UniversityHillsborough County, FL
A town of 48,127.
Is University a good place to live?
University's standout: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades C−, 434th of 634 graded towns in Florida. Its weakest subject is health: residents are less healthy than 80% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. 37% of residents live below the poverty line in University, against 11% in Florida’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 4 of the 638 Florida towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than University. The biggest park or preserve is Cypress Creek Nature Preserve, at 71 acres.
What makes University stand out
Where University beats most towns.
University has grown 24% from 2010 to 2020
41,163 counted in 2010 and 50,893 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How University grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far University is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Tropicana Field and 53 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around University. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaTropicana Field
Big draw8 mi Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium
3 mi Theme parkBusch Gardens Tampa4.0M visitors a year
9 mi Stadium & arenaBenchmark International Arena
2 mi Stadium & arenaYuengling Center
25 mi MuseumSalvador Dalí MuseumPhoto credits
Tropicana Field: EaglesFanInTampa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Busch Gardens Tampa: Wolle8ball, CC BY 3.0 · Benchmark International Arena: Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yuengling Center: User:TheCustomOfLife, Public domain · Salvador Dalí Museum: Taty2007, CC BY 3.0
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Moving to University: who provides what
University is unincorporated, so Hillsborough 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in University.
University is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
University’s public schools trail 57% of Florida districts
Its public schools are run by the Hillsborough school district. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mort Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 731 | C− |
| Building Construction Academy at Bowers WhitleyLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 76 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Compared with most of Florida and the rest of the country, more of University’s adults report frequent mental distress
Against the 1,672 U.S. towns with household incomes like University’s, it is healthier than 78%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income. All 3 graded neighbors score healthier than its C−, from Tampa (B) to Lutz (A).
23% of adults report frequent mental distress in University. University beats the Florida average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 28% of adults say their health is fair or poor in University.
| University | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 15% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 37% | 36% |
| What stands out | University | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.3% | 9.1% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 18.1% | 26.6% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 18.7% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In University, expect mild winters and hot summers
January nights average 49.4°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.6°.
University has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. University’s January low is 49°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| University | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 49°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
University stands out in Florida and nationally: the median household income there is lower
University has about as many jobs (20,747) as working residents, but only 943 people both live and work here.
The median household income in University is $37,000. Jobs based in University grew to 20,747 in 2023, 3,426 more than in 2013. Most working residents leave University for work: only 5% work in town.
| University | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
University faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 87 flood insurance claims have been paid out in University.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| University | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.3% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cypress Creek Nature Preserve | — | 71 |
| 2. University Park | 0.1 mi | 26 |
| 3. Mort Park | 0.1 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about University
Colleges nearby
10 within 15 miles of the center of University
College town 21 of every 100 University residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
About University
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
University is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 41,163 at the 2010 census, up from 30,736 at the 2000 census. The University of South Florida is located just southeast of the community, within the Tampa city limits.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 45 ft
- Area code
- 813
University’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with University.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University | #434 | C− | B− | — | C+ | C− |
| Lutz | #236 | C+ | D | — | C+ | A |
| Lake Magdalene | #322 | C | D | — | C+ | B+ |
| Tampa | #458 | C− | D | C | C+ | B |
University, Lutz and Lake Magdalene report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare University with a neighbor →
Questions about University
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is University, FL a good place to live?
University grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #434 of 634 in Florida. It grades C− for health and C+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is University, FL expensive?
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 B−.