What it's like to live in DeLand
DeLand is a small city in Florida with air quality that stays clean most of the year, a population that has grown fast since 2020, 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. DeLand deals with commute times longer than most cities, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, hot summers, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How DeLand compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to DeLand
Based on DeLand's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,710
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,200 a year
- 54% of DeLand renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,090
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,355/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,355 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 $330,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $330,900 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 16% above US
5.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
383 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1801/100k · DeLand Police Department · 2022 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.4 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; 18% 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 47°F. It's a wet climate overall.
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
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Canaveral National Seashore (36 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
DeLand's strongest points are air quality that stays clean most of the year and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,355/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near DeLand
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