Cape Coral forum. Real estate, homes for sale, community information and discussion about the area. Cape Coral is a city in Lee County, Florida. It is located on the Southwest coast of Florida between Naples and Fort Myers. Cape Coral is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, having grown from just 15 residents in 1950 to more than 160,000 as of 2017. Cape Coral was founded in 1957 by the Cape Coral Company and was built on land that was once a salt marsh. The original intent was to create a resort community for wealthy vacationers. However, it soon became clear that Cape Coral would appeal to a wider variety of buyers, including families looking for more affordable housing. In 1960, Cape Coral’s first school opened, and by 1970 the population had grown to more than 10,000 residents. In 1977, Cape Coral became an independent city, and today it is one of the largest cities in Florida with a population of more than 160,000 residents.