The Town FilesTampa, Florida
City in Hillsborough County · population 384,959 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $420,400
- Household income
- $75,475
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 69
- Median age
- 35.9
Tampa is a city of 384,959 people in Hillsborough County, Florida. The median home is worth $420,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Florida towns, hipper than 91% of Florida towns, more walkable than 90% of Florida towns.
How Tampa 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 Tampa is worth $420,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $75,475, which is more affordable than 23% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,701 a month. 50.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tampa | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $420,400 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,701 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $75,475 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 50.3% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Tampa
| People | Tampa | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.7% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.4% | — |
| Work from home | 22.0% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Tampa
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 52.8°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 94 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
69 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tampa since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 4, 1966 about 1.9 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 160 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 24, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 6, 1969.
Severe weather in Hillsborough County since 1996
Hillsborough County has been included in 47 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 Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County had 789,442 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,256 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Tampa itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Tampa
169 public schools with 101,266 students, about 17.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,930 | 24.2 |
| PLANT HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,458 | 22.8 |
| SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,389 | 24.1 |
| WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,186 | 22.1 |
| TAMPA BAY TECH HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,121 | 23.1 |
| GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,078 | 21.4 |
| LETO HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,025 | 21.5 |
| FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,871 | 22.0 |
| HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,768 | 19.9 |
| BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,584 | 22.0 |
| MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,565 | 22.4 |
| JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,355 | 22.6 |
Towns near Tampa
- Egypt Lake-Leto, FL3.6 mi · 36,644 people · home $315,100
- Carrollwood, FL6.5 mi · 34,352 people · home $384,600
- Town 'n' Country, FL6.6 mi · 85,951 people · home $337,100
- Palm River-Clair Mel, FL6.9 mi · 26,142 people · home $271,700
- East Lake-Orient Park, FL7.4 mi · 28,050 people · home $233,200
- Lake Magdalene, FL7.7 mi · 30,742 people · home $371,800
- University, FL7.9 mi · 50,893 people · home $164,900
- Temple Terrace, FL8.1 mi · 26,690 people · home $334,800
Tampa questions
Is Tampa, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tampa scores better for retirees than 26% of Florida towns and quieter than 14%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Tampa?
The median owner-occupied home in Tampa is valued at $420,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,475, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,701 a month.
What is the weather like in Tampa?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 52.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Tampa get tornadoes?
69 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tampa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 4, 1966. 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)