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Living in
St. Petersburg.
About
Life in St. Petersburg
If you're considering a move to St. Petersburg, understand you're choosing a city that's undergone a significant transformation over the past decade—it's shedding its retirement-destination image and becoming genuinely youthful and culturally vibrant. With 258,000+ residents spread across over 100 distinct neighborhoods, there's real diversity in where and how you can live, from the Mediterranean-style homes in historic Old Northeast and Snell Isle to the increasingly trendy Edge district where Central Avenue development is booming.
St. Petersburg at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Foreign-Born
10.7%
Broadband Internet
92.4%
of households
Population Growth
+2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.7% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in St. Petersburg: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Petersburg, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (9.1%), and 6.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.1%
of residents
65 and Older
21.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.2%
of households
Married Couples
35.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.14
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 St. Petersburg
Rent and home values here are close to the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,463
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in St. Petersburg and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in St. Petersburg is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What St. Petersburg Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area
Commute25.6 min avg
How St. Petersburg residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Petersburg, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
Small hub1.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 15 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 50% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Petersburg runs 50% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
492.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,020.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Petersburg Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pinellas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Lightning | $376,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Lightning | $43.9M |
| 2023 | 4 | Tropical Storm | $655,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50.7M |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $61,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $56.4M |
| 2019 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $205,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $753,000 |
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
Pinellas County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, is typically good — 254 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
254
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Pinellas County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 56°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Petersburg has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 56°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
82°/66°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/77°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/69°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
72°/56°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
75
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 54°F | 2.97" |
| Feb | 73°F | 57°F | 2.17" |
| Mar | 77°F | 61°F | 2.86" |
| Apr | 82°F | 66°F | 2.60" |
| May | 87°F | 72°F | 2.54" |
| Jun | 90°F | 76°F | 7.18" |
| Jul | 91°F | 77°F | 8.35" |
| Aug | 91°F | 77°F | 9.33" |
| Sep | 89°F | 76°F | 7.51" |
| Oct | 84°F | 70°F | 2.52" |
| Nov | 77°F | 63°F | 1.61" |
| Dec | 72°F | 58°F | 2.84" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 2.3/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg has 5 hospitals, averaging 2.3 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
10.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.3 / 5
St Anthonys Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
HCA Florida St Petersburg Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital A Part of HCA Florid
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Northside Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Saint Petersburg
Bay Pines VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 8.4 mi away · Bay Pines
Windmoor Healthcare of Clearwater
Psychiatric · 8.7 mi away · Clearwater
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.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 42.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
40
within city limits
Private Schools
28
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in St. Petersburg
Public · 2-year · 18,950 students · in-state tuition $2,682 · 37% graduate · median earnings $46,150 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,888 students · in-state tuition $53,436 · 64% graduate · median earnings $57,875 (10 yrs after entry)
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay
Private for-profit · 2-year · 1,465 students · in-state tuition $18,790 · 60% graduate · median earnings $69,188 (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: De Soto National Memorial, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being De Soto National Memorial (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Petersburg
Childs Park Branch Library
691 43rd Street South, St. Petersburg
Johnson Branch Library
1059 18th Ave South, St. Petersburg
Mirror Lake Branch
280 5th Street N, St. Petersburg
North Branch Library
861 70th Ave North, St. Petersburg
South Branch Library
2300 Roy Hanna Drive S, St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg Public Library
3745 Ninth Ave. No., St. Petersburg
West St. Petersburg Community Library
6700 8th Avenue No., St. Petersburg
Cities Near St. Petersburg
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Petersburg?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Petersburg FAQ
Is St. Petersburg, Florida affordable?⌄
St. Petersburg's median rent is $1,663/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $75,192/year. Median home value is $371,100.
Is St. Petersburg, Florida safe?⌄
St. Petersburg's violent crime rate was 492 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2021 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Petersburg, Florida?⌄
St. Petersburg has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Petersburg, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in St. Petersburg is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,663/month and median household income is $75,192/year. The median home value is $371,100. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Petersburg, Florida?⌄
The average commute in St. Petersburg is 26 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