The Town Files

Southeast Arcadia, Florida

Community in DeSoto County · population 6,299 (2020 Census)

Map: where Southeast Arcadia is in FloridaSoutheast Arcadia
Median home
$169,200
Household income
$60,169
Jan low / Jul high
47° / 91°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
31
Median age
37.6

Southeast Arcadia is a community of 6,299 people in DeSoto County, Florida. The median home is worth $169,200, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 82% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Florida towns.

Southeast Arcadia in our rankings:

How Southeast Arcadia 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.

Southeast Arcadia lifestyle rankings vs other Florida townsRetirement9th pctFamilies19th pctQuiet45th pctWalkability62nd pctFirst-time buyers79th pctYoung professionals29th pctVibrancy47th pctHip & trendy25th pctCollege town18th pctUpscale1st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling67th pctTransit82nd pctDriving62nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Southeast Arcadia is worth $169,200, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $60,169, which is more affordable than 94% of Florida towns. Median rent is $939 a month. 67.7% of households own their home.

Southeast Arcadia vs DeSoto County vs typical Florida townSoutheast ArcadiaDeSoto CountyTypical Florida townHome value$169,200$174,100$331,600Household income$60,169$54,417$71,140Monthly rent$939$932$1,569
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Florida towns with 500+ people.
HousingSoutheast ArcadiaTypical Florida town
Median home value$169,200$331,600
Median rent$939$1,569
Median household income$60,169$71,140
Home value ÷ income2.8×4.5×
Homeownership67.7%73.5%
Median year built19931985
Seasonal / vacation homes3.2%—

Who lives in Southeast Arcadia

PeopleSoutheast ArcadiaTypical Florida town
Median age37.642.8
Age 65 and over13.3%20.2%
Under 1823.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher6.3%28.8%
Below the poverty line26.4%11.3%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.23.9%—
Work from home0.0%13.5%
Average commute28.6 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband86.4%92.4%

Weather in Southeast Arcadia

July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 47.1°F. About 53.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 114 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 5 nights at or below freezing.

Southeast Arcadia monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°100°74°47°Jan76°50°Feb80°53°Mar84°58°Apr89°64°May91°69°Jun91°71°Jul92°72°Aug90°70°Sep86°64°Oct80°56°Nov75°51°DecPrecipitation (in)2.32.02.42.73.89.68.28.97.82.61.81.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Arcadia station (2.5 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Southeast Arcadia since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 12, 1983 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Southeast Arcadia by decade11950s21960s61970s91980s81990s32000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 3, 2005.

Severe weather in DeSoto County since 1996

Storm events in DeSoto County since 1996 by typeHail17Flood32Tornado12Dense Fog39Lightning3Flash Flood6Frost/Freeze33Tropical Storm12
NOAA Storm Events Database, DeSoto County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

DeSoto County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 11, 2024HurricaneDR-4834: Hurricane Milton
October 7, 2024HurricaneEM-3622: Hurricane Milton
September 28, 2024HurricaneDR-4828: Hurricane Helene
August 10, 2024Tropical StormDR-4806: Hurricane Debby
August 3, 2024Tropical StormEM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby

Jobs and pay in DeSoto County

DeSoto County had 9,915 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,347 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Southeast Arcadia itself the ACS puts it at 12.4%.

Largest industries in DeSoto CountyTransportation & warehousing1,290 jobs · $52,857Retail1,150 jobs · $36,406Construction862 jobs · $50,899Manufacturing424 jobs · $73,761Administrative & support373 jobs · $50,511Other services123 jobs · $43,694
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in DeSoto County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023DeSoto 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Southeast Arcadia

1 public school with 416 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
NOCATEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK-541618.9

Towns near Southeast Arcadia

Southeast Arcadia questions

Is Southeast Arcadia, Florida a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Southeast Arcadia scores better for retirees than 9% of Florida towns and quieter than 45%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).

How much does a house cost in Southeast Arcadia?

The median owner-occupied home in Southeast Arcadia is valued at $169,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,169, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $939 a month.

What is the weather like in Southeast Arcadia?

July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 47.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Southeast Arcadia get tornadoes?

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Southeast Arcadia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 12, 1983. The typical Florida town has had 35.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Southeast Arcadia's Census boundary (GEOID 1267355). Comparisons use the median of Florida towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.