For a city of 413,554, Tampa does unevenly: it grades C−, 458th among Florida's 634 graded towns. It is more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: the typical home is worth about $376K, 5 years of the Tampa metro’s $74K median household income. 42% of working residents work locally in Tampa, above both Florida’s towns (5%) and U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include Tampa Bay Hotel and Ybor City Historic District.

StrongestAWalkability A⁻HistoryWeakestDCost of living CSafety

What makes Tampa stand out

Where Tampa beats most towns.

Tampa Bay Hotel

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1823

79 places on the National Register

A history going back 203 years.

Biggest of 6

College	Students
University of South Florida	40,892
Hillsborough Community College	11,704
The University of Tampa	11,018

Colleges in town

6 colleges

64,337 students on campus

Students are 9% of residents.

Jobs vs. working residents

Jobs here394,442

Residents who work173,357

Work

2.3 jobs for every working resident

A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023.

Tampa Bay Hotel · National Register of Historic Places

Tampa’s story

203 years in pictures

Tampa Bay Hotel is one of 4 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1823, comes before those of 97% of the Florida towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 974 in 1850, 384,959 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1837 and 6 maps from 1921 on.

79 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1823Tampa is settled

Explore the history →

How Tampa grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Tampa is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 13 of 20; 8.5% of households have no car; 4.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SafetyCOpen →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listCOpen →HealthSt. Josephs Hospital 1.4 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsC⁺Open →Jobs & incomeB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors6% conserved landB⁺Open →History26 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 91° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$376K typical home, up 0.4% in a year; 43 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.9; 46% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Raymond James Stadium and 58 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Tampa. Close and well known come first.

All 77 attractions →

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium

Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaTropicana Field

in town Stadium & arenaBenchmark International Arena

in town Theme parkBusch Gardens Tampa4.0M visitors a year

in town Stadium & arenaYuengling Center

35 mi BeachAnna Maria Island

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Tropicana Field: EaglesFanInTampa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Benchmark International Arena: Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Busch Gardens Tampa: Wolle8ball, CC BY 3.0 · Yuengling Center: User:TheCustomOfLife, Public domain · Anna Maria Island: Bfpage at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Tampa: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Tampa, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerDuke Energy18.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Tampa Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site

SchoolsHillsborough County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereHillsborough Supervisor of ElectionsHillsborough County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023

ZIP codes33647, 33604, 33611, 3361233647 14% · 33604 10% · 33611 9% · 33612 7%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 Tampa.

Tampa draws workers from Brandon and beyond, fares better on crime within Florida than nationally and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁻

About one in two working residents works right in Tampa

394,442 jobs are based in Tampa, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 295,202 in 2013 to 394,442.

22% of workers work from home in Tampa. Since 2013, Tampa has added 99,240 jobs, to 394,442 in 2023. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Tampa.

42%work in town

	Tampa	Florida towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	22%	14%	11%
Below the poverty line	16%	11%	9.6%
Average trip to work	25 minutes	27 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Tampa42%

East Lake-Orient Park5%

St. Petersburg4%

Town 'n' Country3%

Brandon3%

9 mi

median commute distance

394,442

jobs based in Tampa

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns

Full pageTampa’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here394,442 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work42% work in Tampa Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 9 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SchoolsC⁺

On state tests, Tampa’s schools trail 57% of Florida districts

Its public schools are run by the Hillsborough school district. Three of its 138 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

43%of FL districts it outscoresC⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Kenneth E. Adum PK-8 Magnet SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8	Grades PK–8	1,007	–
Plant High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,391	A
Roosevelt Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	614	A⁺

Full pageTampa’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsHILLSBOROUGH Vs. the neighborsBehind its 10 graded neighbors Every school138 schools · Kenneth E. Adum PK-8 Magnet School Questions“Are Tampa’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation

SafetyC

Crime per resident in Tampa is higher than in 72% of U.S. towns

At 30.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 59% of Florida’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 8,532 to 5,538 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Tampa’s violent crime rate is 3.3 per 1,000 residents.

28%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Tampa	Florida towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	3.3 per 1,000 residents	2.1	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	9.8 per 1,000 residents	12.6	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Tampa3.3

Florida2.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Tampa9.8

Florida10.7

U.S.15.5

28th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

41st

percentile among FL towns

1,400

violent crimes reported in 2025

4,138

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageTampa’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type3.3 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Questions“Is Tampa, FL safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Tampa has mild winters and hot summers

January nights average 51°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.6°.

Tampa has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Tampa is 51°F. Snow is almost unheard of.

91°summer high

	Tampa	Florida towns	U.S. towns
January low	51°F	51°F	22°F
July high	91°F	91°F	85°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter53–72°

Spring63–82°

Summer74–90°

Fall66–84°

+1.6°

vs. the 20th-century average

91°

typical summer high

Full pageTampa’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 51°Rain & snow53″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingMostly a cooling bill Then and now+1.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsB⁺

Conserved land covers 5.9% of Tampa

46 miles of trail in 104 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Cypress Creek, 817 acres with 2.8 miles of trail.

#342for trails in FL

	Tampa	Florida towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	5.9%	3%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.3 miles per square mile	0.4	0.4

5.9%

conserved · 6,658 of 113,401 acres

46 mi

of trails · 0.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Cypress Creek	2.8 mi	817
2. MLK Plaza	2.2 mi	12
3. Al Lopez Park	1.9 mi	128

Full pageTampa’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map46 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk2.8 miles of trail · Cypress Creek Conserved land5.9% conserved · 6,658 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Tampa?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

Hurricanes leads a high hazard risk in Tampa

7,067 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 522 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 7,067 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Tampa.

61risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes

7,067

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageTampa’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims7,067 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters12 federal disasters · Paid out in Tampa Get ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB

Residents of Tampa are healthier than 59% of U.S. towns

Tampa beats the Florida average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 16% of Tampa adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.

59%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade

	Tampa	Florida towns	U.S. towns
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)	16%	14%	8.1%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	17%	18%	23%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	20%	15%	14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	37%	36%

31 measures vs. Florida

5 better20 too close to call6 worse

What stands out	Tampa	FL
Fewer adults who have had cancer	6.4%	9.1%
Fewer adults with heart disease	5.8%	7.5%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	10.7%	8.6%

St. Josephs Hospital

1.4 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: mental health

54th

percentile among FL towns

Full pageTampa’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.4 miles to an ER · St. Josephs Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than FL on 5 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade D

For cost of living, Tampa earns a D

$376KZillow home value

Typical home value

Tampa$376K

Florida$375K

Market temperature

days on market

96.7%

sale-to-list price

+0.4%

value change, 1 year

561

homes sold in May

Full pageTampa’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsAbout the same as a year ago Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.0 years of income Rents$1,701 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 10 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Tampa

20pages on Tampa

The big questions

SchoolsC⁺Behind 57% of FL districts · 138 schools SafetyC3.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than FL on 5 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingD$376K typical home · up 0.4% in a year Work & commuteB⁻$75K median household income · 394,442 jobs here Natural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 61% of U.S. communities · hurricanes

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁺46 mi of trails · 6% conserved land PlacesAttractions77 nearby · Raymond James Stadium under 1 mi LibraryC⁺West Tampa Branch Library CollegesHillsborough Community College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1823 · 79 on the National Register Famous people26 born in Tampa Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 90 residents Climate91° summer highs

Day to day

News11 recent stories about Tampa WeatherHandbookZIP code 33601, 33602, 33603 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

11 within 15 miles of the center of Tampa

University of South FloridaUniversity or college · Public · TampaIn town$6,410 in-state tuition Hillsborough Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · TampaIn town$2,506 in-state tuition Schiller International UniversityUniversity or college · Private for-profit · TampaIn town$13,680 tuition

About 9 of every 100 Tampa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

University of South Florida calls Tampa home

6 colleges in town.

University of South Florida40,892 students on campus

Admission: 43%
Net price: $9,812
Graduate: 77%

Hillsborough Community College11,704 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $3,861
Graduate: 34%

The University of Tampa11,018 students on campus

Admission: 40%
Net price: $36,211
Graduate: 64%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

79 places in Tampa on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Tampa Bay HotelNational Historic Landmark

El Centro Espanol of West TampaNational Historic Landmark

Ybor City Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

El Centro Espanol de TampaNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Tampa

26 notable people were born in Tampa.

See all 26 →

Sarah PaulsonAmerican actress · born 1974

Aaron CarterAmerican pop singer, actor and songwriter · 1987–2022

Brittany SnowAmerican actress and model · born 1986

Gilbert ArenasAmerican basketball player · born 1982

Julian GreenAmerican soccer player · born 1995

Pam BondiAmerican attorney and politician · born 1965

About Tampa

City in the United States

Official town website ↗

Tampa ( TAM-pə) is a major city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Hillsborough County. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. It is the third-most-populous city in Florida (after Jacksonville and Miami), 13th-most-populous in the Southeast, and 49th-most-populous city in the country, with a population of 403,364 at the 2020 census. The Tampa Bay metropolitan area, at over 3.42 million residents, is the second-largest metropolitan area in Florida and 17th-largest in the United States. The Greater Tampa Bay area has over 4 million residents and generally includes the Tampa and Sarasota metro areas. Tampa's …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1823
Area: 175 sq mi
Elevation: 98 ft
ZIP code: 33601, 33602, 33603
Area code: 813

Tampa’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Tampa.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	FL rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Tampa	#458	C⁻	D	C	C⁺	B
Lutz	#236	C⁺	D	—	C⁺	A
Palm River-Clair Mel	#450	C⁻	C⁻	—	C⁺	C
Town 'n' Country	#396	C	D	—	C⁺	B
East Lake-Orient Park	#472	C⁻	C	—	C⁺	C
Egypt Lake-Leto	#513	D	C⁻	—	C⁺	C
Lake Magdalene	#322	C	D	—	C⁺	B⁺
Temple Terrace	#393	C	C⁻	C	C⁺	B

Lutz, Palm River-Clair Mel, Town 'n' Country, East Lake-Orient Park, Egypt Lake-Leto and Lake Magdalene report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Tampa with a neighbor →

Questions about Tampa

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Tampa, FL a good place to live?

Tampa grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #458 of 634 in Florida. It grades B for health, C for safety and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Tampa, FL expensive?

Yes. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Tampa, FL known for?

26 notable people were born here, including Sarah Paulson and Aaron Carter.

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