Florida · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hillsborough County, FL

Prices around Hillsborough County, FL run 0.9% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $79,540 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,977 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $79,080 a year.

Hillsborough County, FL at a glance

Median household income

$79,540$6,628 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,977HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.9+0.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential FL
Population1,522,748Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hillsborough County, FL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,977Monthly market rent
Share of gross income29.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$79,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,988At 30% of $79,540
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Hillsborough County, FL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hillsborough County, FL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,593$19,116$63,72024%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,696$20,352$67,84025.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,977$23,724$79,08029.8%
3-Bedroom Home$2,527$30,324$101,08038.1%
4-Bedroom Home$3,077$36,924$123,08046.4%

Rent in Hillsborough County, FL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Hillsborough County, FL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $79,540 a year ($6,628 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,314/moRent ($1,977 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,988/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,326/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $79,540 leaves after Florida taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Florida tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$79,540
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,540
Net 81%
Fed 11%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$64,786After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,399Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,492Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,669 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,085 / yr

Living in Hillsborough County, FL: common questions

What is the median household income in Hillsborough County, FL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hillsborough County, FL is $79,540 per year (approximately $6,628 per month).

What is the average rent in Hillsborough County, FL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,593 for a studio, $1,696 for one bedroom, $1,977 for two, $2,527 for three and $3,077 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Hillsborough County, FL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.9% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.9, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Hillsborough County, FL?

To keep a $1,977 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $79,080 a year, or $6,590 a month. That is 99% of what the typical household in Hillsborough County, FL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Hillsborough County, FL?

On the local median income of $79,540 ($6,628 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,314 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,988 for everything else and $1,326 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,977 takes 60% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hillsborough County, FL?

Homes in Florida paid 15.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $136. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.