Population 197,375 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fort Lauderdale
Household size in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.80 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.95 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.97 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.80 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.00 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Fort Lauderdale run small, averaging 2.45 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3 | 39.9 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 40.9 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 41.9 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 42.8 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.9 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Fort Lauderdale is 43.1 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.3, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 14.3% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 14.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 13.3% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Fort Lauderdale (10.0%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fort Lauderdale
Renters in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0% | 34.2% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.4% | 37.9% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 40.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.7% | 39.5% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +5.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Fort Lauderdale than nationally: 45.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 44.9% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 15.4% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 15.3% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 13.1% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 10.9% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −4.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.7% of the housing in Fort Lauderdale, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1979 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1983 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Fort Lauderdale are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Miami area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1983. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,124 | $1,256 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,186 | $1,306 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,439 | $1,586 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,976 | $2,112 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$852 | +$856 | +$724 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fort Lauderdale costs $1,976 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Miami area ($2,112). Rent has climbed $852 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fort Lauderdale
Bachelor's degrees in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.5% | 29.1% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 29.3% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.9% | 37.1% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Fort Lauderdale (39.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.4% | 83.0% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 84.2% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 85.6% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 87.4% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fort Lauderdale is the same as the national rate: 89.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent. The rate is higher than in the Miami area as a whole (87.4%). The share with a diploma is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fort Lauderdale
| Period | Fort Lauderdale | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.8% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in Fort Lauderdale is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fort Lauderdale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | 2.45 | 43.1 | 10.0% | 45.7% | 16.7% | 1976 | $1,976 | 39.9% | 89.3% | 5.0% |
| Wilton Manors | 1.70 | 54.4 | 7.0% | 38.4% | 10.1% | 1969 | $1,853 | 44.2% | 94.4% | 4.3% |
| Oakland Park | 2.69 | 39.0 | 15.9% | 42.5% | 11.6% | 1972 | $1,883 | 25.5% | 86.7% | 5.5% |
| Lauderdale Lakes | 3.05 | 40.1 | 24.0% | 48.8% | 13.2% | 1976 | $1,744 | 17.2% | 82.6% | 8.0% |
| Lauderhill | 2.88 | 39.1 | 20.8% | 44.6% | 10.5% | 1976 | $1,806 | 18.6% | 85.6% | 8.8% |
| Lauderdale-by-the-Sea | 1.80 | 62.8 | 3.9% | 22.8% | 50.3% | 1972 | $2,432 | 58.7% | 96.5% | 4.7% |
| Sea Ranch Lakes | 2.03 | 51.5 | 3.8% | 33.4% | 36.0% | 1968 | $1,783 | 63.5% | 97.2% | 2.5% |
| Dania Beach | 2.52 | 42.4 | 12.5% | 52.6% | 16.8% | 1978 | $1,885 | 33.4% | 88.2% | 8.6% |
| Dania | 2.20 | 45.4 | 6.7% | 65.9% | 14.0% | 1979 | $1,485 | 32.1% | 90.4% | 10.1% |
| Plantation | 2.67 | 41.8 | 9.1% | 35.8% | 7.5% | 1984 | $2,304 | 45.3% | 93.4% | 3.9% |
| North Lauderdale | 2.96 | 38.0 | 18.8% | 39.4% | 5.9% | 1978 | $2,063 | 21.6% | 83.6% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Vallejo, CA · Virginia Beach, VA · Valparaiso, IN · Tustin, CA · Victorville, CA · Springfield, OR · Stockton, CA · Stone Mountain, GA · St. Cloud, FL · Spartanburg, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fort Lauderdale. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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