Best Life Index › States › Florida › Cities › Fort Lauderdale

Florida city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Fort Lauderdale?

What it costs to live in Fort Lauderdale, and how it compares with other Florida cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

52

120th best value in Florida

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Florida cities.

Overall livability

63

77th overall in Florida

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Fort Lauderdale is home to about 182,247 people. A typical home runs $364,100 and a household earns around $67,000, a price-to-income ratio of 5.4. Among Florida's largest cities, it ranks 120th for value and 77th overall.

Fort Lauderdale at a glance

Median home price

$364,100

186th in FL of 249

Median rent

$1,431/mo

Median household income

$67,000

Home price to income

5.4x

Unemployment

3.2%

56th in FL of 249

School rating

9/10

2nd in FL of 249

Air quality (AQI)

47

12th in FL of 249

Walk score

28/100

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‹ See all top Florida cities ranked  ยท  Florida state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Florida only. Updated 2026.