The Town FilesGifford, Florida
Community in Indian River County · population 5,511 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,000
- Household income
- $33,175
- Jan low / Jul high
- 54° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 31.7
Gifford is a community of 5,511 people in Indian River County, Florida. The median home is worth $236,000, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 95% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Florida towns.
How Gifford 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 Gifford is worth $236,000, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $33,175, which is more affordable than 9% of Florida towns. Median rent is $892 a month. 51.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gifford | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,000 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $892 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $33,175 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 51.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gifford
| People | Gifford | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.7 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 31.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 42.0% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Gifford
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 53.5°F. About 56.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gifford since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on October 9, 2024 about 8.5 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 1972.
Severe weather in Indian River County since 1996
Indian River County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| 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 Indian River County
Indian River County had 57,522 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,991 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Gifford itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Gifford
- Winter Beach, FL2.6 mi · 3,136 people · home $472,200
- Vero Beach, FL2.8 mi · 16,354 people · home $391,900
- Indian River Shores, FL3.6 mi · 4,241 people · home $1,132,000
- Vero Beach South, FL4.4 mi · 28,020 people · home $335,200
- West Vero Corridor, FL4.5 mi · 10,039 people · home $216,400
- Florida Ridge, FL6.9 mi · 21,302 people · home $287,900
- Sebastian, FL8.0 mi · 25,054 people · home $317,000
- Vero Lake Estates, FL8.0 mi · 6,782 people · home $328,200
Gifford questions
Is Gifford, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gifford scores better for retirees than 15% of Florida towns and quieter than 30%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.7).
How much does a house cost in Gifford?
The median owner-occupied home in Gifford is valued at $236,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $33,175, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $892 a month.
What is the weather like in Gifford?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 53.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Gifford get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gifford 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)