Clearwater is a fully urban community of 116,811 people in the July 1, 2024 population estimate from U.S. Census QuickFacts. Its profile combines a large older-adult population, nearly 50,000 households, substantial retail activity, and a housing market measured by both current estimates and forward-looking projections.
Contents
- Population and demographic profile
- Households and housing
- Income, education, and health
- Employment and business activity
- Consumer spending patterns
- Land, density, and community context
- Selected public-safety measures
Population and demographic profile
U.S. Census QuickFacts reports a population estimate of 116,811 for July 1, 2024, compared with a population estimate base of 117,435 on April 1, 2020. The reported change from April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2024, was -0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 117,292 people, while the 2010 Census counted 107,685. These figures describe different census and estimate points, so they should not be treated as one single measurement series without noting the date attached to each number.
The age profile is weighted toward older residents. People age 65 and over accounted for 24.1% of the population, while people under age 18 accounted for 16.9% and children under age 5 accounted for 4.7% (U.S. Census QuickFacts). Female persons represented 50.8% of the population. The Pinellas County Economic Development Community Profile lists a 2024 median age of 47.1 and projects a 2029 median age of 48.2.
The two local profiles use slightly different race and ethnicity measures and reference periods. In U.S. Census QuickFacts, the reported shares were 68.4% White alone, 10.7% Black alone, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 2.8% Asian alone, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, and 11.3% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents accounted for 17.1%, while White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, accounted for 65.1%. Foreign-born persons represented 17.2%, and veterans numbered 7,514.
The Community Profile reports its 2020 population by race and ethnicity as 68.0% White Alone, 10.5% Black Alone, 2.9% Asian Alone, and 18.9% Hispanic Origin, with a diversity index of 53.1. Because these values come from a different source presentation and reference year, they are best read as a separate profile rather than combined arithmetically with the QuickFacts categories.
The Community Profile also reports 56,566 males and 60,830 females in 2020. For 2024, it reports 58,171 males and 60,792 females. Those source-specific counts provide a dated view of the community’s sex distribution alongside the broader demographic indicators.
Households and housing
U.S. Census QuickFacts reports 49,998 households and an average of 2.27 persons per household. The same source reports that 84.6% of people lived in the same house one year earlier. Language other than English was spoken at home by 22.3% of residents.
The Community Profile gives a separate 2020 household total of 52,173. Its household-type figures were 38.2% married-couple households, 32.0% female-householder households with no spouse or partner, and 22.0% male-householder households with no spouse or partner. By household size, 35.5% were one-person households, 37.0% were two-person households, and 13.0% were three-person households.
Owner and renter measures also vary by source and reference period. QuickFacts reports an owner-occupied housing unit rate of 58.6%. The Community Profile reports owner-occupied households at 56.2% and renter-occupied households at 43.8%. It also lists 30,831 owner-occupied housing units in 2024; among those units, 4.4% were valued below $50,000 and 19.9% were in the $300,000-$399,999 range.
| Housing measure | Value | Source and period |
|---|---|---|
| Median value of owner-occupied units | $361,300 | U.S. Census QuickFacts |
| Median selected monthly owner costs with a mortgage | $1,908 | U.S. Census QuickFacts |
| Median selected monthly owner costs without a mortgage | $811 | U.S. Census QuickFacts |
| Median gross rent | $1,658 | U.S. Census QuickFacts |
| 2024 median home value | $405,182 | Pinellas County Economic Development Community Profile |
| 2029 projected median home value | $477,973 | Pinellas County Economic Development Community Profile |
The Community Profile assigns Clearwater a housing affordability index of 63 and a wealth index of 94. It identifies 100.0% of housing units as urban and 0.0% as rural. Its top tapestry segments were Retirement Communities (9E), Golden Years (9B), and Parks and Rec (5C), labels that describe the source’s consumer-segmentation framework rather than census classifications.
Income, education, and health
U.S. Census QuickFacts reports median household income of $66,381 in 2020-2024 dollars and per capita income of $44,653 in 2020-2024 dollars. The share of people in poverty was 14.8%. The Community Profile reports 2024 median household income of $64,179 and projects $82,739 for 2029. It reports 2024 per capita income of $45,152 and projects $54,489 for 2029.
The 2029 figures are projections, not observed 2029 outcomes. They should therefore remain distinct from the QuickFacts income measures, which are presented for the 2020-2024 period, and from the Community Profile’s 2024 estimates.
Educational attainment measures show several levels of completion. QuickFacts reports that 90.9% of people were high school graduates or higher and 32.6% held a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Community Profile’s 2024 figures for the population age 25 and over include 25.4% high school graduates, 22.1% bachelor’s degree holders, and 12.8% graduate or professional degree holders. These categories are not interchangeable with the broader QuickFacts thresholds, but together they show the range of attainment measures used in local profiles.
QuickFacts reports that 9.6% of people under age 65 had a disability and that 19.3% of people under age 65 lacked health insurance. These indicators use the under-65 population as their denominator and should not be read as percentages of all residents.
Employment and business activity
The Community Profile reports a 2024 civilian population age 16 and over of 61,289. Of that population, 96.0% was employed and 4.0% was unemployed in the profile’s employment measure. The employed population age 16 and over totaled 58,849, with services representing 52.2% of employment. White-collar workers represented 65.0%, while blue-collar workers represented 16.8%.
QuickFacts reports a civilian labor force share of 59.3% and a female civilian labor force share of 55.5%. It also reports a mean travel time to work of 22.7 minutes. These labor-force and commuting figures are distinct from the Community Profile’s 2024 employment counts and shares, because the source labels and measurement frameworks differ.
Business receipts in 2022 show several large activity areas in the QuickFacts profile. Total retail sales were $4,429,194 thousand, equivalent to $4,429,194,000, and retail sales per capita were $37,855. Health care and social assistance receipts or revenue were $2,141,477 thousand. Accommodation and food services sales were $974,190 thousand, while transportation and warehousing receipts or revenue were $453,408 thousand.
These are 2022 business measures, not current-year household income figures. They describe sales or receipts in named industries and should not be added together as a measure of Clearwater’s total economy.
Consumer spending patterns
The Community Profile provides 2024 estimates for consumer spending by category. Shelter was the largest listed category at $1,284,405,691, with an average spent of $23,918.17 and a spending potential index of 90. Health-care spending was $368,748,242, averaging $6,866.82, with a spending potential index of 89.
Food spending was divided into food at home and food away from home. Food at home totaled $352,861,265, with an average spent of $6,570.97 and an index of 90. Food away from home totaled $187,177,094, with an average spent of $3,485.61 and an index of 90.
Entertainment and recreation spending totaled $193,757,577, averaging $3,608.15, with an index of 88. Travel spending totaled $142,714,887, averaging $2,657.63, also with an index of 88. Vehicle maintenance and repairs totaled $71,577,985, averaging $1,332.92, with an index of 90.
| 2024 spending category | Total spending | Average spent | Spending potential index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelter | $1,284,405,691 | $23,918.17 | 90 |
| Health care | $368,748,242 | $6,866.82 | 89 |
| Food at home | $352,861,265 | $6,570.97 | 90 |
| Food away from home | $187,177,094 | $3,485.61 | 90 |
| Entertainment/recreation | $193,757,577 | $3,608.15 | 88 |
| Travel | $142,714,887 | $2,657.63 | 88 |
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $71,577,985 | $1,332.92 | 90 |
The spending potential index is reported by the Community Profile. The figures above are estimates for 2024 and are not the same type of measure as QuickFacts retail sales for 2022. Keeping the category, year, total, and average together helps prevent comparisons between unlike datasets.
Land, density, and community context
QuickFacts reports Clearwater’s 2020 land area as 26.08 square miles, compared with 25.56 square miles in 2010. Population density was 4,496.9 people per square mile in 2020 and 4,212.8 people per square mile in 2010. These density values correspond to the respective census-year population and land-area measures reported by QuickFacts.
The Community Profile’s urban-rural measure reports 100.0% urban housing units and 0.0% rural housing units. Together, the land-area, density, and urban-share figures describe a compact urban community rather than a geographically rural settlement.
For a coastal conservation audience, the most relevant context is the combination of high density, complete urban classification, and large household and consumer-spending bases. The statistics quantify community scale and demographic composition; they do not independently measure shoreline condition, habitat extent, water quality, or conservation outcomes.
Selected public-safety measures
The Clearwater Police Department Annual Report compares selected 2025 measures with 2022. Police commendations were 84 in 2025 versus 103 in 2022, a reported change of -18.4%. Citizen complaints were 89 versus 75, a reported change of +18.6%. Internal affairs cases were 14 versus 13, a reported change of +7.6%.
Use-of-force reviews were 121 in 2025 versus 126 in 2022, a reported change of -3.9%. Show-of-force reviews were 77 versus 70, a reported change of +10.0%.
| Police Department Annual Report measure | 2025 | 2022 | Reported change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police commendations | 84 | 103 | -18.4% |
| Citizen complaints | 89 | 75 | +18.6% |
| Internal affairs cases | 14 | 13 | +7.6% |
| Use-of-force reviews | 121 | 126 | -3.9% |
| Show-of-force reviews | 77 | 70 | +10.0% |
These comparisons are limited to the measures and years identified in the Clearwater Police Department Annual Report. They should not be used to infer broader public-safety trends beyond those reported categories.