The Town FilesBig Pine Key, Florida
Community in Monroe County · population 4,521 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $637,000
- Household income
- $110,134
- Jan low / Jul high
- 64° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 52.9
Big Pine Key is a community of 4,521 people in Monroe County, Florida. The median home is worth $637,000, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 92% of Florida towns, quieter than 91% of Florida towns, better for cycling than 90% of Florida towns.
How Big Pine Key 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 Big Pine Key is worth $637,000, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $110,134, which is more affordable than 19% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,724 a month. 88.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big Pine Key | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $637,000 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,724 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $110,134 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 88.3% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.6% | — |
Who lives in Big Pine Key
| People | Big Pine Key | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.1% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Big Pine Key
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 64.1°F. About 46.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Pine Key since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 27, 1980 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 19, 2024.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 47 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, freezing.
| 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 Monroe County
Monroe County had 47,058 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,702 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Big Pine Key itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Big Pine Key
1 public school with 99 students, about 11.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIG PINE ACADEMY (charter) | PK-5 | 99 | 11.0 |
Towns near Big Pine Key
- Big Coppitt Key, FL19.6 mi · 2,869 people · home $534,500
- Marathon, FL21.4 mi · 9,689 people · home $725,800
- Stock Island, FL25.1 mi · 4,722 people · home $517,500
- Key West, FL27.2 mi · 26,444 people · home $852,400
Big Pine Key questions
Is Big Pine Key, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big Pine Key scores better for retirees than 81% of Florida towns and quieter than 91%. 25.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in Big Pine Key?
The median owner-occupied home in Big Pine Key is valued at $637,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,134, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,724 a month.
What is the weather like in Big Pine Key?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 64.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Big Pine Key get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Pine Key since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 27, 1980. 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)