Clearwater is a mid-sized city of 116,984 in Florida, with a median household income of $59,358
and a 4.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is
3% above the national average.
Strengths:
Clearwater stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Clearwater is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Clearwater city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 103.4
Clearwater's overall cost of living index is 103.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Clearwater costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
Metric
Clearwater, FL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$287,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,389
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
58.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$59,358
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Clearwater's violent crime rate is 395.5 per 100,000 residents
— 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
395.5 /100k
Property Crime
1899.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Clearwater is served primarily by PINELLAS.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Clearwater, FL
National Avg
School District
PINELLAS
—
Elementary Schools
90
—
Middle Schools
20
—
High Schools
30
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
31.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
90.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Clearwater sees average highs of 70.6°F in January
and 90.3°F in July,
with 56.1 inches of annual precipitation
.
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average.
That puts Clearwater roughly 3% above the national average in cost.
The median home price is $287,900 and median rent is $1,389/month.
Clearwater's violent crime rate is 395.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1899.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Clearwater are operated by PINELLAS.
The district has 90 elementary, 20 middle, and 30 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 31.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Clearwater, FL has a population of 116,984, a median household income of $59,358, and an unemployment rate of 4.7%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Clearwater averages 70.6°F in January and 90.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 56.1 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Clearwater, FL is covered by 8 ZIP codes: 33755, 33759, 33761, 33756, 33765, 33764, 33767, 33763.
The population of Clearwater, Florida is 116,984 with a median age of 46.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Clearwater: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $287,900, median household income $59,358, crime index 99 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clearwater side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
