What it's like to live in Bradenton
Bradenton is a smaller city in Florida with air quality that stays clean most of the year and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bradenton deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bradenton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bradenton
Based on Bradenton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,236
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,720 a year
- 63% of Bradenton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$61,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $30,940
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 15% above US
$1,618/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,618 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $309,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $309,400 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 21% above US
400 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 1507/100k · Bradenton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 54°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 21% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is De Soto National Memorial (5 miles away).
Bottom line
Bradenton's strongest point is air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,618/mo) equals 32% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bradenton
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