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Place dossier plate
SheetFL-FORT-LAUDERDALE-FL · Fort Lauderdale, FL 183,032 pop · income 61st pct · 417 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Fort Lauderdale
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Fort Lauderdale on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Shreveport · lowest
48,465
Shreveport · lowest
48,465 median HH income
53.8% of the leader · rank #1
Apalachin · near
79,919
Apalachin · near
79,919 median HH income
88.7% of the leader · rank #2
Fort Lauderda… · this city
79,935
Fort Lauderda… · this city
79,935 median HH income
88.7% of the leader · rank #3
Pen Argyl · near
79,948
Pen Argyl · near
79,948 median HH income
88.7% of the leader · rank #4
Visalia · near
79,952
Visalia · near
79,952 median HH income
88.7% of the leader · rank #5
Westwood CDP… · near
79,953
Westwood CDP… · near
79,953 median HH income
88.7% of the leader · rank #6
Aurora · highest
90,109
Aurora · highest
90,109 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Fort Lauderdale on ACS population and median household income
. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 183,032.
Fort Lauderdale ranks in the 61st percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.
61st
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
73rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Fort Lauderdale, FL
183,032 people live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Fort Lauderdale households earn a median of $79,935 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.2%. Home values in Fort Lauderdale run a median of $455,600, and the median resident age is 42.9 years. Educational attainment runs 39.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
In 2024, 255 residential building permits were authorized in Fort Lauderdale (Construction Slowdown), down 80% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 75.9°F with 68.8 inches of precipitation per year.
Florida carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,526 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Florida run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 21.9 minutes, with 66.3% driving alone and 17.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 75.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Fort Lauderdale's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from within-city variation to housing and income to comparison shortlist to schools and households to climate and hazard context to population change to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Fort Lauderdale, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, annual population history, matched public-school count, within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits.
No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
1. Within-city variation
What can 417 Census tracts reveal inside Fort Lauderdale?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 417 Census tracts to this city.
How far does income reach against housing in Fort Lauderdale?
The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 5.7 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 11.2%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.
Which cities make useful reference points for Fort Lauderdale?
Within Florida, the closest population matches are Pembroke Pines (170,557 residents, $81,675 income); Tallahassee (199,696 residents, $55,931 income); Cape Coral (206,387 residents, $76,062 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Chattanooga, TN (182,832 residents); Shreveport, LA (183,483 residents); Newport News, VA (184,774 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.
What does the education layer cover for Fort Lauderdale?
The NCES join finds 31 public schools within the city match. 39.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Climate and hazard context
What physical conditions frame life in Fort Lauderdale?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 75.9°F, with 68.8 inches of precipitation. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Florida is 75.7 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Mean temperature
75.9°F
Annual precipitation
68.8 in
FEMA risk index (state avg)
75.7
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
Is Fort Lauderdale growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +5,951 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +3.3% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 255 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+3.3%
2025 estimate
188,677
2020 estimate
182,726
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
What does the journey to work look like in Fort Lauderdale?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 66.3%. The reported mean trip to work is 21.9 minutes.
Public transit
2.6%
Work from home
17.5%
Drive alone
66.3%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 93,477 workers age 16+.
Above median income · poverty 11.2% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
103.4 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Florida average
D
City profile score · Fort Lauderdale, FL
48/100
4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share B+
39.8%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income C
$79,935
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
11.2%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living F
103.4 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Violent crime N/A
N/A
No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).
Fort Lauderdale profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 75/100 (B+) · 39.8%
Household income: 59/100 (C) · $79,935
Poverty rate: 35/100 (F) · 11.2%
Cost of living: 25/100 (F) · 103.4 index
How does Fort Lauderdale compare to other US cities?
Here's how Fort Lauderdale stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income61% higher than other cities
Home value82% pricier than other cities
Median rent73% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Fort Lauderdale against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Florida only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Florida-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Fort Lauderdale near the bottom of Florida's cities
Among the 930 Florida cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Fort Lauderdale ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fort Lauderdale only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#319 of 903
65th percentile in Florida
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 930
0th percentile in Florida
Median Home Value
#175 of 894
80th percentile in Florida
Poverty Rate
#314 of 930
66th percentile in Florida
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#243 of 930
74th percentile in Florida
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Florida only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
61st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Fort Lauderdale's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$455,60018th percentilemore affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Fort Lauderdale's home-value-to-income ratio: 5.7×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#13,810 of 15,516
More affordable than 11% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#542 of 750
Mid-size cities (50,000–199,999)
At 5.7×, Fort Lauderdale sits in the pressured band:
national rank #13,810 of 15,516 and #542 of 750mid-size cities (50,000–199,999).
Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$79,935Fort Lauderdale, FL median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Fort Lauderdale, FL median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)39.8%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)11.2%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)61.7%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
183,032
Median Income
$79,935
Median Home Value
$455,600
Median Age
42.9
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Labor force participation
61.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.8%
Climate
Avg Temperature
75.9°F
Annual Precipitation
68.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Schools
Total Schools
31
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Fort Lauderdale's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
182,726 residents
2021
181,946 residents
2022
184,908 residents
2023
187,796 residents
2024
188,692 residents
2025
188,677 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
255
housing units authorized
Single-Family
227
detached homes
Multifamily
28
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
1,247
127
1,120
$349.9M
2020
537
155
382
$126.7M
2021
646
202
444
$184.6M
2022
184
141
43
$98.1M
2023
213
180
33
$97.0M
2024
255
227
28
$128.2M
Permit volume decreased 80% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
21.9 minutes
Drive Alone
66.3%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
17.5%
Other
3.8%
Based on 93,477 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Florida statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Florida at $225 (electricity about $145 , water and sewer about $55 ).
These are Florida statewide averages, not a meter reading for Fort Lauderdale. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Florida's BEA cost-of-living index is 103.4 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Fort Lauderdale is $1,526/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Florida statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 75.7 / 100 (High).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Florida statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Fort Lauderdale sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Fort Lauderdale compares to similar-size Florida cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.