coral’s neighborhoods were also badly and deeply flooded.
Today, several months after Ian laid waste to much of the city, Cape Coral is busy rebuilding. Like all towns and cities on the Florida coast, hurricanes blow through every few years, but people always rebuild. It’s the price you pay for living in paradise. (It’s also why safe, clean, and secure storage units in Cape Coral are so critical.)
What are the Best Neighborhoods in Cape Coral?
There are dozens of neighborhoods in Cape Coral; many are beautiful, safe, and offer a laid-back lifestyle. Below are a few of the best, but keep in mind that there are many more in Cape Coral worth looking at before deciding where to purchase a home.
- West Cape Estates
- Celebration Cape
- Trafalgar Woods
- Sandoval
- Bella Vida
- Emerald Cove
- Coral Lakes
- Cape Royal
Pros and Cons of Moving to Cape Coral
As with all U.S. cities, Cape Coral has many good points and several bad ones. To give you a better idea of both, the following list of the Pros and Cons of moving to Cape Coral, FL, will be handy.
Pros of Moving to Cape Coral
- No state taxes and other taxes are lower also
- Sunny weather year-round
- The public schools in Cape Coral are rated highly
- Amazing beaches
- Laid-back living
- Many opportunities for outdoor activities like boating, golf, fishing, surfing, biking, etc.
- The cost of living is OK
- Cape Coral is highly diverse
- The seafood is spectacular
- Crime rates are low
- You can kayak to your heart’s content in Cape Coral
Cons of Moving to Cape Coral
- The summer heat and humidity can be brutal
- There are few apartments
- Wintertime brings snowbirds by the thousands
- Hurricanes are a real threat
- Flooding is getting worse every year
What is the Cost of Living Like in Cape Coral?
Surprisingly, Cape Coral’s cost of living index is just slightly above the national average. It’s 104.2, which isn’t bad considering the city’s location on the Gulf Coast, where housing and other prices are typically higher. For example, housing costs are just under the national average, while most other costs (except healthcare), are just slightly above the national average.
Below are all of the major cost indices for Cape Coral so you can compare them to other Lee County cities like Fort Myers and also other Florida cities like Miami and Tampa.
- Overall. 104.2
- Groceries. 105
- Healthcare. 119.2
- Housing. 99.7
- Utilities. 98.6
- Transportation. 110.1
- Miscellaneous. 103.2
- Median home cost. $377,400. (The national average is $338,100)
What is Cape Coral, FL, Known For?
Cape Coral is known across the United States as Florida’s “Waterfront Wonderland” thanks to the nearly 400 miles of canals you can find here. Indeed, Cape Coral has more canals than anywhere else, including Venice, Italy! Even better is that most canals connect, via the Caloosahatchee River, to the Gulf of Mexico. That means you can have a boat in Cape Coral and take it to the Gulf for fishing, skiing, and other fun and exciting water sports!
Take Care of Your Storage Needs with Hide-Away
If you’ve just arrived in Cape Coral, FL, and need self-storage or car storage, Hide-Away Storage is your best choice! Hide-Away Offers 2 safe, secure, and clean self-storage locations in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Punta Gorda, Florida. If you’re still recovering from Hurricane Ian and need a place to store your stuff while rebuilding, we also offer portable storage, plus a very helpful storage unit size guide.
Whatever you need to store, you can count on Hide-Away to help you do it right and affordably. Call us today, contact us online, or visit the Hide-Away self-storage location nearest you. The on-site manager will be tickled pink to answer any questions you have and steer you toward a Cape Coral storage unit that fits your family’s needs perfectly!