Cape Coral Among Forbes’ Newcomers List October 7, 2009

Forbes magazine studied the percentage of residents, one year or older, who moved into the 100 most populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas in 2008, and four Florida cities made the list – Cape Coral, Lakeland, Palm Bay and Bradenton.

The two least desirable destination cities for relocation are Detroit and New York City. Los Angeles and Chicago also had low levels of newcomers. Cities that attracted the most new residents tended to be college towns. “You have an educated population, and you have a large youthful population,” says Alexander von Hoffman, senior fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. “These places retain people after they’ve graduated, and attract like-minded people.”

Cape Coral-Fort Myers is home to several higher education institutions (Florida Gulf Coast University, and Edison College, to name just two).

Cities with the most newcomers are: • Colorado Springs, Colo. • Provo, Utah • Bakersfield, Calif. • Austin, Texas • Raleigh, N.C. • Columbia, S.C. • Cape Coral, Fla. • Lakeland, Fla. • Palm Bay, Fla. • Bradenton, Fla. Source:

Source: Forbes, Francesca Levy (10/01/2009)