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Living in
Key West.
About
Life in Key West
Living in Key West means choosing an island lifestyle that's dramatically different from mainland Florida. The economy runs on tourism and military presence, which keeps unemployment low at 2.6%, but that tourism intensity shapes everything about daily life here. Housing costs are steep—median home values around $852,000 and median rent near $2,220 monthly—so you're paying island prices for island living.
Key West at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
46.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Foreign-Born
22.9%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
-5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics22.9% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Key West: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Key West, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (19.5%), and 15.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
15.0%
of residents
65 and Older
21.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.5%
of households
Married Couples
41.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.28
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 33% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Key West
In Key West, rent runs 33% above the FL average, and home values are 137% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$4,442
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
26.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,016,112 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts below FL average
Unemployment in Key West
Unemployment in Key West is 1.3 percentage points lower than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Key West Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.8 min avg
How Key West residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Key West, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 94% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Key West International Airport (EYW)
Small hub761k passengers boarded in 2025
- 128 mi
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Major hub26.5M 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 20% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Key West runs 20% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
264.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,521.9
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Key West Police Department
Natural DisastersTropical Storm most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Monroe County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Monroe County, which includes Key West, the most common type is tropical storm, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Drought | None reported |
| 2024 | 20 | Storm Surge/Tide | $78,500 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $141,500 |
| 2022 | 6 | Tornado | $20,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $500 |
| 2020 | 14 | Tropical Storm | $618,500 |
| 2019 | 1 | Tornado | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 4 | Tropical Storm | $12,200 |
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
Monroe County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate89°F summers, 64°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Key West has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and warm winters (avg low 64°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
82°/71°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/78°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/74°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
76°/64°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
54
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 63°F | 2.01" |
| Feb | 77°F | 64°F | 1.96" |
| Mar | 79°F | 67°F | 1.41" |
| Apr | 83°F | 71°F | 2.17" |
| May | 86°F | 74°F | 3.71" |
| Jun | 88°F | 77°F | 4.81" |
| Jul | 90°F | 78°F | 4.48" |
| Aug | 90°F | 79°F | 6.13" |
| Sep | 88°F | 77°F | 8.24" |
| Oct | 85°F | 75°F | 6.01" |
| Nov | 81°F | 70°F | 3.28" |
| Dec | 77°F | 66°F | 2.22" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Key West
Key West has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Lower Keys Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Key West
Key West's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Key West
The College of the Florida Keys
Public · 2-year · 1,012 students · in-state tuition $3,276 · 44% graduate · median earnings $46,593 (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: Dry Tortugas National Park, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Key West
Key West has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Dry Tortugas National Park (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Dry Tortugas National Park
National Park
69 mi awayEverglades National Park
National Park
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Key West
May Hill Russell Library
700 Fleming Street, Key West
Cities Near Key West
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Key West.
Planning a move to Key West?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Key West FAQ
Is Key West, Florida affordable?⌄
Key West's median rent is $2,220/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $87,037/year. Median home value is $852,400.
Is Key West, Florida safe?⌄
Key West's violent crime rate was 264 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1522 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Key West, Florida?⌄
Key West has an unemployment rate of 2.6%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Key West, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Key West is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,220/month and median household income is $87,037/year. The median home value is $852,400. About 60% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Key West, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Key West is 15 minutes, which is shorter than 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