Longwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Longwood
St. Cloud
Opportunity
59 · Top 45%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs80 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
69 · Top 28%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Longwood | St. Cloud | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,337 | 65,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,548 | $83,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,698 | $31,724 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,958/sq mi | 2,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $354,300 | $356,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,755 | $1,683 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 31.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 1,115 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 17.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -37.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.6" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 38.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.29 | 18.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 66.7% | 56.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 63.3% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.0% | 46.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Longwood
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
St. Cloud
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: Longwood, FL · St. Cloud, FL · How this is calculated: methodology