What it's like to live in Tamarac
Tamarac is a smaller city in Florida with home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Tamarac deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Tamarac compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tamarac
Based on Tamarac's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,790
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $75,800 a year
- 68% of Tamarac renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,860
- Homes cost 4.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 34% above US
$1,895/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,895 a month median. That premium adds up quickly for renters whose income hasn't kept pace with local prices. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $288,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $288,600 · 68% 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▼ 46% below US
217 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 1499/100k · Tamarac Police Department · 2020 data
Getting around▲ 21% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.4 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% 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 61°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 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 18% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (49 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Tamarac's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,895/mo) equals 37% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Tamarac
All Florida guides →Moving to North Lauderdale →
2 mi away · pop. 45,234
Rent $2,081/mo · Income $63,326
Compare with Tamarac →Moving to Lauderdale Lakes →
4 mi away · pop. 36,404
Rent $1,663/mo · Income $50,006
Compare with Tamarac →Not sure Tamarac is the one?
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