The Town FilesTavares, Florida
City in Lake County · population 19,003 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $254,500
- Household income
- $58,886
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 53.1
Tavares is a city of 19,003 people in Lake County, Florida. The median home is worth $254,500, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Florida towns, easier by car than 86% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 83% of Florida towns.
How Tavares 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 Tavares is worth $254,500, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $58,886, which is more affordable than 58% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,496 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tavares | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $254,500 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,496 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $58,886 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Tavares
| People | Tavares | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.1 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.9% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Tavares
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 48.9°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 108 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tavares since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 15, 1987 about 7.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 12, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 29, 1998.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 37 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 |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 117,354 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,106 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Tavares itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Tavares
7 public schools with 4,275 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAVARES HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,488 | 23.3 |
| TAVARES MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 998 | 18.1 |
| PINECREST ACADEMY TAVARES (charter) | K-8 | 918 | 20.4 |
| TAVARES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 839 | 15.3 |
| NONSCHOOL EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION | PK-12 | 24 | — |
| NON SCHOOL PK | PK-PK | 4 | — |
| LAKE COUNTY ACER PROGRAM | 6-12 | 4 | — |
Towns near Tavares
- Tangerine, FL7.2 mi · 3,237 people · home $435,200
- Eustis, FL7.9 mi · 23,189 people · home $270,700
- Mount Dora, FL8.1 mi · 16,341 people · home $381,900
- Groveland, FL8.6 mi · 18,505 people · home $365,800
- Leesburg, FL9.5 mi · 27,000 people · home $228,600
- Minneola, FL11.4 mi · 13,843 people · home $420,800
- Zellwood, FL11.5 mi · 2,758 people · home $184,000
- Fruitland Park, FL12.4 mi · 8,325 people · home $382,400
Tavares questions
Is Tavares, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tavares scores better for retirees than 83% of Florida towns and quieter than 63%. 35.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.1).
How much does a house cost in Tavares?
The median owner-occupied home in Tavares is valued at $254,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,886, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,496 a month.
What is the weather like in Tavares?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 48.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Tavares get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tavares since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 15, 1987. 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)