City · Florida
Tavares, Florida
Tavares, city, in Lake County, Florida. Tavares had 22,490 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 18.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 19,003 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 20,463 (±37). GEOID 1271225.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
22,490
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 19,003 · ACS 2020-2024: 20,463 ±37
Median household income
$58,886
±$11,285 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$254,500
±$24,666 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,496
±$223 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Tavares and what county is it in?
Tavares is a city in Lake County, Florida. It covers 12.3 square miles of land, 1,540 residents per square mile in 2020.
Tavares is in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Tavares, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 22,490 people lived in Tavares on July 1, 2025, up 18.4% since 2020, faster than Florida (+8.9%). The 2020 Census counted 19,003 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 20,463 (±37).
| Measure | Tavares | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 20,463 ±37 | 412,924 | +3,711 |
| Households | 9,154 ±477 | 164,497 | +2,025 |
| Average household size | 2.11 ±0.11 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 10,233 ±499 | 187,580 | +1,246 |
Tavares's population since 2000
From 9,700 in 2000 to 22,490 in 2025: up 131.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Tavares as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Tavares?
The median resident of Tavares is 53.1 years old; 14.7% are under 18 and 35.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 68.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.2%. 10.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tavares | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.1 ±5.4 | 46.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.7% ±2.4 pts | 19.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 35.9% ±4.1 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Male | 47.8% ±2.5 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.2% ±3.3 pts | 18.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 68.3% ±3.9 pts | 63.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±1.9 pts | 10.2% | −4.1 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.0 pts | 2.0% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±2.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.6% ±2.9 pts | 10.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.3% ±3.0 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8% ±1.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| With a disability | 21.8% ±4.1 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.9% ±2.8 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.6% ±1.8 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.9% ±3.7 pts | 27.8% | +5.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.8% ±1.7 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.9% ±2.4 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Tavares earn?
Half of Tavares's 9,154 households earn less than $58,886 a year (±$11,285), against $73,161 in Lake County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 it was $55,774 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tavares | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,886 ±$11,285 | $73,161 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,768 ±$15,083 | $94,160 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,491 ±$6,668 | $38,577 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3% ±2.6 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.3% ±6.3 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.0% ±2.5 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.3% ±3.4 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.7% ±4.6 pts | 92.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Tavares?
Owners occupy 76.8% of Tavares's occupied homes and renters 23.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $254,500 by its owner (±$24,666). The median renter pays $1,496 a month including utilities, and 40.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tavares | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $254,500 ±$24,666 | $318,400 | +$76,172 |
| Median gross rent | $1,496 ±$223 | $1,586 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.8% ±10.0 pts | 48.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,769 ±$83 | $1,814 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 76.8% ±4.3 pts | 77.6% | +7.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.2% ±4.3 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Housing units | 10,233 ±499 | 187,580 | +1,246 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.2% ±1.7 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 53.7% ±4.0 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 27.0% ±4.4 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.3% ±1.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 21.6% ±5.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.1% ±1.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Tavares building?
Builders took permits for 236 new housing units in Tavares in 2025 (236 in single-family houses), 10.5 per 1,000 residents against 7.6 across Florida.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Tavares work and get to work?
74.5% of Tavares's workers drive alone and 8.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.6%.
| Measure | Tavares | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.1% ±4.8 pts | 53.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% ±1.1 pts | 5.0% | −6.7 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 74.5% ±6.1 pts | 72.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.0% ±5.2 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±2.7 pts | 15.7% | +6.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.6 min ±4.3 | 30.2 min | +6.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Tavares?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Tavares, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $46,848 (Tract 308.04) to $69,844 (Tract 308.05).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 308.03Lake County | 6,298 | $64,647 |
| Tract 308.06Lake County | 3,544 | $49,172 |
| Tract 308.05Lake County | 4,281 | $69,844 |
| Tract 308.07Lake County | 5,240 | $60,175 |
| Tract 310.02Lake County | 6,335 | $81,854 |
| Tract 308.04Lake County | 1,483 | $46,848 |
| Tract 303.08Lake County | 4,466 | $49,700 |
| Tract 307.02Lake County | 6,414 | $70,986 |
| Tract 302.09Lake County | 3,399 | $27,214 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Tavares) · Census block assignment files
How does Tavares compare with other places in Florida?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Tavares is the 1,757th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 112th-most populous of 411 in Florida.
Tavares ranks 559th of 754 places in Florida with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 112th | 411 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 42nd | 328 |
| Residents per square mile | 460th | 770 |
| Median household income | 559th | 754 |
| Per capita income | 382nd | 763 |
| Median home value | 542nd | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 400th | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 444th | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 440th | 733 |
| Median age | 172nd | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 321st | 760 |
| Work from home | 519th | 596 |
| Travel time to work | 212th | 764 |
Tavares's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Tavares with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Tavares?
8 of the 57 figures for Tavares on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Tavares are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Tavares.