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Living in
Fort Pierce.
About
Life in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce offers an affordable coastal lifestyle on Florida's Atlantic side without the premium pricing of Miami or the tourist crush of bigger beach towns. The median home price sits around $250,800 with rent averaging $1,217 monthly, and a median household income of $46,745 reflects a working-class character — this isn't a wealthy enclave. You'll have real access to the water: manatees are common, there's an active oceanographic research presence, and the city has invested heavily in coastal protection with artificial reef systems and regular beach maintenance.
Fort Pierce at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.2%
Foreign-Born
19.3%
Broadband Internet
85.9%
of households
Population Growth
+9.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.3% foreign-born, most often from Haiti
Who lives in Fort Pierce: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Pierce, the largest foreign-born group is from Haiti (41.6%), and 15.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.4%
of households
Married Couples
32.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.57
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 27% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Pierce
In Fort Pierce, rent runs 27% below the FL average, and home values are 30% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
62.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,839
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $274,747 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.9 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Fort Pierce
Unemployment in Fort Pierce is 1.9 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fort Pierce Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.4 min avg
How Fort Pierce residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Pierce, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB)
Regional airport · few flights129k passengers boarded in 2025
- 55 mi
President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT)
Medium hub4.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 91 mi
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Major hub28.0M 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 28% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fort Pierce runs 28% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
422.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,582.6
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fort Pierce Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Lucie County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Lucie County, which includes Fort Pierce, the most common type is hail, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Tropical Storm | $497.5M |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,750 |
| 2022 | 13 | Tornado | $225,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 4 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 1 | Funnel Cloud | None reported |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Lucie County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Lucie County, which includes Fort Pierce, is typically good — 351 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
351
per year
Moderate Days
13
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
St. Lucie County, county-wide
Climate89°F summers, 55°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Pierce has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and warm winters (avg low 55°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/64°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/69°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
74°/55°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
55.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
70
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72°F | 53°F | 3.04" |
| Feb | 74°F | 55°F | 2.80" |
| Mar | 77°F | 59°F | 3.03" |
| Apr | 81°F | 64°F | 3.62" |
| May | 84°F | 69°F | 4.20" |
| Jun | 88°F | 73°F | 6.22" |
| Jul | 89°F | 74°F | 6.19" |
| Aug | 89°F | 75°F | 7.25" |
| Sep | 88°F | 74°F | 8.21" |
| Oct | 84°F | 70°F | 5.72" |
| Nov | 78°F | 62°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 74°F | 57°F | 2.41" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Port St Lucie Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Port Saint Lucie
St Lucie Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Port Saint Lucie
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.
Education19.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce's student/teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 18.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
8
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Fort Pierce
Public · 2-year · 11,822 students · in-state tuition $2,764 · 44% graduate · median earnings $43,542 (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: Canaveral National Seashore, 97 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Canaveral National Seashore (97 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Canaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fort Pierce
Susan Broom Kilmer Branch Library
101 Melody Lane, Fort Pierce
Zora Neale Hurston Branch Library
3008 Avenue D, Fort Pierce
Cities Near Fort Pierce
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Pierce?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Pierce FAQ
Is Fort Pierce, Florida affordable?⌄
Fort Pierce's median rent is $1,217/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,072/year. Median home value is $250,800.
Is Fort Pierce, Florida safe?⌄
Fort Pierce's violent crime rate was 422 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1583 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Pierce, Florida?⌄
Fort Pierce has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Pierce, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Pierce is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,217/month and median household income is $47,072/year. The median home value is $250,800. About 63% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Pierce, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Fort Pierce is 27 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