The Town FilesFort Pierce, Florida
City in St. Lucie County · population 47,297 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,800
- Household income
- $47,072
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 47
- Median age
- 37.2
Fort Pierce is a city of 47,297 people in St. Lucie County, Florida. The median home is worth $250,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for cycling than 88% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Florida towns, more walkable than 77% of Florida towns.
How Fort Pierce 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 Fort Pierce is worth $250,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $47,072, which is more affordable than 30% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,217 a month. 49.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Pierce | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,800 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,217 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $47,072 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.5% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.3% | — |
Who lives in Fort Pierce
| People | Fort Pierce | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.2% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Fort Pierce
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 53.0°F. About 55.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
47 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Pierce since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on October 9, 2024 about 4.4 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 27 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 7, 1975.
Severe weather in St. Lucie County since 1996
St. Lucie County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| December 13, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4680: Hurricane Nicole |
| November 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm | EM-3587: Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 29, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4673: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in St. Lucie County
St. Lucie County had 90,334 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,238 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Fort Pierce itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Public schools in Fort Pierce
21 public schools with 15,254 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORT PIERCE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 3,187 | 26.8 |
| FORT PIERCE WESTWOOD ACADEMY THE W.E.S.T. PREP MAGNET | 9-12 | 1,956 | 22.7 |
| LINCOLN PARK ACADEMY | 6-12 | 1,680 | 25.1 |
| FOREST GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 853 | 19.8 |
| LAWNWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 783 | 18.6 |
| WEATHERBEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 728 | 18.2 |
| DAN MCCARTY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 711 | 17.8 |
| SAMUEL S. GAINES ACADEMY OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES | PK-8 | 702 | 15.3 |
| ST. LUCIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 662 | 15.0 |
| FAIRLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 646 | 15.4 |
| LAKEWOOD PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 640 | 20.0 |
| WHITE CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 504 | 18.0 |
Towns near Fort Pierce
- Fort Pierce South, FL1.3 mi · 5,209 people · home $224,100
- Fort Pierce North, FL3.5 mi · 6,904 people · home $167,600
- White City, FL3.7 mi · 3,779 people · home $397,100
- Indian River Estates, FL5.6 mi · 6,584 people · home $280,400
- River Park, FL7.2 mi · 6,514 people · home $244,000
- Lakewood Park, FL8.3 mi · 12,510 people · home $268,400
- South Beach, FL10.3 mi · 3,703 people · home $900,700
- Port St. Lucie, FL10.4 mi · 204,851 people · home $369,200
Fort Pierce questions
Is Fort Pierce, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Pierce scores better for retirees than 22% of Florida towns and quieter than 23%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.2).
How much does a house cost in Fort Pierce?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Pierce is valued at $250,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,072, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,217 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Pierce?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 53.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Fort Pierce get tornadoes?
47 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Pierce since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on October 9, 2024. 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)