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Living in
Port Charlotte.
Port Charlotte is an unincorporated community in Charlotte County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte feels like a comfortable, aging community that's slowly filling in rather than booming—which is either exactly what you want or not at all what you're looking for. The median age is nearly 54, so you'll notice a retirement-heavy vibe, but the population has grown about 4% recently and median home values around $270k suggest it's still attracting working families too. Cost of living is reasonable by Southwest Florida standards, with median household income around $64k and median rent near $1,553, though you should expect the standard Florida trade-off: summers are genuinely brutal with long heat, humidity, and frequent afternoon thunderstorms, while winters are pleasant.
Port Charlotte at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
55.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.6%
Foreign-Born
13.6%
Broadband Internet
91.5%
of households
Population Growth
+4.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.6% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Port Charlotte: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Port Charlotte, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (16.0%), and 9.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
13.8%
of residents
65 and Older
33.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.1%
of households
Married Couples
51.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
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 7% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Port Charlotte
In Port Charlotte, rent runs 7% below the FL average, and home values are 25% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,252
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $268,275 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Port Charlotte
Unemployment in Charlotte County, which includes Port Charlotte, is 1 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Port Charlotte: Charlotte County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Charlotte County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Port Charlotte Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.6 min avg
How Port Charlotte residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Port Charlotte, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Punta Gorda Airport (PGD)
Small hub1.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 37 mi
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 74 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 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, which covers Port Charlotte, runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
129.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
696.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Charlotte County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Charlotte County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Charlotte County, which includes Port Charlotte, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | Funnel Cloud | $60,000 |
| 2023 | 5 | Funnel Cloud | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3000.7M |
| 2021 | 3 | Tropical Storm | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Tropical Storm | $100,000 |
| 2019 | 2 | Lightning | $8,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Lightning | $585,000 |
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
Charlotte County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sarasota County, FL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 27 miles from Port Charlotte) is typically good — 236 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
236
per year
Moderate Days
129
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Sarasota County, FL (27 mi away)
Climate94°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Port Charlotte has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
87°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
78°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
136
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77°F | 53°F | 2.04" |
| Feb | 80°F | 55°F | 1.99" |
| Mar | 83°F | 58°F | 2.57" |
| Apr | 87°F | 63°F | 2.27" |
| May | 91°F | 67°F | 3.46" |
| Jun | 93°F | 73°F | 9.58" |
| Jul | 94°F | 75°F | 8.51" |
| Aug | 94°F | 75°F | 9.17" |
| Sep | 93°F | 74°F | 7.50" |
| Oct | 89°F | 68°F | 3.23" |
| Nov | 83°F | 60°F | 1.83" |
| Dec | 79°F | 56°F | 1.87" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte has 2 hospitals, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
12.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Adventhealth Port Charlotte
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
North Port Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 7.1 mi away · North Port
HCA Florida Englewood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.7 mi away · Englewood
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.
Education16.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte's student/teacher ratio is 16.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being De Soto National Memorial (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
51 mi awayBig Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Port Charlotte
Mid-County Regional Library
2050 Forrest Nelson Boulevard, Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte Public Library
2280 Aaron Street, Port Charlotte
Cities Near Port Charlotte
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Port Charlotte?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Port Charlotte FAQ
Is Port Charlotte, Florida affordable?⌄
Port Charlotte's median rent is $1,553/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $63,844/year. Median home value is $269,900.
Is Port Charlotte, Florida safe?⌄
Port Charlotte is policed by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 130 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 697 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Port Charlotte, Florida?⌄
Charlotte County, which includes Port Charlotte, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Port Charlotte, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Port Charlotte is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,553/month and median household income is $63,844/year. The median home value is $269,900. About 62% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Port Charlotte, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Port Charlotte is 25 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