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Living in
Sebastian.
About
Life in Sebastian
If you're considering Sebastian, know upfront that this is a community with a notably older population—over a third of residents are 65 or older—which shapes the character and pace of daily life here. The median home value around $317,000 and median rent near $1,451 are reasonable for coastal Florida, though you'll want to factor in that 32-minute average commute if you're working elsewhere in the county. The trade-offs are real though—Florida heat and humidity are relentless, and you're absolutely car-dependent despite having a local bus system.
Sebastian at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
58.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.1%
Foreign-Born
8.1%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
+9.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Sebastian: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sebastian, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (19.5%), and 8.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
12.6%
of residents
65 and Older
36.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
15.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.6%
of households
Married Couples
50.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.26
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 13% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Sebastian
In Sebastian, rent runs 13% below the FL average, and home values are 12% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,062
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
85.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $346,985 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Sebastian
Unemployment in Sebastian is 1 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 Sebastian Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute31.1 min avg
How Sebastian residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sebastian, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB)
Regional airport · few flights129k passengers boarded in 2025
- 66 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 57% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sebastian runs 57% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
141.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
847.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sebastian Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Indian River County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Indian River County, which includes Sebastian, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Tropical Storm | $59.1M |
| 2023 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $401,250 |
| 2022 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $151,490 |
| 2021 | 2 | Tornado | None reported |
| 2020 | 2 | Hail | $200,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | Funnel Cloud | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | 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
Indian River County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Indian River County, which includes Sebastian, is typically good — 302 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
302
per year
Moderate Days
19
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Indian River County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sebastian has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
82°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
75°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
72
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 52°F | 2.74" |
| Feb | 76°F | 55°F | 2.20" |
| Mar | 78°F | 58°F | 3.44" |
| Apr | 82°F | 62°F | 3.06" |
| May | 86°F | 68°F | 4.20" |
| Jun | 89°F | 72°F | 6.76" |
| Jul | 91°F | 73°F | 5.68" |
| Aug | 91°F | 74°F | 7.35" |
| Sep | 88°F | 73°F | 7.04" |
| Oct | 85°F | 69°F | 5.33" |
| Nov | 79°F | 61°F | 2.91" |
| Dec | 75°F | 56°F | 2.54" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sebastian
Sebastian has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Vero 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.
Education20.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sebastian
Sebastian's student/teacher ratio is 20.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Canaveral National Seashore, 72 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sebastian
Sebastian has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Canaveral National Seashore (72 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Canaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
72 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sebastian
North Indian River County Library
1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian
Cities Near Sebastian
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sebastian?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sebastian FAQ
Is Sebastian, Florida affordable?⌄
Sebastian's median rent is $1,451/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $69,409/year. Median home value is $317,000.
Is Sebastian, Florida safe?⌄
Sebastian's violent crime rate was 141 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 848 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sebastian, Florida?⌄
Sebastian has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sebastian, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Sebastian is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,451/month and median household income is $69,409/year. The median home value is $317,000. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sebastian, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Sebastian is 31 minutes, which is longer 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