What it's like to live in Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a small city in Florida with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, 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. Zephyrhills deals with household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, college degree attainment below the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Zephyrhills compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Zephyrhills
Based on Zephyrhills's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,296
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,920 a year
- 52% of Zephyrhills renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$44,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,470
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 19% below US
$1,148/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,148 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $224,700. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $224,700 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pasco County is 4.3%, 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.
Pasco County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 22% below US
257 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 1276/100k · Zephyrhills Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.6 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; 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 51°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 41% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 3 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 De Soto National Memorial (57 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Zephyrhills's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,148/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Zephyrhills
All Florida guides →Moving to Pasadena Hills →
5 mi away · pop. 13,505
Rent $1,167/mo · Income $84,821
Compare with Zephyrhills →Moving to Wesley Chapel →
12 mi away · pop. 76,011
Rent $2,100/mo · Income $107,504
Compare with Zephyrhills →Moving to Pebble Creek →
12 mi away · pop. 10,447
Rent $2,320/mo · Income $110,085
Compare with Zephyrhills →Moving to Thonotosassa →
14 mi away · pop. 15,764
Rent $1,134/mo · Income $71,272
Compare with Zephyrhills →Not sure Zephyrhills is the one?
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