1st Advantage MortgageThe median Pinellas County household earns $72,646, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Pinellas County by the numbers
- What Pinellas County households earn
- How Pinellas County residents earn a living
- What it costs to live in Pinellas County
- Regional comparison for Pinellas County
- The communities that make up Pinellas County
- More Pinellas County figures
- What the numbers mean for Pinellas County borrowers
- Budget math at the Pinellas County median
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Pinellas County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Pinellas County by the numbers
With an estimated 963,481 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Pinellas County ranks 7th of 67 in Florida for population. Packed into 274 square miles, that is close to 3,519 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). St. Petersburg is the biggest of its 37 Census places, at roughly 262,732 people (27% of the county total).
What Pinellas County households earn
The median household income in Pinellas County is $72,646; statewide it is $74,568, so Pinellas County runs 3% below Florida as a whole. That places it 26th among Florida's 67 county-level areas.
| Households earning | Pinellas County | +/- vs Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.7% | +0.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.2% | +0.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.1% | -0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.9% | -0.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Pinellas County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 11.5%, 1 point lower than the state's 12.6%. For a borrower in Pinellas County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Pinellas County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 21% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 15%. The survey's unemployment rate for Pinellas County averages 4.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.8%). 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 20% work from home. Only 6.9% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Pinellas County | Gap to Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 15.3% | +1.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | -0.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.4% | -0.6 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 10.0% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.3% | +2.0 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What it costs to live in Pinellas County
A typical Pinellas County rental runs $1,642 a month including utilities, which is 2% below Florida. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 60% of renter households here. Home values center on $355,100, or 4.9 years of median income. Owners occupy 70% of homes.
| Housing | Pinellas County | Florida statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,642/mo | $1,669/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $355,100 | $359,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 70% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 60% | 60% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 35% | 35% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 9.0% | 8.0% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 18% | 15% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Regional comparison for Pinellas County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (26 to 66 miles). Sarasota County leads the group on income ($83,416), Hardee County trails ($60,489), and Pinellas County out-earns 3 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County | - | $72,646 | $1,642/mo | 70% |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 26 mi | $79,540 | $1,667/mo | 61% |
| Pasco County, FL | 33 mi | $70,492 | $1,505/mo | 76% |
| Manatee County, FL | 39 mi | $78,457 | $1,671/mo | 74% |
| Hernando County, FL | 48 mi | $66,058 | $1,298/mo | 83% |
| Sarasota County, FL | 52 mi | $83,416 | $1,818/mo | 77% |
| Hardee County, FL | 66 mi | $60,489 | $962/mo | 71% |
The communities that make up Pinellas County
The table lists the 14 largest of 37 Census places in Pinellas County, by population. Together all 37 hold about 854,374 people, so roughly 11% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $164,063 at the median in Belleair Beach, $45,308 in Lealman. Rent is cheapest in Bay Pines ($1,185) and steepest in Belleair Beach ($3,501). City guides exist for the linked Pinellas County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | city | 262,732 | $75,192 | $1,663 | 14 mi |
| Clearwater | city | 117,247 | $66,381 | $1,658 | 5 mi |
| Largo | city | 82,617 | $62,096 | $1,618 | 1 mi |
| Palm Harbor | CDP | 61,512 | $78,935 | $1,806 | 13 mi |
| Pinellas Park | city | 53,560 | $63,432 | $1,631 | 6 mi |
| Dunedin | city | 36,062 | $74,477 | $1,675 | 9 mi |
| East Lake | CDP | 33,283 | $99,333 | $1,942 | 16 mi |
| Tarpon Springs | city | 25,791 | $79,529 | $1,298 | 17 mi |
| Lealman | CDP | 20,567 | $45,308 | $1,247 | 9 mi |
| Seminole | city | 19,396 | $75,774 | $1,708 | 4 mi |
| Safety Harbor | city | 17,033 | $106,830 | $1,743 | 9 mi |
| West Lealman | CDP | 14,944 | $51,589 | $1,302 | 7 mi |
| Oldsmar | city | 14,904 | $88,333 | $1,427 | 13 mi |
| Gulfport | city | 11,734 | $71,203 | $1,555 | 12 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
More Pinellas County figures
College graduates make up 37% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 10.4%, against 11.5% for Florida.
| Indicator | Pinellas County | All of Florida | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 42.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 36.8% | 34.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.2% | 10.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.4% | 11.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.9% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 20.0% | 15.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.4% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 41.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.8% |
| 60+ min | 6.0% |
What the numbers mean for Pinellas County borrowers
What the Pinellas County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Uninsured care. 10% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Fixed incomes. Pinellas County's median age is 49.0. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- 60% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Budget math at the Pinellas County median
Here is the Pinellas County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,054 before taxes
- Less median rent of $1,642, which is 27% of it
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $477 left for all other debt payments
- Under a 45% cap, $2,724 total minus rent leaves $1,082
Two-income households and single earners in Pinellas County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Pinellas County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Verify the Florida license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Licensing and complaints for Pinellas County
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation is the place to verify any lender's Florida license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Florida: Florida personal loans.
Related local guides
City guides inside Pinellas County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
Is Pinellas County a high-income county?
Its $72,646 median ranks 26th of 67 Florida counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Pinellas County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,642 a month; 60% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Pinellas County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park and 32 more.
Does living in Pinellas County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Pinellas County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Is there a Pinellas County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Florida it is the Florida Office of Financial Regulation.