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Living in
Wildwood.
About
Life in Wildwood
Living in Wildwood means accepting that you're choosing a retirement-leaning community in central Florida where the median resident is well into their sixties—this isn't a young, vibrant downtown scene, but rather a place where stability and affordability appeal to people who've already made their mark elsewhere. You'll be living at the literal crossroads of Florida thanks to Interstate 75 and the Turnpike intersecting here, which means a reasonable 22-minute commute to most anywhere in the state if you need it, though the tradeoff is that Wildwood itself remains fairly car-dependent and spread out. The job market here is modest—unemployment sits at 6.8%, which is decent, but this isn't a tech hub or major employment center; many residents are retired or work regionally.
Wildwood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
64.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.8%
Foreign-Born
7.8%
Broadband Internet
91.7%
of households
Population Growth
+23.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.8% foreign-born, most often from Bahamas
Who lives in Wildwood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wildwood, the largest foreign-born group is from Bahamas (27.8%), and 4.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.3%
of residents
65 and Older
47.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
10.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.4%
of households
Married Couples
52.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.88
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 9% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Wildwood
In Wildwood, rent runs 9% below the FL average, and home values are 26% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
68.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,246
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2017
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $295,266 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.9 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Wildwood
Unemployment in Sumter County, which includes Wildwood, is 2.9 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Wildwood: Sumter County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sumter County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Wildwood Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.4 min avg
How Wildwood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wildwood, most residents drive alone to work (59%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 49 mi
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 53 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 112% above national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Wildwood runs 112% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
845.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
2,140.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Wildwood Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 2 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sumter County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sumter County, which includes Wildwood, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 2 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Flash Flood | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 3 | Tropical Storm | $4.0M |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $63,000 |
| 2022 | 6 | Funnel Cloud | $365,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | Funnel Cloud | $40,000 |
| 2019 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Hail | $20,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sumter County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lake County, FL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Wildwood) is typically good — 342 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
342
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lake County, FL (18 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 51°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wildwood has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 51°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/65°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
72°/51°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
102
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
8
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 49°F | 2.51" |
| Feb | 73°F | 52°F | 2.08" |
| Mar | 77°F | 56°F | 3.22" |
| Apr | 83°F | 62°F | 2.04" |
| May | 88°F | 68°F | 2.68" |
| Jun | 91°F | 73°F | 6.98" |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 5.88" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 6.63" |
| Sep | 90°F | 73°F | 5.21" |
| Oct | 85°F | 66°F | 2.62" |
| Nov | 77°F | 57°F | 1.76" |
| Dec | 72°F | 52°F | 2.17" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wildwood
Uninsured
4.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wildwood's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lifestream Behavioral Center
Psychiatric · 7.9 mi away · Leesburg
Uf Health Leesburg Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 mi away · Leesburg
The Villages Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.3 mi away · the Villages
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.
Education16.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wildwood
Wildwood's student/teacher ratio is 16.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 39.9% 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
39.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Wildwood (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 4,177 students · in-state tuition $3,292 · 35% graduate · median earnings $44,593 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 506 students · in-state tuition $54,256 · 59% graduate · median earnings $28,501 (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, 76 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wildwood
Wildwood has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Canaveral National Seashore (76 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Canaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
76 mi awayFort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
80 mi awayCastillo de San Marcos National Monument
National Monument
88 mi awayDe Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wildwood
The Villages Public Library At Pinellas Plaza
7375 Powell Road Suite 100, Wildwood
Cities Near Wildwood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wildwood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wildwood FAQ
Is Wildwood, Florida affordable?⌄
Wildwood's median rent is $1,519/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $76,552/year. Median home value is $451,600.
Is Wildwood, Florida safe?⌄
Wildwood's violent crime rate was 846 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is significantly above the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2141 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wildwood, Florida?⌄
Sumter County, which includes Wildwood, has an unemployment rate of 6.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wildwood, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Wildwood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,519/month and median household income is $76,552/year. The median home value is $451,600. About 69% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wildwood, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Wildwood is 22 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