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Moving to
East Lake.
East Lake is an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in East Lake
East Lake is an unincorporated community in Florida with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, 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. East Lake deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How East Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to East Lake
Based on East Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,884
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $77,680 a year
- 58% of East Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$97,600
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,800
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 37% above US
$1,942/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,942 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 are steep, with a median around $488,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $488,000 · 58% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pinellas County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Pinellas County (county-wide)
Safety
150 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
East Lake doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 766/100k · Policed by Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 26% 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 53°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 37% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is De Soto National Memorial (41 miles away).
Bottom line
East Lake's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,942/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (26% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near East Lake
All Florida guides →Moving to Palm Harbor →
5 mi away · pop. 61,512
Rent $1,806/mo · Income $78,935
Compare with East Lake →Moving to Westchase →
6 mi away · pop. 24,885
Rent $2,174/mo · Income $124,434
Compare with East Lake →Not sure East Lake is the one?
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