Florida · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Ocala, FL

Prices around Ocala, FL run 4.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $56,376 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,373 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,920 a year.

Ocala, FL at a glance

Median household income

$56,376$4,698 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,373HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.2-4.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential FL
Population66,584Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Ocala, 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$1,373Monthly market rent
Share of gross income29.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,409At 30% of $56,376
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Ocala, FL? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Ocala, FL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,126$13,512$45,04024%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,172$14,064$46,88024.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,373$16,476$54,92029.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,772$21,264$70,88037.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,905$22,860$76,20040.5%

Rent in Ocala, FL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Ocala, FL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $56,376 a year ($4,698 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,349/moRent ($1,373 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,409/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$940/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $56,376 leaves after Florida taxes

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

$56,376
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$56,376
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,478After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,957Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,826Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,585 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,313 / yr

Living in Ocala, FL: common questions

What is the median household income in Ocala, FL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Ocala, FL is $56,376 per year (approximately $4,698 per month).

What is the average rent in Ocala, FL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,126 for a studio, $1,172 for one bedroom, $1,373 for two, $1,772 for three and $1,905 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 Ocala, FL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.2, 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 Ocala, FL?

To keep a $1,373 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,920 a year, or $4,577 a month. That is 97% of what the typical household in Ocala, FL earns.

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

On the local median income of $56,376 ($4,698 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,349 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,409 for everything else and $940 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,373 takes 58% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Ocala, 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.