The Town FilesKey West, Florida
City in Monroe County · population 26,444 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $852,400
- Household income
- $87,037
- Jan low / Jul high
- 63° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 46.1
Key West is a city of 26,444 people in Monroe County, Florida. The median home is worth $852,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Florida towns, hipper than 98% of Florida towns, more walkable than 96% of Florida towns.
How Key West 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 Key West is worth $852,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 9.8 times the median household income of $87,037, which is more affordable than 1% of Florida towns. Median rent is $2,220 a month. 49.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Key West | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $852,400 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $2,220 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $87,037 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.8% | — |
Who lives in Key West
| People | Key West | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.1 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 14.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Key West
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 62.9°F. About 46.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Key West since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 18, 1972 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 27, 2003.
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 Key West itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Key West
12 public schools with 4,302 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,302 | 17.6 |
| HORACE O'BRYANT SCHOOL | PK-8 | 994 | 14.6 |
| GERALD ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 665 | 14.5 |
| POINCIANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 552 | 13.1 |
| SIGSBEE CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | K-8 | 545 | 12.7 |
| SOMERSET ISLAND PREP (charter) | 9-12 | 89 | 44.5 |
| MAY SANDS MONTESSORI SCHOOL (charter) | PK-8 | 86 | 17.2 |
| THE COLLEGE OF THE FLORIDA KEYS ACADEMY (charter) | 9-12 | 49 | 12.3 |
| LOWER KEYS ACADEMIC CONNECTIONS FOR EXCELLENCE | 6-12 | 9 | 4.5 |
| KEYS CENTER | 7-12 | 9 | 9.0 |
| MONROE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER | 6-12 | 2 | — |
| MONROE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Key West
- Stock Island, FL2.2 mi · 4,722 people · home $517,500
- Big Coppitt Key, FL7.8 mi · 2,869 people · home $534,500
- Big Pine Key, FL27.2 mi · 4,521 people · home $637,000
Key West questions
Is Key West, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Key West scores better for retirees than 56% of Florida towns and quieter than 19%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.1).
How much does a house cost in Key West?
The median owner-occupied home in Key West is valued at $852,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,037, so homes cost about 9.8 times income. Median rent is $2,220 a month.
What is the weather like in Key West?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 62.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Key West get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Key West since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 18, 1972. 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)