The Town FilesBalm, Florida
Community in Hillsborough County · population 6,541 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $345,300
- Household income
- $114,659
- Jan low / Jul high
- 51° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 32.6
Balm is a community of 6,541 people in Hillsborough County, Florida. The median home is worth $345,300, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for families than 90% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 84% of Florida towns.
- #2 in The 12 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Florida With Mild Winters
- #7 in The 24 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Florida
- #15 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- #38 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America With Mild Winters
- #38 in The 50 Best Affordable Places to Retire in America With Mild Winters
How Balm ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Balm is worth $345,300, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $114,659, which is more affordable than 91% of Florida towns. Median rent is $2,022 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Balm | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $345,300 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $2,022 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $114,659 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 2014 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Balm
| People | Balm | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.6 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 4.3% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.4% | — |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.4% | 92.4% |
Weather in Balm
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 50.7°F. About 53.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Balm since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 7, 1996 about 5.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 9, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 10, 1999.
Severe weather in Hillsborough County since 1996
Hillsborough County has been included in 47 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County had 789,442 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,256 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Balm itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Towns near Balm
- Sun City Center, FL4.9 mi · 30,952 people · home $317,000
- Riverview, FL5.0 mi · 107,396 people · home $384,200
- Wimauma, FL5.6 mi · 9,467 people · home $379,000
- Apollo Beach, FL7.0 mi · 26,002 people · home $472,700
- Gibsonton, FL7.6 mi · 18,566 people · home $304,500
- Fish Hawk, FL8.1 mi · 24,625 people · home $561,000
- Bloomingdale, FL8.7 mi · 22,947 people · home $414,700
- Ruskin, FL8.7 mi · 28,620 people · home $323,000
Balm questions
Is Balm, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Balm scores better for retirees than 84% of Florida towns and quieter than 58%. 4.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.6).
How much does a house cost in Balm?
The median owner-occupied home in Balm is valued at $345,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,659, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $2,022 a month.
What is the weather like in Balm?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 50.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Balm get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Balm since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 7, 1996. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)