Naples
With the second-highest proportion of millionaires per capita in the country, Naples serves as the playground for the ultra-wealthy. Lush, manicured landscaping lends to the tropical flair of the city. Country clubs, high-end automobiles and yachts abound, and the shopping avenues rival Rodeo Drive. Upscale gated communities are heavy on amenities, and the living is luxurious.
If you are looking for a sophisticated and luxurious lifestyle, and you want country club or resort-style living in a community that is fresh and newly built, Naples is likely the place for you.
AREA HIGHLIGHTS
The Neighbors
Affluent; ultra wealthy; early retirees; professionals; older adults; well-educated; families; young professionals; diverse; multicultural; service industry workers; median household income significantly above state average.
Market
Master-planned communities; waterfront communities; gated communities; exclusive neighborhoods; luxury homes; newer developments; single-family homes; condos; high-rise condominiums; growing population; housing prices within Naples city limits four times the state median; median value of houses $707,000 within Naples city limits; home values vary from $300,000 to $40 million within the Naples city limits
Lifestyle
Luxurious lifestyle; big-city amenities and conveniences; coastal lifestyle; affluent; cultural; boating; golfing; active; country club living; resort-style living; relaxed lifestyle; landscaped; sophisticated; stylish.
You’ll Love
Beaches; boating; access to the Gulf of Mexico; public parks; nature preserves; swimming; fishing; vibrant community; local theater; concerts; arts; community events; festivals; independent restaurants and pubs; independent boutiques.
Perfect For
Boaters; golfers; water sports enthusiasts; foodies; shoppers; nature lovers; snowbirds seeking winter homes; people seeking upscale homes and gated communities.
AROUND THE AREA
Nestled into the northwestern corner of Collier County south of Bonita Springs and Fort Myers, water plays a significant role in the geography of Naples. The Gulf of Mexico defines its western edge, and the Gordon River flows south through the city to the Gordon Bay. The bay defines a long, thin peninsula that houses the downtown core of Olde Naples and many of its most expensive beachfront mansions and bay-front yachting estates. Downtown is a walkable and bikeable historic small town with Cambier Park that serves as the setting for big community and cultural events. The Gulf of Mexico shoreline offers a mix of beach parks as well as beaches with homes, condominiums and nearby restaurants. Gated golfing communities offer resort-style living with upscale shopping and dining nearby. The incorporated area of the city of Naples has a population of about 21,500 people living in its 12.5 square miles, and the population is projected to grow at around 1.5 percent per year. Roughly 300,000 people live in greater Naples, so the area feels rather like a small town ringed by the suburbs of a major metropolitan area. I-75 runs within greater Naples eastern edge, and U.S. Highway 41 serves as the area’s “main street” with shopping and dining options. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is a 30-45 minute drive from greater Naples. Naples Municipal Airport is within the city limits. While it does not offer flights from a commercial carrier, it is the 24th busiest general aviation airport in the world, given the number of private jets that fly in and out of it.
Naples was founded in the late 1880s by former Kentucky Sen. John Stuart Williams and his business partner Walter N. Haldeman, the publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper. Their intention was specifically to create a destination for wealthy tourist, so they chose to name their new resort after Naples, Italy, to evoke thoughts of a warm, pleasant place to visit. Haldeman used his influence in the media to draw winter tourists by promoting the mild climate along with the fishing and hunting opportunities. Naples was incorporated in 1923, and major development began taking off in the 1960s. A good deal of current popular subdivisions and communities lay outside the city limits in unincorporated Collier County. Greater Naples offers an astounding range of housing options, from beach mansion estates to single-family homes to horse farms. Gated developments abound, offering country club or resort-style living. Beach condos range from modest low-rises to luxurious high-rises. Assisted living communities offer resort-style living with full medical facilities right on site. Waterfront communities offer the opportunity to tie off your yacht at your own dock. Popular gated communities include Pelican Marsh, Fiddler’s Creek and Island Walk. Other subdivisions include Naples Park, Park Shore and the Moorings.
The city of Naples Parks Department administers seven city parks, including Lowdermilk Park on the beach, Cambier Park, which includes a band shell, tennis center and a performing arts hall, the iconic Naples Pier, a skateboard park and a dog park. Collier County Parks serves greater Naples with over 30 parks, including the Sun-N-Fun Lagoon water park, a skateboard park and several fitness centers. The county parks also administer the Gordon River Greenway linear park and several beach parks, including Clam Pass Beach Park that offers a ride to the beach on a tram through the mangroves. Nature preserves include The Naples Preserve, which is located within the city, and close to a dozen county-owned preserves in the greater Naples area. Also near Naples are the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Big Cypress National Preserve, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Naples also has the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens and the Naples Botanical Gardens. Greater Naples offers nearly 30 golf courses, 20 marinas and recreational sports leagues for youths, adults and seniors.
Naples and its surrounding region are renowned as a shopper’s paradise. Shopping is a swank experience on the ultra high-end Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South within the city limits. Boutiques carry merchandise to please well-heeled customers. Many of the city’s art galleries are located along these streets. Luxury malls in the area include the modern-styled outdoor Waterside Shops with fountains throughout and the faux-downtown styled Mercato. Coastland Center Mall offers an indoor shopping experience. Dining out could be considered a competitive sport in a place with so many restaurants, making Naples a foodie’s paradise as well. Greater Naples abounds with innovative, chef-driven restaurants. The city has entire festivals, such as the Naples Winter Wine Festival, built around the sport of dining and imbibing. Naples also offers many options for entertainment once the sun goes down. Many of the afore-mentioned chef-driven restaurants offer live entertainment, and the area has a number of hopping bars, such as the Blue Martini Lounge. The swank shopping districts encourage people to shop, wine, dine and stroll after dark with special entertainment events nights held on a regular basis, such as “Thursdays on Third” in the Third Street South district. Naples is home to several theater companies and visual art organizations. Artis-Naples is home to the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and hosts major national-touring concerts and musicals. Local concert bands featuring accomplished musicians play jazz and light classical concerts at the Cambier Park band shell nearly every weekend during the winter season. The winter “snowbird” season is gala season in Naples, with multiple charities throwing events every weekend to raise money. Major yearly events include the Naples Stone Crab Festival, Naples National Art Festival and Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade that draws 40,000 people to downtown Naples. Museums are numerous in the greater Naples area, including the Collier County Museum system, art museums, Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (C’mon) and the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida.
The Naples economy leans heavily on tourism dollars, with the Ritz-Carlton being a major employer. In greater Naples, major employers that fall outside of the tourism sector include ASG Software Solutions and the medical equipment manufacturer Arthrex. Greater Naples is served by Collier County Public Schools, with seven high schools, nine middle schools, nearly 30 elementary schools and two charter schools within the community. Florida SouthWestern State College and Hodges University have campuses in greater Naples, and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) near Estero serves the entire Southwest Florida region. The Renaissance Academy has a branch in Naples that offers an additional wide-ranging catalog of adult non-credit classes sponsored by FGCU, and Collier County Schools also offer adult classes.