The Town FilesSebastian, Florida
City in Indian River County · population 25,054 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $317,000
- Household income
- $69,409
- Jan low / Jul high
- 54° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 58.2
Sebastian is a city of 25,054 people in Indian River County, Florida. The median home is worth $317,000, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 82% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Florida towns, more seaside character than 77% of Florida towns.
How Sebastian 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 Sebastian is worth $317,000, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $69,409, which is more affordable than 49% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,451 a month. 85.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sebastian | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $317,000 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,451 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $69,409 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.5% | — |
Who lives in Sebastian
| People | Sebastian | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.2 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.8% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 12.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Sebastian
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 53.5°F. About 56.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebastian since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 3, 1970 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 24, 2025.
Severe weather in Indian River County since 1996
Indian River County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| December 13, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4680: Hurricane Nicole |
| November 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm | EM-3587: Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 29, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4673: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Indian River County
Indian River County had 57,522 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,991 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sebastian itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Sebastian
7 public schools with 4,350 students, about 20.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEBASTIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,791 | 22.7 |
| SEBASTIAN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 838 | 21.5 |
| TREASURE COAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 679 | 17.4 |
| PELICAN ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 346 | 13.8 |
| SEBASTIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 341 | 14.8 |
| SEBASTIAN CHARTER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 6-8 | 296 | 296.0 |
| WABASSO SCHOOL | PK-12 | 59 | 4.9 |
Towns near Sebastian
- Vero Lake Estates, FL3.6 mi · 6,782 people · home $328,200
- Micco, FL5.6 mi · 9,574 people · home $172,600
- Winter Beach, FL5.9 mi · 3,136 people · home $472,200
- Indian River Shores, FL7.8 mi · 4,241 people · home $1,132,000
- Gifford, FL8.0 mi · 5,511 people · home $236,000
- Fellsmere, FL8.8 mi · 4,834 people · home $175,400
- West Vero Corridor, FL10.0 mi · 10,039 people · home $216,400
- Vero Beach, FL10.6 mi · 16,354 people · home $391,900
Sebastian questions
Is Sebastian, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sebastian scores better for retirees than 73% of Florida towns and quieter than 82%. 36.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.2).
How much does a house cost in Sebastian?
The median owner-occupied home in Sebastian is valued at $317,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,409, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,451 a month.
What is the weather like in Sebastian?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 53.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sebastian get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebastian since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 3, 1970. 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)