What it's like to live in DeBary
DeBary is a small city in Florida with air quality that stays clean most of the year, a growing population, 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. DeBary deals with rent well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, hot summers, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Clean air
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How DeBary compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to DeBary
Based on DeBary's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,502
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,040 a year
- 54% of DeBary renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$69,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,970
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 24% above US
$1,751/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,751 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 $349,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $349,700 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Volusia County is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Volusia County (county-wide)
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.7 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; 20% 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 51°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
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
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Canaveral National Seashore (35 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
DeBary's strongest points are air quality that stays clean most of the year and a growing population; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,751/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).
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