Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 3,618, settled in 1857.
Crystal River grades D overall, 573rd among Florida's 634 graded towns, mostly because of incomes. The median household income is $54K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Crystal River’s average trip to work is 14 minutes, below both Florida’s towns (27 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 29 of Florida’s 779 towns score lower on hazard risk. The biggest place to walk is Crystal River Preserve State Park, 1,015 acres with 3.4 miles of trail.
Where Crystal River beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Coastal flooding makes up 31% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
18.1% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, so the town is fuller in summer than its census count suggests.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Crystal River is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 94% of comparable towns) to D− for hazard risk (better than 2%), so the D overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Crystal River Indian Mounds is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 208 in 1890, 3,396 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and a map from 1954 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Crystal River, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Crystal River.
Crystal River draws workers from Homosassa Springs and beyond, has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
People 65 and older are 47% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 26% of residents (38% statewide). Crystal River’s median age is 62 years. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Crystal River | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 11% | 20% | 22% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.1 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Crystal River | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.2% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.1% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 1.4% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.5% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.2% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.5% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.1% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 26.5% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 14.8% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.9% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.3% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.2% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.1% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,600, single groups can be off by several points
Its public schools are run by the Citrus school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Crystal River High School, with 1,293 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal River Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 906 | B− |
| Crystal River High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,293 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
3,348 jobs are based in Crystal River, 2.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 14 minutes, against 28 across Florida.
Most working residents leave Crystal River for work: only 10% work in town. Jobs based in Crystal River grew to 3,348 in 2023, 1,015 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Inverness (10%), Ocala (6%) and Homosassa Springs (3%).
| Crystal River | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
1,962 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 366 properties have flooded more than once.
The FEMA risk score in Crystal River is 98 of 100. Since 1978, 1,962 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Crystal River.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crystal River Preserve State Park | 3.4 mi | 1,015 |
| 2. Three Sisters Springs | 0.1 mi | 60 |
| 3. Bicentennial Park | 0.1 mi | 41 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical value, about $268K, is 8% below its June 2024 peak.
61% of households own their home in Crystal River. The typical Crystal River home is worth about $268,000, down 0.6% in a year, 29% below the Florida typical home.
| Crystal River | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $880 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 72% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 7,235 U.S. towns with household incomes like Crystal River’s, it is healthier than 61%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Crystal River beats the Florida average on 10 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 11% of Crystal River adults binge drink.
| Crystal River | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 79% | 79% |
| What stands out | Crystal River | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.8% | 13.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 11.4% | 15.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.3% | 7.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Brooksville Chin Hill weather station, 24 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 329 days, longer than in 96% of U.S. towns. January nights average 47.2°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.8°.
Crystal River has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Crystal River | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 47°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Crystal River; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Crystal River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Where Crystal River’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Crystal River on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Florida, United States
Crystal River is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,396 in the 2020 census, up from 3,108 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Homosassa Springs, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was incorporated in 1903 and is the self-professed "Home of the Manatee". Crystal River Preserve State Park is located nearby, and Crystal River Archaeological State Park is located in the city's northwest side. Crystal River is at the heart of the Nature Coast of Florida. The city is situated around Kings Bay, which is spring-fed so it keeps a constant 72 °F (22 °C) temperature year-round. A cluster of 50 springs designated as a first-magnitude system feeds Kings …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Crystal River.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal River | #573 | D | C− | — | C | C |
| Homosassa Springs | #562 | D | B+ | — | C | C− |
Crystal River and Homosassa Springs report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Crystal River with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Crystal River grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #573 of 634 in Florida. It grades C for health and C for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
2 notable people were born here, including Royce Goodbread and Ricky Feacher.
