Is Odessa, FL a Good Place to Live?
Odessa is a small town of 7,538 in Florida, with a median household income of $112,258 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: Odessa stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Odessa is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Odessa 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: 103.4Odessa's overall cost of living index is 103.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Odessa costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Odessa, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $448,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,436 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $112,258 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Odessa is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Odessa is served primarily by HILLSBOROUGH. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Odessa, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | HILLSBOROUGH | — |
| Elementary Schools | 178 | — |
| Middle Schools | 41 | — |
| High Schools | 48 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Odessa sees average highs of 69.3°F in January and 90.6°F in July, with 60.7 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Odessa, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 69.3°F |
| Average High — July | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Odessa, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,538 | — |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 70.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.6% | 16.8% |