The Town FilesPelican Bay, Florida
Community in Collier County · population 6,660 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,287,900
- Household income
- $163,520
- Jan low / Jul high
- 56° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 74.6
Pelican Bay is a community of 6,660 people in Collier County, Florida. The median home is worth $1,287,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks more upscale than 100% of Florida towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 99% of Florida towns.
- #1 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #2 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #2 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- #6 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #7 in 50 Places in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #16 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Florida
How Pelican Bay ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pelican Bay is worth $1,287,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 7.9 times the median household income of $163,520, which is more affordable than 6% of Florida towns. Median rent is $3,420 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pelican Bay | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,287,900 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $3,420 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $163,520 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 41.8% | — |
Who lives in Pelican Bay
| People | Pelican Bay | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 74.6 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 77.9% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 1.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.0% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 50.9% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Pelican Bay
July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 55.9°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 103 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelican Bay since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 11, 1968 about 2.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 23 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 30, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 3, 1997.
Severe weather in Collier County since 1996
Collier County has been included in 54 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Collier County
Collier County had 171,813 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,041 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Pelican Bay itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Towns near Pelican Bay
- Naples Park, FL1.9 mi · 5,092 people · home $690,900
- Vineyards, FL5.1 mi · 3,883 people · home $651,800
- Naples, FL5.9 mi · 19,115 people · home $1,525,600
- Island Walk, FL6.3 mi · 2,812 people · home $667,900
- Berkshire Lakes, FL7.2 mi · 2,527 people · home $374,400
- Golden Gate, FL7.5 mi · 25,321 people · home $409,700
- Bonita Springs, FL8.5 mi · 53,644 people · home $497,100
- Lely, FL10.3 mi · 3,694 people · home $326,100
Pelican Bay questions
Is Pelican Bay, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pelican Bay scores better for retirees than 99% of Florida towns and quieter than 93%. 77.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 74.6).
How much does a house cost in Pelican Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Pelican Bay is valued at $1,287,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $163,520, so homes cost about 7.9 times income. Median rent is $3,420 a month.
What is the weather like in Pelican Bay?
July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 55.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Pelican Bay get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelican Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 11, 1968. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)