The Town FilesOdessa, Florida
Community in Pasco County · population 8,080 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $497,100
- Household income
- $117,806
- Jan low / Jul high
- 51° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 37.5
Odessa is a community of 8,080 people in Pasco County, Florida. The median home is worth $497,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks more upscale than 96% of Florida towns, better for families than 94% of Florida towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Florida towns.
How Odessa 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 Odessa is worth $497,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $117,806, which is more affordable than 61% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,909 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Odessa | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $497,100 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,909 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $117,806 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Odessa
| People | Odessa | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.1% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.2% | — |
| Work from home | 26.0% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Odessa
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 50.7°F. About 54.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 95 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Odessa since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 1, 1978 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 18, 2003.
Severe weather in Pasco County since 1996
Pasco County has been included in 44 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| 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 Pasco County
Pasco County had 145,102 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,908 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Odessa itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Odessa
7 public schools with 9,457 students, about 18.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNLAKE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,192 | 22.1 |
| STARKEY RANCH K-8 | PK-8 | 2,040 | 18.2 |
| CHARLES S. RUSHE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,353 | 18.8 |
| BEXLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 1,262 | 16.2 |
| WALKER MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,007 | 19.7 |
| IMAGINE SCHOOL AT LAND O' LAKES (charter) | K-8 | 895 | 17.9 |
| HAMMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 708 | 15.7 |
Towns near Odessa
- Cheval, FL3.1 mi · 12,522 people · home $525,700
- Keystone, FL5.2 mi · 25,211 people · home $653,500
- Northdale, FL5.5 mi · 23,033 people · home $418,900
- Trinity, FL5.9 mi · 11,924 people · home $459,800
- Land O' Lakes, FL6.6 mi · 35,929 people · home $377,400
- Lutz, FL6.8 mi · 23,707 people · home $486,500
- River Ridge, FL7.4 mi · 5,107 people · home $327,000
- Citrus Park, FL7.7 mi · 28,178 people · home $385,000
Odessa questions
Is Odessa, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Odessa scores better for retirees than 61% of Florida towns and quieter than 42%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Odessa?
The median owner-occupied home in Odessa is valued at $497,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,806, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,909 a month.
What is the weather like in Odessa?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 50.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Odessa get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Odessa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 1, 1978. 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)