Ocala is a moderately-sized city located in the state of Florida. The city has a population of 57,873 residents. If we take a look at the last Census, the vast majority of the population falls within one racial group (71% White). Given that fact, Ocala could be considered less diverse than other cities. Not a fan of sitting in traffic? One big advantage of living in Ocala is the reasonable commute times to work. With an average one way commute time of 20 minutes, getting to work is faster than the national average of 26 minutes.
Without the right tools, relocating to any new area can be very stressful and challenging. Living in Ocala, Florida could be a positive experience for anyone who puts in the time to do the research required. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, crime, weather, education, you can easily compare the best places to live in Ocala and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Ocala to Florida and the national average.
The livability score in Ocala is 69 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 57th percentile of all cities across America. If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Ocala has higher than average scores for the following: amenities (A+), cost of living (B-) and weather (B+). Ocala does not score well for the following: crime (F), education (D-) and employment (D-). It might be wise to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
Based on the proximity of local amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, librairies, etc., Ocala has received a higher than average score for its local amenities. If you’re planning on relocating and making this area your permanent home, it’s nice to know that there is an ample amount of amenities and things to do within walking distance or a short drive. Here are some of the more popular things to do in Ocala: Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, The Canyons Zip Line and Canopy Tours, and Alexander Springs.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are available, most people will need to know if the real estate in Ocala is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Ocala come in at $120,700, which is 27.6% lower than the Florida average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Ocala, the home price to income ratio is 3.2, which is 5.9% lower than the Florida average. Purchasing your new home can come with many financial benefits, some of which are more lucrative than others. Perhaps the most notable benefit could be the appreciation of your new home. Home appreciation rates are a good way to generate tax-free equity on a long term basis. The year over year appreciation rates in Ocala were 9.3%, and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 9.1%.
| Statistic | Ocala | Florida | National |
| Average one way commute | 20min | 27min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 80.2% | 79.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.4% | 9.3% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.5% | 2.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 3.0% | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 4.0% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Airports (within 30 miles of city center) | 0n/a | 20 | 354 |
| Amtrak train stations (within 30 miles of city center) | 1 (3) | 45 | 711 |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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