What it's like to live in Vero Beach
Vero Beach is a small city in Florida with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Vero Beach deals with larger class sizes than the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Vero Beach compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Vero Beach
Based on Vero Beach's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,442
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $48,840 a year
- 52% of Vero Beach renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,380
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,190
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 14% below US
$1,221/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,221 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $391,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $391,900 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Indian River County is 4.7%, 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.
Indian River County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 80% below US
67 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 504/100k · Vero Beach Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 29% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% 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 56°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
39% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 39% 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
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Canaveral National Seashore (82 miles away).
Bottom line
Vero Beach's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($1,221/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Vero Beach
All Florida guides →Moving to Vero Beach South →
2 mi away · pop. 30,344
Rent $1,314/mo · Income $73,420
Compare with Vero Beach →Moving to Florida Ridge →
4 mi away · pop. 20,889
Rent $1,342/mo · Income $66,625
Compare with Vero Beach →Moving to West Vero Corridor →
6 mi away · pop. 10,461
Rent $1,706/mo · Income $61,927
Compare with Vero Beach →Moving to Lakewood Park →
7 mi away · pop. 13,866
Rent $1,206/mo · Income $64,023
Compare with Vero Beach →Not sure Vero Beach is the one?
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