City · Florida
Wildwood, Florida
Wildwood, city, in Sumter County, Florida. Wildwood had 19,436 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 23.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 15,730 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 17,608 (±26). GEOID 1277675.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
19,436
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 15,730 · ACS 2020-2024: 17,608 ±26
Median household income
$76,552
±$7,841 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$451,600
±$19,096 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,519
±$314 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Wildwood and what county is it in?
Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida. It covers 58.3 square miles of land, 270 residents per square mile in 2020.
Wildwood is in the Wildwood-The Villages, FL metropolitan statistical area (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 Wildwood, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 19,436 people lived in Wildwood on July 1, 2025, up 23.0% since 2020, faster than Florida (+8.9%). The 2020 Census counted 15,730 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 17,608 (±26).
| Measure | Wildwood | Sumter County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,608 ±26 | 143,408 | +10,770 |
| Households | 9,228 ±371 | 70,318 | +6,332 |
| Average household size | 1.88 ±0.08 | 1.93 | −0.42 |
| Housing units | 11,127 ±445 | 84,068 | +7,419 |
Wildwood's population since 2000
From 3,924 in 2000 to 19,436 in 2025: up 395.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wildwood 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 Wildwood?
The median resident of Wildwood is 64.2 years old; 10.3% are under 18 and 47.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.5%. 7.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Wildwood | Sumter County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.2 ±0.9 | 68.5 | +11.8 |
| Under 18 years | 10.3% ±2.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 47.0% ±3.0 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Male | 43.0% ±2.4 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.8% ±3.8 pts | 83.6% | +9.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.5% ±2.7 pts | 6.3% | −12.0 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±0.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.8% ±2.3 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.9% ±2.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.0% ±2.1 pts | 13.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.3% ±3.0 pts | 18.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±1.9 pts | 5.2% | −10.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.1% ±2.6 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.9% ±3.5 pts | 35.3% | +17.5 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.3% ±1.8 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.5% ±2.9 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.5% ±1.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
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 Wildwood earn?
Half of Wildwood's 9,228 households earn less than $76,552 a year (±$7,841), against $76,508 in Sumter County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 the median was $51,650 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $24,902 after inflation. 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wildwood | Sumter County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,552 ±$7,841 | $76,508 | +$24,902 |
| Mean household income | $99,498 ±$9,436 | $98,339 | – |
| Per capita income | $52,830 ±$4,866 | $49,030 | +$14,126 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.8% ±3.3 pts | 9.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 35.2% ±14.9 pts | 34.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.2% ±2.1 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.8% ±3.7 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.7% ±4.7 pts | 91.5% | – |
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 Wildwood?
Owners occupy 77.3% of Wildwood's occupied homes and renters 22.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $451,600 by its owner (±$19,096). The median renter pays $1,519 a month including utilities, and 67.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Wildwood | Sumter County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $451,600 ±$19,096 | $385,400 | +$243,490 |
| Median gross rent | $1,519 ±$314 | $1,269 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 67.3% ±9.3 pts | 52.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,962 ±$138 | $1,686 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.3% ±4.6 pts | 87.6% | +16.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.7% ±4.6 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Housing units | 11,127 ±445 | 84,068 | +7,419 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.4% ±1.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 12.7% ±7.1 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.0% ±3.5 pts | 82.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.2% ±2.2 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 37.3% ±3.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 37.4% ±3.7 pts | 30.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.8% ±1.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
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 do people in Wildwood work and get to work?
59.2% of Wildwood's workers drive alone and 18.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.5%.
| Measure | Wildwood | Sumter County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 36.0% ±3.5 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% ±3.6 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 59.2% ±7.0 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.6% ±5.7 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.1% ±4.3 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.4 min ±1.8 | 28.9 min | +3.5 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 Wildwood?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Wildwood, and 6 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $50,156 (Tract 9113.02) to $87,422 (Tract 9103).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9103Sumter County | 7,777 | $87,422 |
| Tract 9114.02Sumter County | 14,613 | $96,376 |
| Tract 9113.01Sumter County | 7,492 | $60,484 |
| Tract 9112.04Sumter County | 11,742 | $79,300 |
| Tract 9101Sumter County | 4,644 | $82,983 |
| Tract 9117.03Sumter County | 4,561 | $60,560 |
| Tract 9113.02Sumter County | 1,162 | $50,156 |
| Tract 9112.03Sumter County | 4,740 | $70,724 |
| Tract 9105Sumter County | 6,535 | $81,232 |
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 Wildwood) · Census block assignment files
How does Wildwood compare with other places in Florida?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wildwood is the 1,990th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 126th-most populous of 411 in Florida.
Wildwood ranks 324th 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 | 126th | 411 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 26th | 328 |
| Residents per square mile | 724th | 770 |
| Median household income | 324th | 754 |
| Per capita income | 182nd | 763 |
| Median home value | 189th | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 393rd | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 290th | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 223rd | 733 |
| Median age | 67th | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 307th | 760 |
| Work from home | 244th | 596 |
| Travel time to work | 656th | 764 |
Wildwood's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Wildwood 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 Wildwood?
7 of the 57 figures for Wildwood 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 Wildwood 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 Wildwood.