Gulf Coast city that offers a "fantastic quality of life"
Residents of Clearwater enjoy year-round access to an array of amenities and attractions that make it one of the Gulf Coast's premier tourist destinations. White-sand beaches, waterfront parks and plenty of watersports—including boating and fishing—define this city of over 116,000 people.
Yet Clearwater's identity extends beyond just water. It has been the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies since 1947 and the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology since 1975. "This is my hometown, and I've lived here most of my life. The thing most people love about Clearwater is the access to so many things to do," says Kirsten Kelley, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker. "You've got beaches and sports teams, but also great jobs and affordable housing. It's a fantastic city for quality of life."
Stroll by the performers at Pier 4 in Clearwater Beach.
Island Estates almost every house is a waterfront home.
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Tourism, real estate are a big part of the economy
Over 15 million tourists visited the St. Pete-Clearwater region in 2024 and were responsible for more than $11 billion in economic impact. The influx of visitors has been a boon to the hospitality industry as well as the real estate industry, with rental properties becoming sought-after investments. Pinellas County typically limits short-term rentals to areas near the beach, but that leaves plenty of options for longer-term visitors while protecting homeowners. "We get a lot of snowbirds here from November through May, and we have a lot of winter rentals," says Cathy Seguin, a Realtor with Keller Williams and city resident. "If you stay for less than six months, there's a travel tax, so that helps our economy, too."
Major employers in Clearwater include BayCare Health System, GE's Center of Excellence and Aerosonic Corporation, an aerospace company. While not a traditional employer, the Church of Scientology has a large economic footprint. It has spent hundreds of millions buying property in Downtown Clearwater, where the former Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the church's headquarters.
Downtown Clearwater is surrounded by scenic beauty everywhere you look.
The Clearwater Patriot Fest is an annual event to celebrate our Veterans.
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Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach are commercial centers
Downtown Clearwater's Cleveland Street is a palm tree-lined, walkable area with shops, restaurants and entertainment venues stretching east from the waterfront. "Contemporary is a good word for it," Seguin says. "There used to not be a lot to do downtown, but it has changed in the last three or four years. A lot of small businesses are opening up, and there are a lot of outdoor eateries." Also on Cleveland Street is the historic Capitol Theatre, part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts that includes Ruth Eckerd Hall on the city's east side. Just across the Intracoastal Waterway, Clearwater Beach is packed with bars and restaurants boasting Gulf views. Many of the businesses on Clearwater Beach were impacted by the 2024 hurricane season, but most have reopened.
Shopping centers are concentrated along the State Road 60 and U.S. Highway 19 commercial corridors that crisscross the city. They include Countryside Mall, with department stores, supermarkets and chain restaurants.
In Downtown Clearwater you can hop in your boat and go to the beach for lunch.
Downtown Clearwater is known for their aqua blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Clearwater Beach, Coachman Park are recreational highlights
Clearwater Beach is the heart of the city's waterfront lifestyle. It has been ranked as one of the top 15 white-sand beaches in the world by Travel + Leisure, and USA Today recently named it the No. 1 beach in the South. The neighboring barrier island of Sand Key features a public beach as part of a 95-acre park. "We have lots of little beaches that aren't as crowded, and you have a little more nature," Seguin says.
The city has more than 100 parks. "I've lived here for 13 years, and that is one of the things that drew me here," Seguin says. "For such a densely populated area, they really keep things open for recreation." One of the most popular is Coachman Park, which graces the shores of the Intracoastal Waterway on the western edge of Downtown Clearwater. A recent $84 million transformation added playgrounds, splash pads and The Sound, an amphitheater with a covered-seating section and lawn area that can host up to 9,000 spectators. "They have a lot of concerts there; Styx was here just last week," Seguin says. "It's attractive for locals and tourists." The park also hosts many of the city's signature events, including the Market Marie on the second Saturday of every month.
Golf courses include the semi-private Clearwater Country Club, established in 1920 in Downtown Clearwater. Baseball fans flock to BayCare Park each March for Phillies spring training games. The Tampa Bay Rays normally play about 25 miles south in St. Pete, although their home field sustained significant damage from Hurricane Milton. The team will play its 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is adjacent to Steinbrenner Field. Both are just across Old Tampa Bay, less than 20 miles away.
The north end of Clearwater beach is quite area close to Island Estates.
This frisbee golfer wraps up a nice day on the mostly shaded course in Coachman.
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Well-rated Pinellas County Schools
Students are served by Pinellas County Schools, which Niche gives an A-minus and ranks as the top district in the Tampa area. Most of the city's schools are rated B or better by Niche, and Pinellas County Schools offers school choice. Highly rated K-8 charter schools include Discovery Academy of Science, an A-rated institution that Niche ranks as the No. 2 charter school in the Tampa area.
Belleair Elementary School teaches K-5th grade all the fundamentals of learning development.
Clearwater Intermediate has 165 students and serves grades 4-9.
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State Road 60, U.S. Highway 19 provide quick access to Tampa, St. Pete
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides public transportation, with bus stops throughout the city. That includes service to Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater's premier medical center. State Road 60 and U.S. Highway 19 are the primary thoroughfares for local and regional travel. SR 60 provides residents with direct access across the Intracoastal Waterway to Clearwater Beach. Heading east, it becomes the Courtney Campbell Causeway and leads directly to Tampa International Airport on the shores of Old Tampa Bay. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is even closer. It is just minutes east of U.S. 19, which runs along the Gulf Coast and provides access to greater St. Pete. It eventually connects to Interstate 275, about 25 miles south.
Housing includes condos and waterfront estates
The many neighborhoods in Clearwater offer homebuyers a wide range of options in a variety of settings. Historic homes can be found in neighborhoods such as Harbor Oaks and Glenwood. Established neighborhoods like Coachman Ridge and Northwood Estates feature ranch-style homes and other midcentury designs. Golf course communities with a mix of condos, townhouses and single-family homes are concentrated on the city's far north side. Prices for single-family homes located inland typically range from $300,000 to the low $800,000s. Those on the water can range from the mid-$800,000s to more than $8 million. The city's largest, most expensive homes can be found in sought-after waterfront neighborhoods such as Island Estates and Clearwater Beach.
Condos are also prevalent in the city. Inland units can start around $100,000 and run into the $300,000s. The largest concentration can be found at On Top of the World, a well-established retirement community. Waterfront options range from the low $300,000s for bayside units to multimillion-dollar condos in high-rises along the Gulf. The median home sales price for all of Clearwater is about $360,000. "As a local and an agent, I would say the market right now is healthy," Kelley says. "The buyers have competition, and the sellers have competition. Neither side can be arrogant."
While the risk levels vary from low to extreme, every neighborhood in the city is in a flood zone. Prospective homebuyers should be aware that insurance rates will be affected by where they live.
Spacious, large new homes are being build throughout the Downtown Clearwater neighborhood.
Quaint cottage homes are along treelined streets in the Downtown Clearwater neighborhood.
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Property crime trending downward
The Clearwater Police Department reports that crime numbers in several categories are trending downward. Most notably, burglaries decreased by 14%, robberies by 5% and auto thefts by 3% between 2023 and 2024. The department tracks individual offenses through Lexus Nexus, so detailed crime information, broken down by neighborhood, can be found on the city's police department website.
On average, homes in Clearwater, FL sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Clearwater, FL over the last 12 months is $349,500, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
