Wildwood, FL metro area
The Wildwood metro area, officially Wildwood-The Villages, FL, is home to 157,772 people. In 2025 its typical household earned $77,576, below the U.S. median of $84,780, and the median rent was $1,427 a month.
Compare Wildwood with another metro ↗ See the national rent report ↗
What it takes to live here
Rent and home prices measured against what local households earn.
To keep rent at the common guideline of 30% of income, a household would need about $57,100 a year to afford the median rent in the Wildwood area (U.S.: $62,300). In practice, the typical renter here spends 33.7% of household income on rent, the 67th highest share of 393 metro areas, and 57% of renter households pay 30% or more (U.S.: 52%).
For buyers, the median home value of $417,200 is 5.4 times the median household income, compared with 4.4 times nationally, which makes ownership comparatively hard to reach.
How it has changed
Change since 2021 compared with the whole United States.
| 2021 | 2024 | 2025 | Change since 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | — | $78,807 | $77,576 | — |
| Median rent | — | $1,155 | $1,427 | — |
| Median home value | — | $412,800 | $417,200 | — |
| Population | — | 154,693 | 157,772 | — |
Who lives and works here
Education, jobs and commuting compared with the national picture.
| Wildwood | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 68.3 | 39.5 |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 38.2% | 37.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.9% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 11.8% |
| Workers who work from home | — | 12.9% |
| Average one-way commute | 29.5 min | 27.4 min |
| Households that rent | 15% | 35% |
Where Wildwood ranks
Position among all 393 U.S. metropolitan areas with 2025 1-year data.
| Measure | Rank among 393 U.S. metro areas |
|---|---|
| Median household income | 180th highest |
| Median rent | 134th highest |
| Median home value | 93rd highest |
| Rent as share of income | 67th highest |
| Population | 280th largest |
| Population growth since 2021 | — |
Similar-sized metro areas
The metros closest in population, side by side.
| Metro area | Income | Rent | Home value | Rent / income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildwood, FL | $77,576 | $1,427 | $417,200 | 33.7% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $65,933 | $1,032 | $243,600 | 39.4% |
| Bangor, ME | $76,490 | $1,230 | $281,500 | 32.9% |
| State College, PA | $74,675 | $1,284 | $364,000 | 34.0% |
| Vineland, NJ | $69,768 | $1,417 | $253,600 | 38.8% |
| Rapid City, SD | $83,459 | $1,313 | $355,400 | 34.1% |
| Traverse City, MI | $79,246 | $1,241 | $398,700 | 26.5% |
Wildwood at a glance
What salary do you need to live in Wildwood?+
To pay the 2025 median rent of $1,427 a month while spending no more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $57,100 a year. The median household income in the Wildwood metro area is $77,576.
How much is rent in Wildwood?+
The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in the Wildwood metro area was $1,427 a month in 2025, according to the Census Bureau, compared with $1,557 nationally. It has changed — since 2021.
Is Wildwood affordable?+
Renters in the Wildwood area spend a median 33.7% of income on rent (U.S. 30.9%), and the median home costs 5.4 times the median income (U.S. 4.4). By both measures it is more expensive than the national average.
What is the median household income in Wildwood?+
$77,576 in 2025, — since 2021. That ranks 180th of 393 U.S. metro areas.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates (released September 2026), with 2024 and 2021 for trends. Figures are survey estimates with margins of error; small differences between metros may not be meaningful. Metro areas use the official Metropolitan Statistical Area boundaries. Compiled and analyzed by Metro Research. Methodology.