Collier County, Florida
Six miles of Gulf beach, a hundred miles of waterways
Beachfront condominiums, canal front homes and island living at the southern edge of Naples, between the Gulf and the Ten Thousand Islands.
Marco Island is the largest barrier island in Southwest Florida's Ten Thousand Islands area, according to the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, and sits at the southern end of the Naples coastline. The City of Marco Island describes about 6 miles of Gulf beach and more than 100 miles of waterways, and its Waterways Advisory Committee counts 5,723 homes on canals or waterfront property.
The island has a long human history. The Calusa lived here for well over a thousand years, and the carved wooden Key Marco Cat was excavated here in 1896 by Frank Hamilton Cushing. Modern Marco Island began when the Mackle brothers' Deltona Corporation bought most of the island in 1962 and opened it on January 31, 1965. The city incorporated on August 28, 1997.
Today the island is a mix of high rise and mid rise beachfront condominiums along Collier Boulevard, canal front homes with docks and lifts throughout the interior, villas, and waterfront estates. It connects to the mainland by the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge on Collier Boulevard and the Stan Gober Memorial Bridge to Goodland on San Marco Road.
Otter Mound Preserve, a 2.45 acre Conservation Collier preserve on Addison Court, protects a Calusa shell mound dated to roughly 700 to 1,200 AD, with historic whelk shell terracing and an interpretive trail. The Marco Island Historical Museum on Heathwood Drive tells the island's story from the Calusa to today.
Census figures describe the City of Marco Island (ACS 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates). Beach and waterway figures are published by the City of Marco Island. Drive figures assume light traffic; allow more time in season.
On Marco Island the beach and the boat are rarely far apart. Canal front homes reach the Marco River, Capri Pass and the Gulf; the inland waterway leads north toward Naples; and to the south and east lie Caxambas Pass, Goodland and the Ten Thousand Islands. Access, depth and bridge clearance vary by property.
Mornings on the beach, afternoons on the water and dinner on the river. Interior canals are idle speed, no wake, so most trips start slowly before opening up on the Marco River.
Run the Marco River out through Capri Pass to the Gulf, north on the inland waterway toward Naples, or south past Caxambas toward Cape Romano and the Ten Thousand Islands.
Tigertail Beach, South Marco Beach and the long Gulf shoreline along Collier Boulevard, plus boat only beaches on Keewaydin, Kice Island and Cape Romano.
Redfish, snook, gray snapper, spotted seatrout and sheepshead in the backcountry, and artificial reefs offshore. A Florida saltwater license is required.
Shorebirds at Sand Dollar Island, sea turtles nesting from May through October, and Florida burrowing owls, a state threatened species, nesting in burrows around the island.
Close to Naples.A world of its own.An island, on island time.
Marco Island has its own city government, police department and fire rescue, 2 Publix supermarkets, a Winn-Dixie, pharmacies, an NCH urgent care center, a public library branch and a historical museum. Daily errands rarely require leaving the island.
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with peak activity in early to mid September.
Fifth Avenue South is about 17 miles and 30 minutes away, Naples Airport about 31 minutes, and Southwest Florida International Airport about 67 minutes. Goodland and Isles of Capri are each about 5 miles away, and Port of the Islands about 29 minutes east.
The nearest hospital with a 24 hour emergency room is Physicians Regional Collier Boulevard, about 11 miles and 21 minutes away. NCH Marco Island Urgent Care on Heathwood Drive is open daily.
Explore current beachfront condominiums, canal front homes, villas and lots, updated from the MLS.
Active listings on Marco Island in September 2026: 119 single family homes, 200 condominiums and 39 lots. Source: Marco Island Area Association of REALTORS® MLS, September 2026 Market Report.
The numbers first, then what they may mean. Monthly figures move with the season and with a handful of large sales, so we read them alongside the properties behind them.
Request a market report| Measure | Homes | Condos | Lots | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory | 119 −28% | 200 −26% | 39 −46% | 358 −30% |
| Properties sold | 28 −28% | 37 +61% | 4 −60% | 67 0% |
| Median sales price | $1.6M 0% | $600K −13% | $475K −32% | — |
| Average days on market | 85 −9% | 127 −31% | 395 +211% | 202 +51% |
| Sold volume | $61M −36% | $28M +2% | $1M −88% | $89.5M −31% |
Source: Marco Island Area Association of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service, September 2026 Market Report. The association's published totals may not equal the sum of the columns because of rounding.
Fewer listings than a year ago, with condominium sales up and single family and lot sales down. Average days on market for lots rose sharply, which in a small sample can reflect a few long listed parcels selling. One month is a snapshot; we look at rolling 6 and 12 month figures before drawing conclusions.
The Census Bureau estimates a median owner occupied value of $896,300 for the City of Marco Island (ACS 2020 to 2024). It is a survey estimate, not a sale price.
Special flood hazard zones on Marco are AE and VE. The city participates in the Community Rating System at Class 6, which the city says brings a 20% discount on NFIP flood insurance. The current flood map took effect May 16, 2012; newer FEMA maps are preliminary. Check each property and get insurance quotes early.
From Gulf front towers to quiet canal streets. Prices change week to week, so they aren't published here. These are the property types that come to market, and what we look at with each.
High rise and mid rise buildings along Collier Boulevard with Gulf views. Review association budgets, reserves, insurance and recent structural inspections.
Single family homes with docks, lifts and pools. The route to open water matters as much as the home: bridges, canal width and distance to the river.
Whether a canal route passes under any of the island's fixed bridges, some as low as about 3 feet, decides which boats can reach open water. Ask us to map the route for any home you are considering.
Larger homes on wide water, points and bay front lots. Seawall condition, dock permits and flood elevation are part of every evaluation.
Attached homes with less exterior upkeep. Confirm what the association covers, from roofs to landscaping.
Interior homes on lake or garden lots, often with the same beach and boating access through public ramps and marinas.
Waterfront and interior lots for new construction. Building depends on zoning, flood elevation and city permitting.
Slips come with some condominiums and are available at marinas. Rules and ownership structures differ; ask before you plan around one.
What boaters should know about Marco Island, drawn from the NOAA Coast Pilot, the City of Marco Island and Collier County.
Keewaydin Island, reachable only by boat, is largely state owned and part of the Rookery Bay reserve. Kice Island, Morgan Beach and Cape Romano are day use only, with seasonal access restrictions for nesting birds. The well known Cape Romano dome house was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
The city publishes a bridge clearance survey and a marine flyer with reef coordinates, pump out stations and tow services. Marco Island Police lend children's life jackets free of charge.
Boating disclaimer. Water depth, tidal conditions, bridge clearance, canal width, dock size, boat lift capacity and navigational access vary by individual property and change over time. This information is general and drawn from public sources. Buyers should independently verify boating conditions, permits and access for any specific property, including with a marine surveyor, dock contractor or licensed captain, before purchase.
Waterfront tables on the Marco River, island favorites and Goodland's fish houses. Some are seasonal; check hours before you go.
Hours and seasonal openings change; please confirm with each restaurant. Listings are for information only and are not endorsements.
Gulf beaches on the island, shorebird sanctuaries, boat only islands and the reserves of the Ten Thousand Islands. Distances are approximate drives from central Marco Island.
A Collier County beach park open 8 a.m. to sunset, with boardwalks and parking. Across the tidal lagoon, Sand Dollar Island is part of FWC's 456 acre Big Marco Pass Critical Wildlife Area; nesting areas may be posted closed March 1 to August 31.
South Marco Beach offers public access with paid parking. Residents' Beach and Sarazen Park South Beach are open to Marco Island Civic Association members. Live shelling is not allowed in county parks.
NPS photo, public domainBoat only beaches north and south of the island. Keewaydin is largely state owned within the Rookery Bay reserve; Kice Island, Morgan Beach and Cape Romano are day use, with seasonal restrictions for nesting birds.
S. Hillebrand, USFWS, public domainAbout 110,000 acres from Gordon Pass to the western Everglades. The Environmental Learning Center has a 2,300 gallon mangrove aquarium and a touch tank; open Tuesday to Saturday, closed in September.
Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0A 2.45 acre Conservation Collier preserve on the island protecting a Calusa shell mound, with an interpretive trail loop and 4 parking spaces.
olekinderhook, CC BY 3.0Loggerheads nest on Marco's beaches from May through early August, with hatchlings emerging through October. Collier County asks for shielded, low wattage lighting, and the city requires beach furniture to be removed nightly.
About 35,000 acres of mangrove, marsh and hammock established in 1996, with the Marsh Trail and observation tower on US 41.
7,271 acres with a boat ramp on the Blackwater River and a 13.5 mile canoe trail toward the Ten Thousand Islands.
A boating community at the gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands. Read our Port of the Islands guide.
Living here, day to day
Schools, places of worship and everyday services on and near Marco Island.
Marco Island is in the Collier County Public Schools district. Use the district's Interactive Zoning Tool to find the schools assigned to a specific address.
School assignments and attendance boundaries should always be independently verified with Collier County Public Schools. Boundary questions can go to boundary@collierschools.com.
101 Kirkwood Street, Marco Island.
Florida DOE school grade 2025 to 26: A
1401 Trinidad Avenue, Marco Island.
Florida DOE school grade 2025 to 26: A
1 Lely High School Boulevard, Naples. Verify zoning for any address with the district tool.
Florida DOE school grade 2025 to 26: B
Free VPK for Florida children who turn 4 by September 1, through the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida.
101 Sand Hill Street, Marco Island. 239.394.9622
School grades are assigned by the Florida Department of Education and published by Collier County Public Schools (2025 to 2026 School and District Grades). Listing a school here does not mean it serves any particular address.
A local resource list of congregations on the island. Service times vary by season; contact each directly.
851 San Marco Road. sanmarcochurch.org
1101 North Collier Boulevard. stmarksmarco.org
525 North Collier Boulevard. marcolutheran.org
875 West Elkcam Circle. marcochurch.com
350 South Barfield Drive. wesleymarco.org
320 North Barfield Drive. ucmarco.org
991 Winterberry Drive. marcojcmi.com
Provided as community resource information only.
Most daily needs are on the island. Hospital care and larger shopping are in Naples.
Publix at Shops of Marco, 175 South Barfield Drive, with a pharmacy; Publix at Marco Town Center, 1089 North Collier Boulevard; Winn-Dixie at Marco Island Marketplace, 625 North Collier Boulevard.
Walgreens, 1800 San Marco Road; CVS, 676 Bald Eagle Drive; Publix pharmacy at Shops of Marco.
NCH Marco Island Urgent Care, 40 Heathwood Drive, open daily with CT and X ray. 239.624.8540
Physicians Regional Collier Boulevard, 8300 Collier Boulevard, Naples, with a 24 hour emergency room. NCH Baker Hospital in downtown Naples is about 18 miles.
Marco Island Police Department, 51 Bald Eagle Drive (non emergency 239.389.5050), and Marco Island Fire Rescue. Call 911 for emergencies.
Collier County Public Library, Marco Island Branch, 210 South Heathwood Drive. Residents can get a Collier County beach parking permit here.
Marco Ace Hardware, 880 East Elkcam Circle, and Sunshine Ace, 1720 San Marco Road.
Marco Veterinary Hospital, 1842 San Marco Road.
City Hall, building permits, floodplain information and bridge clearance data at cityofmarcoisland.com. 239.389.5000
Marco Island's population rises sharply in season; the city cites a permanent population of about 16,500 and a peak of about 40,000. Allow extra time on Collier Boulevard and at the Jolley Bridge during the winter season.
Approximate drives from central Marco Island at Collier Boulevard and San Marco Road, calculated with OpenStreetMap routing. Times assume light traffic; add time in season.
Map: Marco Island is marked at Collier Boulevard and San Marco Road. Naples lies north via Collier Boulevard over the Jolley Bridge; Isles of Capri sits just north across the Marco River; Goodland lies east via San Marco Road; the Ten Thousand Islands stretch south and east. Open a larger map. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Neutral housing and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau for the City of Marco Island, compared with Collier County.
About half of Marco Island's housing units are held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use, so the island's population and traffic change noticeably through the year. For property level detail, the Collier County Property Appraiser is the authoritative source.
| Measure | Marco Island | Collier County |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,205 | 398,291 |
| Households | 8,609 | 165,875 |
| Average household size | 1.88 | 2.37 |
| Median age | 67.9 | 53.3 |
| Median household income | $101,523 | $90,045 |
| Housing units | 18,500 | 239,406 |
| Owner occupied | 89.4% | 76.6% |
| Renter occupied | 10.6% | 23.4% |
| Seasonal, recreational or occasional use | 49.2% | 24.9% |
| Median value, owner occupied | $896,300 | $540,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,990 | $1,862 |
| Land area | 12.16 sq mi | 1,997 sq mi |
“We live it sunrise to sunset.”
Waterways in Paradise is a team of experienced Southwest Florida real estate professionals specializing in Marco Island, Naples, and the surrounding coastal communities. Powered by Keller Williams Realty Marco Island/Naples, the team combines extensive real estate experience with local knowledge, waterfront expertise, boating experience, design insight, and a strong commitment to personalized service.
Led by Mike and Tamra Ludwig, Waterways in Paradise includes Brian Hood, Judy Keator, Shelly Arch.
Waterfront property doesn't value neatly by the square foot. Two homes of the same size on the same street can sell very differently because of what sits behind them: the dock, the lift, the view down the canal or over the Gulf, and the bridges between the dock and open water. In a market with relatively few sales, the right comparables matter even more.
Our Marco Island home value review is a professional market analysis, prepared from MLS sales and current competing listings and adjusted for the details buyers here pay for.
Prefer to start online? Use our home valuation request or read about selling with Waterways in Paradise.
Marco Island is a city in Collier County on the Gulf coast, at the southern end of the Naples coastline and the northwestern edge of the Ten Thousand Islands. Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples is about 17 miles away, roughly 30 minutes by car in light traffic. The island is reached by the Jolley Bridge on Collier Boulevard and by San Marco Road through Goodland.
Beachfront and bay front condominiums, canal front single family homes with docks and lifts, waterfront estates, villas, off water homes and vacant lots. In September 2026 the Marco Island Area Association of REALTORS® reported 358 active listings: 119 homes, 200 condominiums and 39 lots.
Yes. The city describes more than 100 miles of waterways, and its Waterways Advisory Committee counts 5,723 homes on canals or waterfront property. Capri Pass connects the Marco River to the Gulf, an inland waterway leads to Naples, and the Ten Thousand Islands lie to the south and east. Bridge clearance and depth vary by canal, so verify both for any specific home.
Some do. The City of Marco Island publishes a bridge clearance survey listing vertical clearances for interior bridges from about 3 feet to about 14.4 feet. The Jolley Bridge and the Goodland bridge each have 55 feet of clearance. The route from a dock to open water determines which boats a home can practically keep.
About 6 miles of Gulf beach, including Tigertail Beach, a Collier County park with access across the lagoon to Sand Dollar Island, and South Marco Beach. Residents' Beach and Sarazen Park South Beach are open to Marco Island Civic Association members. Keewaydin Island, Kice Island and Cape Romano are reachable by boat.
Downtown Naples is about 17 miles, roughly 30 minutes. Naples Airport is about 31 minutes, and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is about 49 miles, roughly 67 minutes, in light traffic. Drives take longer in season.
Marco Island is in the Collier County Public Schools district. Tommie Barfield Elementary, Marco Island Charter Middle School and Marco Island Academy, a public charter high school, are on the island, each graded A by the Florida Department of Education for 2025 to 26. School assignments and attendance boundaries should always be independently verified with Collier County Public Schools.
Special flood hazard zones on Marco are AE and VE. The city participates in the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System at Class 6, which the city says brings a 20% discount on flood insurance premiums. The current flood map took effect May 16, 2012, and newer FEMA maps are preliminary. Check the zone and elevation for any property and get flood and wind insurance quotes early.
Map the boat route from the dock, including every bridge and its clearance at high tide; confirm depth at the dock and along the route; check seawall, dock and lift condition and permits; and review the flood zone and insurance. For condominiums, review association budgets, reserves and inspections. Sea turtle lighting rules apply to beachfront properties from May through October.
Marco Island is an incorporated city with Gulf beaches, shopping and services on the island. Port of the Islands is a smaller boating community on US 41, about 29 minutes east, surrounded by preserve land at the edge of the Ten Thousand Islands. Read our Port of the Islands guide.
Whether you're considering buying, selling, or simply want to better understand the Marco Island market, connect with Michael and the Waterways in Paradise Team.
Information is believed accurate as of October 2026 but is not guaranteed. Hours, services and conditions change; please verify independently.
Landscape photographs represent the area and do not depict any specific property for sale.