What county is Clearwater in?

Clearwater is located in Pinellas County, Florida, and serves as the county seat. It sits on the Pinellas Peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, roughly 20 miles west of downtown Tampa. Clearwater is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan statistical area, the largest metro area in Florida.

What is Clearwater known for?

Clearwater is best known for Clearwater Beach, a barrier-island beach with powdery white-quartz sand consistently ranked among the top beaches in the United States. Pier 60, a 1,080-foot fishing pier at the beach's central access point, hosts a nightly sunset celebration with street performers and artisans. The city is also the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology, which maintains a significant property portfolio in downtown Clearwater.

What school district serves Clearwater?

Clearwater is served by Pinellas County Schools, one of Florida's largest public school districts. Clearwater High School is the primary public high school within the city, while Countryside High School serves many northern Clearwater neighborhoods. The district offers magnet and fundamental-school programs with specialized curricula, and several private and parochial schools operate within the city.

How far is Clearwater from Tampa?

Clearwater is roughly 20 miles west of downtown Tampa. The drive typically takes 30 to 40 minutes via State Road 60 (Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard) and the Courtney Campbell Causeway across Old Tampa Bay, though travel time varies with traffic. Tampa International Airport is approximately 25 to 35 minutes by car from most parts of Clearwater.

What are the best neighborhoods in Clearwater?

Harbor Oaks, a historic neighborhood on the bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor, features Mediterranean Revival and Craftsman homes from the 1920s. Island Estates offers waterfront canal homes with Gulf access, popular with boaters. Clearwater Beach and Sand Key provide condominium and single-family options directly on the Gulf. Inland, Countryside and Greenbriar offer more traditional suburban living with mid-century homes and good access to schools and shopping.

Houses in Clearwater, FL | Don

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Gulf Coast Beach Capital

Houses in Clearwater, FL

Welcome to Clearwater, where sugar-sand beaches meet a reimagined downtown waterfront. This stretch of the Gulf Coast pairs year-round coastal living with one of Florida's most walkable bayfront districts.

Clearwater occupies a strategic position on the Pinellas Peninsula, with Tampa Bay to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Its name derives from the freshwater springs that once bubbled up along the city's bluff overlooking the bay — a natural feature that drew the area's first settlers and gave the city both its identity and its early economic foundation. Incorporated in 1891, Clearwater grew from a small agricultural and fishing community into a mid-sized Florida city whose economy has long been tied to tourism, retirement migration, and, more recently, significant downtown investment. The city is best known beyond Florida for Clearwater Beach, a narrow barrier island that consistently appears on national "best beaches" lists for its powdery white-quartz sand and calm, shallow Gulf waters. The beach district — a walkable strip of hotels, seafood restaurants, and souvenir shops — operates as a self-contained resort zone, connected to the mainland by the Memorial Causeway. Pier 60, extending 1,080 feet into the Gulf at the beach's central access point, functions as the district's social hub. On the mainland, downtown Clearwater has been the focus of sustained redevelopment efforts. The city's Community Redevelopment Agency, established in 1981, has guided a transformation of the Cleveland Street District, adding high-rise condominiums, a renovated marina, and new bars and restaurants. The recent overhaul of Coachman Park — a waterfront green space at the foot of the Memorial Causeway — created an outdoor concert venue and event lawn that has become a civic gathering point. The adjacent Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, a restored 1920s movie palace, anchors the city's performing-arts scene. Clearwater's economy is a blend of tourism, healthcare, and professional services. The Church of Scientology maintains its spiritual headquarters in downtown Clearwater, owning a substantial portfolio of properties and generating significant economic activity. The city also functions as a bedroom community for professionals commuting across the Courtney Campbell Causeway to Tampa's Westshore business district, roughly 20 miles east. The residential landscape ranges from waterfront estates along Clearwater Harbor to mid-century ranch neighborhoods inland, with a growing inventory of downtown condominiums aimed at downsizers and second-home buyers.