What it's like to live in Plant City
Plant City is a small city in Florida with home prices that remain within reach and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Plant City deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Plant City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Plant City
Based on Plant City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,818
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,360 a year
- 54% of Plant City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$58,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,180
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,409/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,409 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 $291,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $291,800 · 54% 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▲ 36% above US
540 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 1969/100k · Plant City Police Department · 2022 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 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 93°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 52°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 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 33% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. 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 2 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 (47 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Plant City's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,409/mo) equals 25% 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 Plant City
All Florida guides →Moving to Lakeland →
10 mi away · pop. 119,961
Rent $1,395/mo · Income $64,185
Compare with Plant City →Moving to Fuller Heights →
10 mi away · pop. 10,083
Rent $1,444/mo · Income $82,006
Compare with Plant City →Not sure Plant City is the one?
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