TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Americans love their pools, and having one at home is a way to boost your home’s value and enjoy a “coveted” source of fun during hot summer days and nights.
A new study from StorageCafe ranked American cities on a scale of best to worst for pool lovers, and multiple Florida cities made it near the top. Orlando, St. Petersburg and Tampa all made it into the top 20, with Orlando at No. 3 and St. Pete at No. 5.
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Tampa came a little lower on the list of cities most friendly for pool lovers at No. 15.
Arizona was the state with the most cities “for pool lovers” in the upper StorageCafe rankings, with Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tuscon, Glendale, and Phoenix all in the top 20 cities. Chandler was No. 1. According to the study, “about 99% of the apartment units in the city offer access to pools and there’s no extra cost associated with residing in a pool-enhanced community.”
In addition to the large number of apartments with pools as an amenity, StorageCafe said 60% or so of the single family homes and condos for sale in the city have pools. On top of that, prices aren’t very different for homes with a pool compared to homes without, just a 2% difference, according to the study.
Known for its beaches, Florida also “doesn’t disappoint” when it comes to pools, StorageCafe said.
While Orlando ranked third in the nation for pool availability, St. Petersburg ranked fifth. However, St. Pete “features a significant price difference between listings with pools and those without – approx. 19%,” while Tampa ranked 15th and “also offers a good range of homes with pools, but it will cost you: there’s a 25% difference between the two types of homes.”
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Here are the top 20 cities in the U.S. for swim fans, and the price difference to rent or own a place with a pool.
| Rank | City | Multifamily Units with Pools | Rent Price Difference | Homes for Sale with Pools | Price Difference | Number of Public Pools per capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chandler, Ariz. | 99% | 0% | 60% | 2% | 2.3 |
| 2 | Henderson, Nev. | 98% | 0% | 43% | 25% | 3.2 |
| 3 | Orlando, Fla. | 94% | 1% | 46% | 2% | 3.9 |
| 4 | Gilbert, Ariz. | 99% | 0% | 49% | 9% | 1.6 |
| 5 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | 88% | 1% | 52% | 19% | 3.4 |
| 6 | Mesa, Ariz. | 98% | 0% | 44% | 3% | 1.8 |
| 7 | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 99% | 0% | 70% | 16% | 1.6 |
| 8 | Plano, Texas | 99% | 0% | 33% | 10% | 3.1 |
| 9 | Irvine, Cali. | 97% | 0% | 70% | −3% | 0.7 |
| 10 | Aurora, Colo. | 86% | 1% | 18% | 0% | 5.3 |
| 11 | Tucson, Ariz. | 96% | 0% | 30% | 21% | 3.7 |
| 12 | Riverside, Cali. | 92% | 1% | 35% | 9% | 2.1 |
| 13 | Austin, Texas | 95% | 0% | 33% | 28% | 3.6 |
| 14 | Anaheim, Cali. | 93% | 1% | 41% | −2% | 0.8 |
| 15 | Tampa, Fla. | 94% | 1% | 39% | 25% | 3.3 |
| 16 | Arlington, Virg. | 74% | 3% | 34% | −53% | 2.1 |
| 17 | Irving, Texas | 95% | 1% | 22% | 10% | 2.9 |
| 18 | Denver, Colo. | 75% | 2% | 20% | −11% | 4.3 |
| 19 | Glendale, Ariz. | 95% | 0% | 32% | 8% | 0.8 |
| 20 | Phoenix, Ariz. | 95% | 0% | 43% | 28% | 1.7 |
(Source: StorageCafe)
The city that was the worst for pool lovers in the country was Detroit, Mich.