What it's like to live in Wellington
Wellington is a smaller city in Florida with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Wellington deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Very rainy — 64" of rain per year
How Wellington compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Wellington
Based on Wellington's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,124
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $102,480 a year
- 55% of Wellington renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$119,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $59,940
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 81% above US
$2,562/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,562 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 $599,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $599,400 · 55% 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▼ 73% below US
90 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 743/100k · Wellington Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 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; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 58°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▲ 38% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 50% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 6 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 Big Cypress National Preserve (69 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Wellington's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below 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 ($2,562/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Wellington
All Florida guides →Moving to Royal Palm Beach →
5 mi away · pop. 40,344
Rent $2,273/mo · Income $96,027
Compare with Wellington →Moving to Greenacres →
8 mi away · pop. 44,373
Rent $1,756/mo · Income $70,491
Compare with Wellington →Moving to Palm Springs →
11 mi away · pop. 27,356
Rent $1,669/mo · Income $61,739
Compare with Wellington →Not sure Wellington is the one?
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