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Lake Okeechobee

Florida · Natural · near Clewiston

730,000 acres 12 ft deep 2 ft clarity Water D
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5.6SCORE
Survey summary · Florida
730,000
Surface acres
12 ft
Max depth
135 mi
Shoreline
2 ft
Typical clarity
14 ft
Elevation

Lake Okeechobee covers 730,000 acres in Florida and drops to 12 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Clarity is limited, which is typical of productive fisheries but worth seeing in person if you are swimming daily. Short-term rental posture: County by county. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Large open water, 730,000 acres
  • Bass fishing
  • Birding

Watch outs

  • Nutrient-rich water; seasonal algae blooms are possible
  • USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 3.8
Recreation 6.3
Value 4.7
Access 7.3
Investment 6.8

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Largemouth bassCrappieBluegillCatfish

On the water

Bass fishingBirdingAirboats
No USGS gauge on this lake. Water level and clarity figures below come from published lake management data rather than a live sensor.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs variable low · Lake Okeechobee
4 ft FULL POOL VARIABLE LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 4 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 1376 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 439 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 12 ft max avg 4 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 12 ft, average 4 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown4 ft Drawdown seasonVariable Trophic stateEutrophic Typical clarity2 ft Water quality gradeD Elevation14 ft Managing authorityUSACE / SFWMD

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSACE Jacksonville Wake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Jacksonville that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

County by county

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$665,000
Median waterfront
$2,974
Per shoreline foot
+7.8%
Year over year
36
Est. inventory
155
Avg days on market
$224
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy49% Booked nights / yr129 Gross revenue$36,290 Net operating income$14,430 Yield on median price2.17%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Okeechobee actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$5,490
All-in per month
$152,210
Cash to close + setup
$14,055
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$65,876 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $42,045 (65%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $7,315 (11%) Property taxes $6,982 (11%) Hazard insurance $2,793 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$42,045
Property taxes$6,982
Hazard insurance$2,793
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$7,315
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$65,876
Model your own numbers →

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