The Town FilesClearwater, Florida
City in Pinellas County · population 117,292 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $361,300
- Household income
- $66,381
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 68
- Median age
- 46.6
Clearwater is a city of 117,292 people in Pinellas County, Florida. The median home is worth $361,300, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of Florida towns, hipper than 88% of Florida towns, more walkable than 83% of Florida towns.
How Clearwater 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 Clearwater is worth $361,300, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $66,381, which is more affordable than 27% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,658 a month. 58.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clearwater | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $361,300 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,658 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $66,381 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 58.6% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.4% | — |
Who lives in Clearwater
| People | Clearwater | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.2% | — |
| Work from home | 20.7% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Clearwater
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 52.5°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 94 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
68 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clearwater since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 4, 1966 about 3.5 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 283 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 31, 2001.
Severe weather in Pinellas County since 1996
Pinellas County has been included in 45 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 Pinellas County
Pinellas County had 447,680 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,519 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Clearwater itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Clearwater
27 public schools with 13,493 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLEARWATER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,637 | 21.0 |
| COUNTRYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,593 | 20.2 |
| OAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 762 | 17.7 |
| CLEARWATER FUNDAMENTAL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 755 | 20.4 |
| PLUMB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 661 | 14.7 |
| LEILA DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 655 | 14.6 |
| EISENHOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 629 | 13.1 |
| PLATO ACADEMY CLEARWATER (charter) | K-8 | 624 | 13.0 |
| FRONTIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 609 | 13.2 |
| HIGH POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 580 | 13.5 |
| PONCE DE LEON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 546 | 12.7 |
| SKYCREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 544 | 14.3 |
Towns near Clearwater
- Greenbriar, FL2.7 mi · 2,696 people · home $353,200
- Belleair, FL3.9 mi · 4,273 people · home $633,300
- Dunedin, FL4.3 mi · 36,068 people · home $396,000
- Safety Harbor, FL4.8 mi · 17,072 people · home $454,000
- Largo, FL4.9 mi · 82,485 people · home $229,100
- South Highpoint, FL5.9 mi · 5,018 people · home $241,300
- Harbor Bluffs, FL6.0 mi · 2,646 people · home $673,100
- Ridgecrest, FL6.6 mi · 2,966 people · home $303,400
Clearwater questions
Is Clearwater, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clearwater scores better for retirees than 51% of Florida towns and quieter than 26%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Clearwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Clearwater is valued at $361,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,381, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,658 a month.
What is the weather like in Clearwater?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 52.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Clearwater get tornadoes?
68 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clearwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 4, 1966. 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)