© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
East Lake.
East Lake is an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in East Lake
Living in East Lake means settling into a fairly affluent, educated corner of the Tampa Bay area—these aren't flashy resort communities, but rather stable residential neighborhoods where most people have steady work and decent incomes. Housing costs are significant: median home values hover around $488,000 and rent runs about $1,942 monthly, so you're paying for that relative stability and demographic profile. The 29-minute average commute is reasonable for the region, though you'll definitely need a car—this is suburban Florida, not a walkable urban core.
East Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
51.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Foreign-Born
12.7%
Broadband Internet
95.4%
of households
Population Growth
+2.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in East Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In East Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from India (9.0%), and 4.1% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
16.6%
of residents
65 and Older
28.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.7%
of households
Married Couples
57.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in East Lake
In East Lake, rent runs 16% above the FL average, and home values are 36% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,043
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in East Lake and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Pinellas County, which includes East Lake, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
East Lake: Pinellas County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Pinellas County (county-wide) · Annual averages
East Lake is about 3% of Pinellas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What East Lake Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area
Commute28.3 min avg
How East Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In East Lake, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which covers East Lake, runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
150.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
765.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pinellas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Pinellas County, which includes East Lake, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Lightning | $376,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Lightning | $43.9M |
| 2023 | 4 | Tropical Storm | $655,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50.7M |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $61,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $56.4M |
| 2019 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $205,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $753,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Pinellas County, county-wide
East Lake is about 3% of Pinellas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pinellas County, which includes East Lake, is typically good — 254 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
254
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Pinellas County, county-wide
East Lake is about 3% of Pinellas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate90°F summers, 53°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
East Lake has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and warm winters (avg low 53°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/66°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
71°/53°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
95
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 51°F | 3.03" |
| Feb | 72°F | 54°F | 2.51" |
| Mar | 76°F | 58°F | 3.08" |
| Apr | 81°F | 63°F | 2.69" |
| May | 86°F | 69°F | 2.35" |
| Jun | 90°F | 74°F | 7.06" |
| Jul | 91°F | 76°F | 9.05" |
| Aug | 91°F | 76°F | 9.66" |
| Sep | 89°F | 74°F | 7.03" |
| Oct | 84°F | 67°F | 3.19" |
| Nov | 76°F | 59°F | 1.90" |
| Dec | 71°F | 54°F | 2.74" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in East Lake
Uninsured
5.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside East Lake's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventhealth North Pinellas
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.1 mi away · Tarpon Springs
HCA Florida Trinity Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Trinity
Mease Dunedin Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.4 mi away · Dunedin
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in East Lake
East Lake's student/teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 49.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
49.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near East Lake (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 8,932 students · 59% graduate · median earnings $33,775 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 388 students · in-state tuition $18,145 · 45% graduate · median earnings $39,314 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
14.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 335 students · in-state tuition $23,213 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for East Lake
East Lake has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being De Soto National Memorial (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
41 mi awayPublic Libraries in East Lake
East Lake Community Library
4125 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor
Cities Near East Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to East Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
East Lake FAQ
Is East Lake, Florida affordable?⌄
East Lake's median rent is $1,942/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $99,333/year. Median home value is $488,000.
Is East Lake, Florida safe?⌄
East Lake is policed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 150 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 766 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in East Lake, Florida?⌄
Pinellas County, which includes East Lake, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in East Lake, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in East Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,942/month and median household income is $99,333/year. The median home value is $488,000. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in East Lake, Florida?⌄
The average commute in East Lake is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from