A town of about 27,844 people in Hillsborough County, part of the Tampa area. Resident comments and photos are about Palm River-Clair Mel; job numbers cover the wider area.
What kind of place it is
Growing, Big-city feel
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Palm River-Clair Mel scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Growing
97 / 100
Growing faster than 97% of metros
Big-city feel
94 / 100
Big-city feel: 3.2 million people in the metro, 11 buildings 20+ stories, 2,898 bus and train stops
"really into "community" events like local farmers markets or anything related to that" A resident, Reddit
Less so: lively, historic.
Want to know how Palm River-Clair Mel fits you? The 3-minute quiz checks it against what you want.
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Of about 3,747 rented homes in Palm River-Clair Mel, 77% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 19%
$1,000 to $1,499: 34%
$1,500 to $1,999: 23%
$2,000 to $2,499: 15%
$2,500 to $2,999: 5%
$3,000 or more: 3%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in Palm River-Clair Mel rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Florida: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Florida DMV.
224,538 students · 18.1 students per teacher · 309 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Florida keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$240/week
about $12,500 a year
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
Toddler (2)
$190/week
about $9,900 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
$150/week
about $7,800 a year
School-age
$125/week
about $6,500 a year
For an infant at a center: $240/week here, $225 across FL, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 15% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
12 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Palm River-Clair Mel. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 237 students · $13,420 a year
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$358,706
What a typical home sells for across the Tampa area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 1% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $101 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 100.9 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 14 min at rush hour
To downtown Tampa, FL, 5 miles. About 9 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
28 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
3 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 2.9 miles from the town center (Cyxtera). The largest is about 97,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $7,136 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in FL. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
16.7 per 100,000 people a year
264 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. FL average: 17.1 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 11.4 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 1,796 people without housing in the Tampa/Hillsborough County area: 950 in shelters and 846 outside, down from 1,893 in 2024. FL: 11.9 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$75,011
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.84% of home value a year
About $840 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
No state income tax
FL's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.