Rise up

Lehigh Acres — once dubbed the American Dream in high reverse by the New York Times — is now a statewide leader in rising home values.

An unincorporated area of Lee County east of Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres posted a median home value of $117,500 in 2015, according to a new report from data firm SmartAsset. That's up 68% from $69,900 in 2011.

Of course, in Lehigh Acres, a national leader in foreclosures in the late 2000s, housing values are relative. In 2006, for example, the peak year before the bust, the median home value in Lehigh Acres was $236,700. “The past 10 years have been a roller coaster ride for homeowners in Lehigh Acres,” the SmartAsset report states.