What it's like to live in Clearwater
Clearwater is a mid-size city in Florida with commutes that run shorter than most cities 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. Clearwater deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How Clearwater compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Clearwater
Based on Clearwater's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,316
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $66,320 a year
- 59% of Clearwater renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,130
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 17% above US
$1,658/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,658 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $361,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $361,300 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 23% below US
254 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1419/100k · Clearwater Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 13% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 55°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% 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
20 public schools inside the boundary
There are 20 public schools inside the boundary and 12 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 (33 miles away).
Bottom line
Clearwater's strongest point is commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,658/mo) equals 30% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Clearwater
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