Places › Florida › New Smyrna Beach

Living in New Smyrna Beach, FL

Small city in Florida

New Smyrna Beach is a small city in Florida, home to about 31,000 people, with 656,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is New Smyrna Beach a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Easy flying: SFB is 24 mi away
  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.78% property tax
  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.6× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer graduates: 39% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Smaller job market: about 656,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how New Smyrna Beach ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
31,000
656,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
70°F / 88°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$498k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,240/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
99
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.78% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
17 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Average
Tests close to US average · 18 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
39%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SFB
24 mi away

Living in New Smyrna Beach: common questions

What is the cost of living in New Smyrna Beach?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $498k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,240 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 99, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in New Smyrna Beach?

Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.78% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is New Smyrna Beach safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in New Smyrna Beach?

Public schools in New Smyrna Beach test close to the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in New Smyrna Beach?

New Smyrna Beach is warm all year: winter days average around 70°F and summer days around 88°F.

Does New Smyrna Beach get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes: 17 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.42 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to New Smyrna Beach?

The nearest major airport is SFB, about 24 mi away.

How New Smyrna Beach scores

Each bar compares New Smyrna Beach with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundCar essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateWarm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceSlow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingAverage
💸Low taxesExcellent
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsAverage
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyGood
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like New Smyrna Beach

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Ormond Beach, FLSmall city53 $381k$2,240/moSafe Estero, FLSmall city54 $541k$2,560/moNo crime data Bonita Springs, FLSmall city51 $590k$2,560/moNo crime data Venice, FLSmall city58 $447k$2,540/moVery safe North Fort Myers, FLSuburb52 $316k$2,560/moNo crime data Hilton Head Island, SCBeach town49 $889k$2,180/moNo crime data

Nearby

Port Orange, FLSmall city · 7 mi away57 $344k$2,240/moVery safe Daytona Beach, FLSmall city · 13 mi away46 $302k$2,240/moHigher crime Deltona, FLSmall city · 18 mi away60 $294k$2,240/moNo crime data DeLand, FLSmall city · 20 mi away54 $353k$2,240/moModerate crime Ormond Beach, FLSmall city · 20 mi away53 $381k$2,240/moSafe Sanford, FLSuburb · 26 mi away55 $318k$2,480/moHigher crime

See all the best places to live in Florida.

Is New Smyrna Beach right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.