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Living in
New Smyrna Beach.
About
Life in New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach offers a genuine beach-town lifestyle without the overwhelming tourist crush of larger Florida cities, though surfing heritage and water recreation do shape the local identity and economy. The median home price around $395,000 and median rent near $1,712 sit in the mid-range for Florida coastal communities, with a solid median household income of $83,865 supporting a stable job market at 4.4% unemployment. You'll experience authentic subtropical living: winters are genuinely pleasant with dry, sunny weather, but summers are long and hot with afternoon thunderstorms almost daily, and hurricane season (June through November) is a real consideration—Hurricane Ian hit in 2022 and Milton in 2024, both causing significant damage and flooding.
New Smyrna Beach at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
57.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Foreign-Born
7.3%
Broadband Internet
91.1%
of households
Population Growth
+9.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.3% foreign-born, most often from Peru
Who lives in New Smyrna Beach: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In New Smyrna Beach, the largest foreign-born group is from Peru (13.5%), and 4.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
11.4%
of residents
65 and Older
35.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
14.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.7%
of households
Married Couples
47.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.98
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 about average for FL
Rent, home values, and income in New Smyrna Beach
In New Smyrna Beach, home values are 10% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
99.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,221
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
27.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $453,639 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above FL average
Unemployment in New Smyrna Beach
Unemployment in New Smyrna Beach is 0.5 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 New Smyrna Beach Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.3 min avg
How New Smyrna Beach residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In New Smyrna Beach, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB)
Regional airport · few flights375k passengers boarded in 2025
- 47 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 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2022
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2022. It's compared with the national rate for 2022.
Violent crime in New Smyrna Beach runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
166.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (398 national, 2022)
Property Crime Rate
848
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,999 national, 2022)
New Smyrna Beach Police Department
Natural DisastersRip Current most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Volusia County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Volusia County, which includes New Smyrna Beach, the most common type is rip current, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Rip Current | $553,000 |
| 2024 | 8 | Flash Flood | $267.0M |
| 2023 | 9 | Rip Current | None reported |
| 2022 | 26 | Rip Current | $850.0M |
| 2021 | 13 | Hail | $7,000 |
| 2020 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8.1M |
| 2019 | 14 | Rip Current | None reported |
| 2018 | 12 | Rip Current | $290,000 |
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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Volusia County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Volusia County, which includes New Smyrna Beach, is typically good — 297 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
297
per year
Moderate Days
68
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Volusia County, county-wide
Climate88°F summers, 53°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
New Smyrna Beach has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and warm winters (avg low 53°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
70°/53°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
48
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 52°F | 2.76" |
| Feb | 70°F | 53°F | 2.47" |
| Mar | 73°F | 57°F | 3.00" |
| Apr | 79°F | 63°F | 2.62" |
| May | 83°F | 68°F | 3.72" |
| Jun | 87°F | 73°F | 7.45" |
| Jul | 88°F | 75°F | 6.06" |
| Aug | 89°F | 75°F | 6.47" |
| Sep | 86°F | 74°F | 6.88" |
| Oct | 82°F | 68°F | 4.49" |
| Nov | 76°F | 62°F | 2.32" |
| Dec | 71°F | 54°F | 2.32" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Adventhealth New Smyrna Beach
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Halifax Health Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.2 mi away · Daytona Beach
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.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 40.2% 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
40.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near New Smyrna Beach (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 10,176 students · in-state tuition $3,106 · 40% graduate · median earnings $41,756 (10 yrs after entry)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
12.4 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 9,139 students · in-state tuition $12,553 · 31% graduate · median earnings $92,069 (10 yrs after entry)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
12.4 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 7,860 students · in-state tuition $46,181 · 69% graduate · median earnings $92,069 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,732 students · in-state tuition $14,794 · 35% graduate · median earnings $42,476 (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, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Canaveral National Seashore (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Canaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
21 mi awayFort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
50 mi awayCastillo de San Marcos National Monument
National Monument
64 mi awayPublic Libraries in New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach Regional Library
1001 S. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach
Cities Near New Smyrna Beach
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to New Smyrna Beach?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
New Smyrna Beach FAQ
Is New Smyrna Beach, Florida affordable?⌄
New Smyrna Beach's median rent is $1,712/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $83,865/year. Median home value is $395,300.
Is New Smyrna Beach, Florida safe?⌄
New Smyrna Beach's violent crime rate was 167 per 100,000 residents in 2022, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 398/100k that year. Property crime rate is 848 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in New Smyrna Beach, Florida?⌄
New Smyrna Beach has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in New Smyrna Beach, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in New Smyrna Beach is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,712/month and median household income is $83,865/year. The median home value is $395,300. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in New Smyrna Beach, Florida?⌄
The average commute in New Smyrna Beach is 29 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