CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

28.65° N · 81.34° W · GEOID 1222250

Fern Park

Seminole County, Florida · part of the Orlando, FL metro

FloridaFern Park, FLFern ParkFern Park

The short answer

Fern Park is home to 7,981 people. Median household income is $59,428 a year and median rent is $1,612 a month, 32.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $346,900, about 5.8x annual median household income.

The story in Fern Park is how fast things are changing. Housing became less affordable between 2019 and 2024: rent went from 22.5% to 32.6% of income. Also notable: The median rent takes 32.6% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 97% of places its size.

22OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Fern Park scores better than 22% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 272nd of 474 in Florida.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%9
Economy 20%52
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%42
Education 10%58
Commute 10%51
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,612
18% above the median place
Median household income
$59,428
26% below the median place
Median home value
$346,900
9% above the median place
Unemployment
3.4%
30% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Fern Park

  • GrowthCompared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Camden, SC, Hurricane, WV and Ayden, NC), household income growth here is lower: -0.3% a year against a typical 4.7% a year.
  • Value for moneyHome values are about 22% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. Experimental
01

Moving to Fern Park

Seminole County loses about 0.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in33,575
Moved out33,674
Net−99

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Florida, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within FloridaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$63K
Leavers$66K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Seminole County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.3% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Seminole County report $62,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $66,000, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$64,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,612 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,810 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $346,900.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 15.6% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Camden, SC matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
5.3%
7% below the median place
Income of households moving in7
$62,559
11% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$65,990
6% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.3%7% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.3%14% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-0.350% above
Income of households moving in7County figure$62,55911% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$65,9906% below
02

What it costs to live here

After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $41,400 a year, less than in 89% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track.

Fern Park32.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$64,480
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
32.6%
60% above the median place
Home price to income
5.8x
54% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
33%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$40,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Fern Park, $1,612 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Fern Park, but easier on the budget

Places that match Fern Park on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Camden, SC9418.0% vs 32.6%$12,600Compare
Ridge Wood Heights, FL9427.2% vs 32.6%$11,000Compare
Demopolis, AL9223.9% vs 32.6%n/aCompare
Seven Oaks, SC9123.8% vs 32.6%$8,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Fern Park.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Fern Park? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
71.0%
40% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.6%
33% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$2,114
35% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,61218% above
Rent to income132.6%60% above
Property tax rate10.6%33% below
Home price to income15.8x54% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure101.41% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,95921% above
HUD area median income4County figure$97,6009% below
Property tax paid (median)1$2,11435% below
Median home value1$346,9009% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure0.0%99% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure54.8%6% above
Homeownership163.6%4% below
Renters paying 30%+171.0%40% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8103% below
Vacant homes16.7%5% below
Median year built119750% below
03

Work and pay

Unemployment is 3.4%, 30% below the median place.

Unemployment1
3.4%
30% below the median place
Median household income1
$59,428
26% below the median place
Works from home1
15.6%
25% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Poverty rate12.4% +16%
Income per person$42,248 +5%
Mean commute25 min −0%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$59,42826% below
Income per person1$42,2485% above
Unemployment13.4%30% below
Average annual pay6County figure$68,0063% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.9%5% above
Jobs6County figure214,33642% above
Poverty rate112.4%16% above
Mean commute125 min0% below
Works from home115.6%25% above
Commutes by transit1County figure0.5%45% below
04

Who lives here

No health insurance is 15.8%, 147% above the median place.

No health insurance1
15.8%
147% above the median place
Household size1
2.2
12% below the median place
Median age1
43.2
11% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad16.2% +84%
Bachelor's or higher36.2% +13%
High school or higher91.3% −1%
Homes with broadband92.1% −0%
All 8 people measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17,9814947th largest
Median age143.211% above
Bachelor's or higher136.2%13% above
High school or higher191.3%1% below
Household size12.212% below
Born abroad116.2%84% above
No health insurance115.8%147% above
Homes with broadband192.1%0% below
05

Life in Fern Park

The nearest National Park Service site is Canaveral National Seashore, about 35 miles away.

19 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.0 −51%
Playgrounds per 10k10.0 +6%
Grocery stores per 10k2.5 +18%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.8 −66%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails5 km 2.6×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi1.0 4.8×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Canaveral National Seashore 35 miles
  • Fort Matanzas National Monument 74 miles
  • Castillo de San Marcos National Monument 86 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.6 −1%
Shops34.0 +12%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.8 +41%
Doctors' offices and clinics27.8 +38%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools12
1
89% below the median place
Public school students12
637
87% below the median place
Students per teacher12
14.5
6% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12189% below
Public school students1263787% below
Students per teacher1214.56% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure20.61% below
Shops per 10k8County figure34.012% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.841% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure27.838% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k95.051% below
Playgrounds per 10k910.06% above
Grocery stores per 10k92.518% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k93.866% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails95.3165% above
Transit stops per sq mi91.0376% above
Nearest National Park Service site1035.415% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10150% below
National Register listings11County figure1946% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

January average low is 49°F, 95% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Fern Park. Larger places are fetched first.

January average low13
49°F
95% above the median place
Average temperature13
73°F
32% above the median place
July average high13
92°F
6% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureFern ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure92°F6% above
January average low13County figure49°F95% above
Average temperature13County figure73°F32% above
Annual precipitation13County figure51.3 in17% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure91.41% below
Hurricane risk14County figure94.734% above
Tornado risk14County figure97.520% above
Wildfire risk14County figure92.351% above
Heat wave risk14County figure77.814% below
Median air quality index15County figure399% below
Good air days15County figure84.6%24% above
08

Fern Park in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 34% of the median income in 2030, up from 33% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Fern Park does better than 8% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 64%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,612/mo (2024)$2,080/mo$1,710 to $2,540/mo+4.3%
Median household income$59,428 (2024)$74,000$62,500 to $87,500+3.7%
Median home value$346,900 (2024)$502,000$365,000 to $692,000+6.4%

The median home would be worth 6.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Fern Park

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Melbourne, FL$1,525$66,991Compare
Talent, OR$1,579$62,543Compare
Fort Myers, FL$1,580$63,732Compare
Ridge Wood Heights, FL$1,587$69,894Compare
Ridge Wood Heights, FLFort Myers, FLTalent, ORMelbourne, FLFern Park, FLFern ParkTalentFort MyersRidge Wood HeightsFern ParkTalentFort Myers

Places built like Fern Park

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Fern Park performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Fern Park, FL32.6%-0.3%/yrn/a
Camden, SC18.0%5.9%/yr18.2%Compare
Hurricane, WV14.8%5.0%/yr6.0%Compare
Ayden, NC22.0%1.7%/yr3.6%Compare
Claymont, DE21.0%4.6%/yrn/aCompare
Timberlake, VA17.2%7.7%/yrn/aCompare
Bel Air, MD24.0%1.0%/yr-1.5%Compare

Common questions

Is Fern Park a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 22 out of 100, better than 22% of the places we rate and 272nd of 474 in Florida. Compared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Camden, SC, Hurricane, WV and Ayden, NC), household income growth here is lower: -0.3% a year against a typical 4.7% a year. Home values are about 22% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. On cost, space and class size it scores 11 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Fern Park expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 32.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $346,900.

What salary do you need to live in Fern Park?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $64,480 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Fern Park?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Melbourne, FL, Talent, OR, Fort Myers, FL and Ridge Wood Heights, FL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Fern Park with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Fern Park itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/fern-park-florida

Citytistics. “Fern Park, Florida.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/fern-park-florida/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.