The Town FilesPort St. Joe, Florida
City in Gulf County · population 3,357 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,100
- Household income
- $55,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 56.0
Port St. Joe is a city of 3,357 people in Gulf County, Florida. The median home is worth $353,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 93% of Florida towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of Florida towns, more seaside character than 88% of Florida towns.
How Port St. Joe 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 Port St. Joe is worth $353,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $55,542, which is more affordable than 13% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,433 a month. 81.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Port St. Joe | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,100 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,433 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $55,542 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 81.6% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.8% | — |
Who lives in Port St. Joe
| People | Port St. Joe | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.0 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 92.4% |
Weather in Port St. Joe
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 44.4°F. About 53.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 56 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port St. Joe since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 27, 2025 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 27, 2024.
Severe weather in Gulf County since 1996
Gulf County has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4955: Hurricane Isaias |
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3655: Hurricane Isaias |
| 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 Gulf County
Gulf County had 4,562 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,111 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Port St. Joe itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Port St. Joe
3 public schools with 1,046 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PORT ST. JOE HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 515 | 15.6 |
| PORT ST. JOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 512 | 13.8 |
| PREK ESE | PK-7 | 19 | — |
Towns near Port St. Joe
- Callaway, FL25.9 mi · 13,045 people · home $250,300
- Eastpoint, FL27.2 mi · 2,614 people · home $201,000
- Parker, FL27.7 mi · 4,010 people · home $224,200
Port St. Joe questions
Is Port St. Joe, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Port St. Joe scores better for retirees than 87% of Florida towns and quieter than 93%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.0).
How much does a house cost in Port St. Joe?
The median owner-occupied home in Port St. Joe is valued at $353,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,542, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,433 a month.
What is the weather like in Port St. Joe?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 44.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Port St. Joe get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port St. Joe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 27, 2025. 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)