What it's like to live in Apopka
Apopka is a smaller city in Florida with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Apopka deals with rent well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Apopka compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Apopka
Based on Apopka's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,938
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $78,760 a year
- 66% of Apopka renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,490
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 39% above US
$1,969/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,969 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $394,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $394,900 · 66% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 24% above US
408 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1641/100k · Apopka Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 47°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
39% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 39% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Canaveral National Seashore (47 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Apopka's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,969/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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