Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Homes are expensive, about $335K for a typical one and 4.8 times the Punta Gorda metro’s $70K median household income. Overall it grades C+, ranked 270th of 634 in Florida. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 80% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 92% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, at 4,552 acres with 4.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. On civic life, just 32 of Florida’s 327 towns do better.
Where Punta Gorda beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A. C. Freeman House
Census counts: 262 in 1890, 19,471 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 3 maps from 1957 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Punta Gorda is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Punta Gorda, 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 Punta Gorda.
Punta Gorda is a second-home town and draws workers from Port Charlotte and beyond, but it has seen reported crime rise by about half.
19.8% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 7.8% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
People 65 and older are 54% of residents (21% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 7% of residents (21% statewide). 42% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 8.2% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 66.3 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 42% | 31% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.7 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 66.3, men 66.3.
| Punta Gorda | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.2% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.9% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.4% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.9% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.4% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 25.2% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 28.4% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.5% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 20.8% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.4% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.7% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.8% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.9% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its public schools are run by the Charlotte school district. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Charlotte High School, with 1,872 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Gorda Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,098 | B |
| Charlotte High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,872 | B− |
| Sallie Jones Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 634 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
8,044 jobs are based in Punta Gorda, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Most working residents leave Punta Gorda for work: only 13% work in town. Jobs based in Punta Gorda grew to 8,044 in 2023, 1,607 more than in 2013. 19% of workers work from home in Punta Gorda.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 19% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
1,372 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 251 properties have flooded more than once.
Since 1982, 1,372 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Punta Gorda.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Reported crimes rose from 76 to 192 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. At 8.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 93% of Florida’s graded towns.
Punta Gorda’s violent crime rate is 0.1 per 1,000 residents.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 9.2 per 1,000 residents | 12.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The Punta Gorda 4 Ese weather station, 5 miles away, records that about 136 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. January nights average 53.3°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.9°.
Punta Gorda has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Punta Gorda is 53°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 53°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
87% of Punta Gorda adults had a checkup this year. Punta Gorda beats the Florida average on 17 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 8.9% of Punta Gorda adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 37% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 87% | 79% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Punta Gorda | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.1% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.1% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 18.2% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
7.8 miles of trail in 16 parks and preserves.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park | 4.5 mi | 4,552 |
| 2. Punta Gorda Nature Park | 1 mi | 25 |
| 3. Laishley Park | 0.9 mi | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical value, about $335K, is 23% below its August 2022 peak. At about $335K, home values are down 1% in five years, against a rise of 19% across Florida.
The typical Punta Gorda home is worth about $335,000, down 3.7% in a year, 11% below the Florida typical home.
| Punta Gorda | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,410 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Punta Gorda. Close and well known come first.
17 mi Ancient siteWarm Mineral Springs18 mi Park & preserveMyakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park
21 mi MuseumEdison and Ford Winter Estates
36 mi Stadium & arenaHertz Arena
19 mi State parkCayo Costa State Park
39 mi BeachSiesta BeachWarm Mineral Springs: Blas0082, Public domain · Edison and Ford Winter Estates: Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hertz Arena: Tthaas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayo Costa State Park: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrea_pauline/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Siesta Beach: 4net, CC BY 3.0
None within 15 miles of Punta Gorda; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Punta Gorda residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
16,641 counted in 2010 and 19,471 in 2020; an estimated 20,383 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
8 places in Punta Gorda on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Punta Gorda.
City in the United States
Punta Gorda (; English: Fat Point) is a city located in Southwest Florida, United States. It is the county seat of Charlotte County. As of the 2020 census, Punta Gorda had a population of 19,471. Punta Gorda is the principal city of the Punta Gorda metropolitan statistical area, part of the North Port-Bradenton Florida combined statistical area. Punta Gorda was the scene of massive destruction after Charley, a Category 4 hurricane, came through the city on August 13, 2004. Charley was the strongest tropical system to hit Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and the first hurricane since Hurricane Donna in 1960 to make a direct hit on Florida's southwest coast. In the years following the …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Punta Gorda.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Gorda | #270 | C+ | D− | A− | B− | B+ |
| Charlotte Park | — | — | C− | — | B− | B |
| Solana | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charlotte Harbor | #469 | C− | C | — | B− | C+ |
Charlotte Park has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Charlotte Park and Charlotte Harbor report no FBI crime data of their own. Solana isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Punta Gorda with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Punta Gorda grades C+ overall, better than 38% of U.S. towns and #270 of 634 in Florida. It grades B+ for health, A− for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living 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 D−.
4 notable people were born here, including Arthur Parker Whetsol and Amanda Mildred Carr.
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