Is On Top of the World a good place to live?
The data are hard on it. Its weakest subject is schools (D): its schools rank behind 87% of the state's. Cost of living is weaker too: the typical home is worth about $304K, 5 years of the Ocala metro’s $61K median household income. Put together, the subjects come to a D overall, ranking 569th of 634 in Florida. Nationally, it does better than 6% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Sholom Park, at 49 acres. 79% of residents are 65 or older in On Top of the World, against 20% in Florida’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Only 10 of the 638 Florida towns we compare have a higher age of the median resident than On Top of the World.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · OpenStreetMap.
How On Top of the World grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far On Top of the World is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
96% of working residents leave On Top of the World for work
Where On Top of the World’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2024
The data
Ordered by what stands out in On Top of the World.
On Top of the World has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has more than doubled its jobs in ten years.
Compared with most of Florida and the rest of the country, the median age in On Top of the World is higher
People 65 and older are 79% of residents (21% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 1% of residents (21% statewide). 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| On Top of the World | Typical Florida town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 79% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 71.4 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 31% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.1 points). Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 82% are men (FL 50%). Median age: women 70.7, men 72.1.
| On Top of the World | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0.4% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0.7% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 1.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 2.6% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.7% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 45.7% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 33.4% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.8% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.7% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.6% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.2% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.6% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
On Top of the World earns a D for schools
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montessori House of Ocala PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–K | Grades PK–K | 71 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
3.4% of On Top of the World is conserved land
In On Top of the World, the trail network density is 1.2 miles per square mile. There are 20 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve.
| On Top of the World | Typical Florida town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.4% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sholom Park | — | 49 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
On Top of the World has 0.7 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Jobs based here grew from 714 in 2014 to 1,815.
The top destinations are Ocala (20%), Gainesville (4%) and Jacksonville (4%). On Top of the World had 1,815 jobs in 2024, up 1,101 from 2014. In On Top of the World, the average trip to work is 23 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 59 miles.
| On Top of the World | Typical Florida town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.3% | 4.9% | 7.9% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2024 · ACS
Expect mild winters and hot summers in On Top of the World
The Inverness 3 Se weather station, 21 miles away, records that about 112 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. The Inverness 3 Se weather station, 21 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 279 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 81% of Florida places with climate records.
For On Top of the World, the midsummer high is 92°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The biggest natural risk in On Top of the World is hurricanes, at a high overall level
The FEMA hazard score in On Top of the World is 66 of 100. FEMA puts 43% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 34% to inland flooding.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
On Top of the World stands out in Florida and nationally, with fewer of its adults who report frequent mental distress
Against the 9,106 U.S. towns with household incomes like On Top of the World’s, it is healthier than 78%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
18% of adults have diabetes in On Top of the World. Only 2 of the 636 Florida towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than On Top of the World. Two figures for adults in the town: 6.8% binge drink, 54% have high blood pressure. Against the Florida average, On Top of the World comes out ahead on 16 CDC measures out of 31, and behind on 9.
| On Top of the World | Typical Florida town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 6.8% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 54% | 37% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 90% | 79% | 79% |
| What stands out | On Top of the World | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 2.6% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 21.2% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The median home in On Top of the World sells for about $295K
On Top of the World’s typical rent is $1,212 a month. In On Top of the World, 93% of households live in a home they own. Homes sold in On Top of the World spent a median 85 days on the market.
| On Top of the World | Typical Florida town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 93% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,212 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about On Top of the World
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around On Top of the World. Close and well known come first.
38 mi Stadium & arenaBen Hill Griffin Stadium
28 mi National forestOcala National Forest
22 mi Ancient siteDevil's Den
16 mi Zoo & aquariumSilver Springs
33 mi State parkPaynes Prairie
37 mi MuseumFlorida Museum of Natural History200K visitors a yearPhoto credits
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: The original uploader was Hughs at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5 · Ocala National Forest: Sandra Friend, Public domain · Devil's Den: Eric Beach, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Silver Springs: NeilEvans, Public domain · Paynes Prairie: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Florida Museum of Natural History: WillMcC, CC BY-SA 3.0
Moving to On Top of the World: who provides what
On Top of the World is unincorporated, so Marion County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of On Top of the World
About 1 of every 100 On Top of the World residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Questions about On Top of the World
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is On Top of the World, FL a good place to live?
On Top of the World grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #569 of 634 in Florida. It grades B− for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is On Top of the World, FL expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $304,000, 19% below the Florida typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
Say something about On Top of the World.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.