East Bay Motel sign, Route 41, 1980
Gibsonton’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 7,706 in 1990, 18,566 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 7 maps from 1921 on.
- 1884Gibsonton is founded
GibsontonFL
With 18,754 residents, this town was founded in 1884.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Piperpet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
18,754
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$315K
−2.5% in a year
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
35.8
years
Jobs based here
3,557
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#518 of 634 in FL
Is Gibsonton a good place to live?
The data are hard on it. Cost of living is its weak spot (C−): the typical home is worth about $315K, 4.2 years of the Tampa metro’s $74K median household income. Its strongest is walkability: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 62% of U.S. towns. Put together, the subjects come to a D overall, ranking 518th of 634 in Florida. Set against the rest, it does better than 14% of U.S. towns. Nearly a fifth of the land in Gibsonton is conserved, where Florida’s towns sit at 3% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Golden Aster Nature Preserve, at 1,316 acres with 6.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. On the outdoors, just 29 of Florida’s 779 towns do better.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · USGS PAD-US · OpenStreetMap.
A growing town
Gibsonton has grown 30% from 2010 to 2020
14,234 counted in 2010 and 18,566 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Gibsonton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Gibsonton is from typical.
Cost of livingAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listCOpen →HealthAdventhealth Riverview 4.1 miles awayC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 3.1% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsC+Open →Jobs & income$84K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 91° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market61 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.8; 19% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 79 attractions →Tropicana Field and 63 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gibsonton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi Stadium & arenaTropicana Field
Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium
9 mi Stadium & arenaBenchmark International Arena
30 mi BeachAnna Maria Island
15 mi Theme parkBusch Gardens Tampa4.0M visitors a year
16 mi MuseumSalvador Dalí MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Tropicana Field: EaglesFanInTampa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Benchmark International Arena: Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anna Maria Island: Bfpage at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Busch Gardens Tampa: Wolle8ball, CC BY 3.0 · Salvador Dalí Museum: Taty2007, CC BY 3.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Gibsonton: who provides what
Gibsonton is unincorporated, so Hillsborough County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDuke Energy18.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHcwrd/South-Central water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHillsborough CountyHillsborough County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHillsborough Supervisor of ElectionsHillsborough County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP codes33534, 3357833534 92% · 33578 8%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Gibsonton.
Gibsonton has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and has home values still below their peak, but it scores below Riverview and its other neighbors on health.
OutdoorsA
Gibsonton keeps 18.8% of its land conserved
The trail density for Gibsonton comes to 0.9 miles per square mile. 14 miles of trail wind through 2 parks and preserves.
#128for trails in FL
18.8%
conserved · 1,850 of 9,857 acres
14 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Golden Aster Nature Preserve | 6.8 mi | 1,316 |
| 2. Mosaic Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Gibsonton fall behind 57% of Florida districts
Public schools: the Hillsborough school district. The largest public high school is East Bay High School, with 1,809 students. Below: Two of its 6 schools, each with why it was picked.
43%of FL districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,174 | C |
| East Bay High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,809 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Gibsonton has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Jobs based here grew from 1,315 in 2013 to 3,557.
17% of residents live below the poverty line in Gibsonton. Just 3% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs locally rose by 2,242, to 3,557. The town’s typical journey to work stands at 33 minutes.
3%work in town
| Gibsonton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 5% | 8% |
| Work from home | 14% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Gibsonton3%
Tampa25%
East Lake-Orient Park6%
Brandon5%
Riverview5%
15 mi
median commute distance
3,557
jobs based in Gibsonton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Gibsonton, with inland flooding at the top
Compared with 68% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Gibsonton is higher. Flood insurance has paid out on 253 claims locally since 1982. FEMA puts 31% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 31% to hurricanes. Also worth knowing: households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 10 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
253
paid flood claims since 1982
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Gibsonton
January nights average 52.5°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.6°.
Snow is almost unheard of. In Gibsonton, the January low is 53°F.
91°summer high
| Gibsonton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 53°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter55–72°
Spring65–82°
Summer76–90°
Fall68–84°
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Gibsonton is less healthy than two in three U.S. towns
All 3 graded neighbors score healthier than its C+, from Riverview (A−) to Apollo Beach (A).
Gibsonton does better than the Florida average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and worse on 15. The share of adults 18 to 64 in Gibsonton who have no health insurance: 21%. In Gibsonton, nearly a quarter of adults worry about having enough food, and 74% had a checkup this year.
35%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Gibsonton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 37% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 79% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Florida
5 better11 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Gibsonton | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.7% | 9.1% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.7% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 12.6% | 8.6% |
Adventhealth Riverview
4.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
32nd
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C−
Gibsonton earns a C− for cost of living
The typical value, about $315K, is 14% below its August 2022 peak.
On the market in Gibsonton: a median 61 days to sell. Zillow values the typical Gibsonton home at about $315,000, down 2.5% in a year, 16% below the Florida typical home. Its typical rent comes in at $1,386 a month.
$315KZillow home value
| Gibsonton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,386 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Gibsonton$315K
Florida$375K
Market temperature
61
days on market
98.1%
sale-to-list price
−2.5%
value change, 1 year
12
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gibsonton
17pages on Gibsonton
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
8 within 15 miles of the center of Gibsonton
Hillsborough Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tampa8.9 mi$2,506 in-state tuitionSchiller International UniversityUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Tampa9.8 mi$13,680 tuitionThe University of TampaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Tampa10 mi$34,408 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Gibsonton residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Gibsonton for work
Where Gibsonton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,557jobs based in Gibsonton
3%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Gibsonton
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
Gibsonton, sometimes nicknamed Gibtown, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. U.S. Route 41 runs through the center of the community. The population was 18,566 at the 2020 census, up from 14,234 at the 2010 census. Gibsonton was famous as a sideshow wintering town, where various people in the carnival and circus businesses would spend the off season, placing it near the winter home for the Ringling Brothers Circus at Tampa, Sarasota and Venice in various times. It was home to Percilla the Monkey Girl, the Anatomical Wonder, and the Lobster Boy. Siamese twin sisters ran a fruit stand here. At one time, it was the only post …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 15 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7 ft
- ZIP code
- 33534
- Area code
- 813
Gibsonton’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Gibsonton.
All 3 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Riverview (C) is closest.
RiverviewApollo BeachProgress VillageGibsonton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibsonton | #518 | D | C− | — | C+ | C+ |
| Riverview | #365 | C | D | — | C+ | A− |
| Apollo Beach | #261 | C+ | D− | — | C+ | A |
| Progress Village | #271 | C+ | D | — | C+ | A |
Gibsonton, Riverview, Apollo Beach and Progress Village report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Gibsonton with a neighbor →
Questions about Gibsonton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gibsonton, FL a good place to live?
Gibsonton grades D overall, better than 14% of U.S. towns and #518 of 634 in Florida. It grades C+ for health and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Gibsonton, FL expensive?
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−.