Is Key West, FL a Good Place to Live?
Key West is a small city of 26,078 in Florida, with a median household income of $80,828 and a 2.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Key West stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Key West is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Key West 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: 111.7Key West's overall cost of living index is 111.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Key West costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Key West, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $814,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,059 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $80,828 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageKey West's violent crime rate is 352.3 per 100,000 residents — 7% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Key West is served primarily by MONROE. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Key West, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | MONROE | — |
| Elementary Schools | 13 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 11 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Key West sees average highs of 74.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July, with 46.5 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Key West, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 74.7°F |
| Average High — July | 89.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Key West, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,078 | — |
| Median Age | 44.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 13.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Key West
Key West, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: