# Collier County, Florida

Collier County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, its population was 375,752; an increase of 16.9% since the 2010 United States Census. Its county seat is East Naples, where the county offices were moved from Everglades City in 1962. Collier County comprises the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which, along with the Cape Coral-Fort Myers (Lee County) MSA and the Clewiston (Hendry County, Glades County) Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), is included in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples Combined Statistical Area (CSA).

## History

Archaeology at Platt Island in the Big Cypress National Preserve shows humans settled in what is now Collier County more than 2000 years ago. The Calusa people had an extensive presence in the area when Europeans arrived.
The county was created in 1923 from Lee County. It was named for Barron Collier, a New York City advertising mogul and real estate developer who had moved to Southwest Florida and established himself as a prominent landowner. He agreed to build the Tamiami Trail for what was then Lee County (comprising today's Collier, Hendry, and Lee Counties) in exchange for favorable consideration with the state legislature to have a county named for him. After Collier County was named, Collier was quoted as saying: "When I first came here on holiday with Juliet, I never expected that I would buy a whole region of it, nor did I expect to pay for the new Tamiami Trail, or half the things I've done. But I really didn't expect to have a whole county named after me."

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,305 square miles (5,970 km$^2$), of which 307 square miles (800 km$^2$) (13.3%) are covered by water. It is the largest county in Florida by land area and fourth-largest by total area. Virtually the entire southeastern portion of the county lies within the Big Cypress National Preserve. The northernmost portion of Everglades National Park extends into the southern coastal part of the county. Chokoloskee, Florida is in the county. The total area of this county is nearly one and a half times the size of Rhode Island, which is the smallest state, and is bigger than Rhode Island and Luxembourg combined.

### Adjacent counties

Collier County is located at the southern end of Florida's Gulf Coast, and bounded by:
* Hendry County – north
* Broward County – east
* Miami-Dade County – southeast
* Monroe County – south
* Lee County – northwest

### National protected areas

* Big Cypress National Preserve (part)
* Everglades National Park (part)
* Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
* Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge

## Transportation

* Everglades Airpark
* Immokalee Airport
* Marco Island Airport
* Naples Municipal Airport
* Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (mostly unused)

### Major highways

* Interstate 75
* U.S. Route 41
* State Road 29
* State Road 84
* State Road 951

## Demographics
### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 251,377 people, 102,973 households, and 71,257 families resided in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile (48 people/km$^2$). The 144,536 housing units had an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km$^2$).
As of 2000, its racial makeup was 86.06% White, 4.54% was African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 6.25% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos (of any race) accounted for 19.61%. Primary languages spoken were 75.3% English, 17.8% Spanish, 2.3% French Creole, and 1.2% German.
In 2000, of the 102,973 households, 22.7% had children under 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.79.
The county's population distribution was 19.9% under 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 44.1 years, higher that the U.S. average. For every 100 females, there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 99.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,289, and for a family was $54,816. Males had a median income of $32,639 versus $26,371 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,195. About 6.6% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

### 2010 census

The county continues to experience significant growth and is becoming increasingly diverse. As of the 2010 census, the county's population had increased by 27.9% to 321,520, over the 2000 census. As of the 2010 census, 83.85% of the population was non-Hispanic Whites, 25.9% was Latino or Hispanic, 6.6% was African American, and 1.1% was Asian. As of the 2010 census, the greatest source of population growth in the county since the 2000 census came from the Latino or Hispanic population, which grew from 49,296 (19.6%) to 83,177 (25.9% ). In terms of ancestry, 37.9% were English, 9.9% were Irish, 9.1% were "American", 3.2% were Italian and 3.1% were German.

### 2020 census

Collier County racial composition (Hispanics excluded from racial categories) (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White (NH) | 211,156 | 235,455 | 65.67% | 62.66% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 19,898 | 22,554 | 6.19% | 6.0% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 609 | 551 | 0.19% | 0.15% |
| Asian (NH) | 3,390 | 5,419 | 1.05% | 1.44% |
| Some other race (NH) | 431 | 1,502 | 0.15% | 0.42% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 2,787 | 7,961 | 0.87% | 2.12% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 83,177 | 102,249 | 25.87% | 27.21% |
| Total | 321,520 | 375,752 | | |
As of the 2020 United States census, 375,752 people, 140,578 households, and 97,279 families resided in the county.

## Education

The county's public schools are operated by the District School Board of Collier County.

## Public library

The Collier County Public Library system consists of 10 locations serving the entire county. All locations offer public internet stations, printing, photocopying, free Wi-Fi, and 24/7 drop boxes for book and video returns.

## Politics
### Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans comprise a majority of registered voters in Collier County. It is also one of the handful of counties where independents outnumber Democrats among registrants. The county is part of a long-established Republican stronghold in southwestern coastal Florida; the last Democrat to win the county was Adlai Stevenson II in 1952. The last Democratic governor to carry the county was Reubin Askew in 1974 and the last Democratic senator to do so was Bob Graham in 1992; six years later, the county was one of four to back the then-Republican candidate, Charlie Crist.
All voter information is as of September 30, 2022, and provided by Collier County Supervisor of Elections Office.
* Republican (51.36%)
* Democratic (22.15%)
* Other parties (26.49%)

### Statewide elections

United States presidential election results for Collier County, Florida :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 143,267 | 65.89% | 71,720 | 32.98% | 2,447 | 1.13% |
| 2020 | 128,950 | 61.91% | 77,621 | 37.27% | 1,714 | 0.82% |
| 2016 | 105,423 | 61.11% | 61,085 | 35.41% | 6,002 | 3.48% |
| 2012 | 96,520 | 64.64% | 51,698 | 34.62% | 1,106 | 0.74% |
| 2008 | 86,379 | 60.84% | 54,450 | 38.35% | 1,159 | 0.82% |
| 2004 | 83,631 | 64.99% | 43,892 | 34.11% | 1,160 | 0.90% |
| 2000 | 60,467 | 65.58% | 29,939 | 32.47% | 1,796 | 1.95% |
| 1996 | 42,593 | 58.74% | 23,185 | 31.97% | 6,739 | 9.29% |
| 1992 | 38,448 | 53.44% | 18,796 | 26.13% | 14,700 | 20.43% |
| 1988 | 38,920 | 74.87% | 12,769 | 24.57% | 291 | 0.56% |
| 1984 | 33,619 | 78.75% | 9,067 | 21.24% | 5 | 0.01% |
| 1980 | 23,900 | 71.10% | 7,739 | 23.02% | 1,974 | 5.87% |
| 1976 | 14,643 | 61.76% | 8,764 | 36.96% | 303 | 1.28% |
| 1972 | 13,501 | 80.63% | 3,201 | 19.12% | 42 | 0.25% |
| 1968 | 5,362 | 50.85% | 2,230 | 21.15% | 2,952 | 28.00% |
| 1964 | 3,581 | 55.45% | 2,877 | 44.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,708 | 60.74% | 1,750 | 39.26% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,934 | 59.73% | 1,304 | 40.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,086 | 49.59% | 1,104 | 50.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 247 | 28.07% | 362 | 41.14% | 271 | 30.80% |
| 1944 | 180 | 21.95% | 640 | 78.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 156 | 16.17% | 809 | 83.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 88 | 8.89% | 902 | 91.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 37 | 8.03% | 424 | 91.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 151 | 37.01% | 256 | 62.75% | 1 | 0.25% |
| 1924 | 15 | 8.33% | 148 | 82.22% | 17 | 9.44% |
Gubernatorial Election Results :
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
| 2022 | 71.74% 117,477 | 27.98% 45,815 | 0.29% 467 |
| 2018 | 64.52% 100,303 | 34.48% 53,594 | 1.00% 1,556 |
| 2014 | 66.31% 75,337 | 31.05% 35,281 | 2.64% 3,002 |
| 2010 | 65.12% 66,960 | 32.49% 33,408 | 2.39% 2,465 |
| 2006 | 68.80% 59,821 | 29.10% 25,303 | 2.10% 1,822 |
| 2002 | 73.74% 61,555 | 25.44% 21,237 | 0.82% 687 |
| 1998 | 71.06% 41,688 | 28.94% 16,981 | 0.00% 1 |
| 1994 | 61.40% 36,370 | 38.60% 22,860 | |

## Communities
### Cities

* Everglades City
* Marco Island
* Naples

### Census-designated places

* Ave Maria
* Berkshire Lakes
* Chokoloskee
* Golden Gate
* Goodland
* Heritage Bay
* Immokalee
* Island Walk
* Lely
* Lely Resort
* Marco Shores-Hammock Bay
* Naples Manor
* Naples Park
* Orangetree
* Pelican Bay
* Pelican Marsh
* Pine Ridge
* Plantation Island
* Verona Walk
* Vineyards
* Winding Cypress

### Community development districts

* Fiddler's Creek District #1
* Fiddler's Creek District #2

### Other unincorporated communities

* Carnestown
* Copeland
* East Naples
* Isles of Capri
* Jerome
* Miles City
* North Naples
* Ochopee
* Vanderbilt Beach
* Vanderbilt Beach Estates

## Invasive snake issues

Collier is located in the center of Florida's invasive snake epidemic. A three-month effort at the beginning of 2016 netted over one ton of captured snakes, including a Florida record for the largest male Burmese python, measuring 16 ft and weighing 140 lb.