Cortez is a very small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Florida. With a population of 4,121 people and two associated neighborhoods, Cortez is the 304th largest community in Florida.

Housing costs in Cortez are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Florida.

A relatively large number of people in Cortez telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 12.10% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Cortez is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Cortez’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

It is a fairly quiet town because there are relatively few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. (Children, for example, often can't help themselves from being noisy, and being parents ourselves, we know!) Cortez has relatively few families with children living at home, and is quieter because of it. Renters and college students, for their own reasons, can also be noisy. Cortez has few renters and college students. But the biggest reason it is quieter in Cortez than in most places in America, is that there are just simply fewer people living here. If you think trees make good neighbors, Cortez may be for you.

Cortez is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

Being a small town, Cortez does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.

The citizens of Cortez are among the most well-educated in the nation: 44.78% of adults in Cortez have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Cortez in 2022 was $55,014, which is wealthy relative to Florida and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $220,056 for a family of four. However, Cortez contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

The people who call Cortez home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Cortez residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Cortez include German, English, Irish, Italian, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Cortez is English. Other important languages spoken here include French Creole and Spanish.