Is Crystal River, FL a Good Place to Live?
Crystal River is a small town of 3,398 in Florida, with a median household income of $46,795 and a 11.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Crystal River stands out for an affordable cost of living, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Crystal River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Crystal River 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: 95.4Crystal River's overall cost of living index is 95.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Crystal River costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Crystal River, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $268,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $824 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $46,795 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Crystal River is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Crystal River is served primarily by CITRUS. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Crystal River, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | CITRUS | — |
| Elementary Schools | 11 | — |
| Middle Schools | 4 | — |
| High Schools | 7 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Crystal River sees average highs of 69.3°F in January and 90.6°F in July, with 55.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Crystal River, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 69.3°F |
| Average High — July | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Crystal River, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,398 | — |
| Median Age | 64.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 16.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 48.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Crystal River
Crystal River, FL is covered by 2 ZIP codes: