Bradenton today
What this means
Values in Bradenton are down 1.9% over the past year, now 11.5% below the Dec 2023 peak.
Builders are busier: 16 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 78%.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Bradenton | vs Manatee County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,014 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 4.1% | -13.0 pts | -4.8 pts |
| Median home value | $309,400 | 21% lower | 14% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,618 | 3% lower | 3% lower |
| Median household income | $60,822 | 22% lower | 18% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 56% | -18.3 pts | -11.6 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 28.1% | -0.4 pts | +6.8 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 25 | 8% lower | 10% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 14.8% | -7.6 pts | +0.6 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,316 | 24% lower | 15% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Bradenton
Manatee County seat on the south bank of the Manatee River, settled in 1842 and incorporated in 1903.
Bradenton is an incorporated city in Manatee County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: IMG Academy; Tropicana (founded here in 1947); Bradenton Riverwalk
How it has grown: US 41 links it to Tampa and Sarasota; the Sunshine Skyway connects to St. Petersburg.
Next to the rest of Manatee County, fewer homes are owner occupied (56% vs 74.3%); it grew slower than the county since 2020 (4.1% vs 17.1%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (36.8% vs 19%) and household incomes are lower ($60,822 vs $78,457).
Cities with similar prices and rents: Sanford ($309,300, $1,609), Kissimmee ($304,400, $1,647), Port Orange ($317,200, $1,634).
Growth and housing
Population went from 55,712 in 2020 to 58,014 in 2025 (4.1%), versus 17.1% for Manatee County.
| 2025 building permits | Bradenton |
|---|---|
| Single family | 8 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total units | 12 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.2 |
Half the homes are older than 1983. This is a multifamily heavy market (36.8% in buildings of 5+ units). Average household size is 2.27.
Out of state arrivals: 4.2% of residents a year, versus 4.4% countywide.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,181 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
Insurers will want a four point inspection on most older homes here (42.6% predate 1980). Inspections
17.4% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
The city earned Community Rating System class 7; federal flood policies in its high risk zones cost 15% less. Insured homes in the city filed 577 flood claims since 2000, with $28,724,456 paid. For county flood claims, disaster history and jobs, see the Manatee County guide (22.9% of homes there are in high risk zones).
Buying a home in Bradenton
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $547,400 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $309,400 |
Price to income: 5.1x, compared with 5.0x for the county.
- Conventional: mortgage insurance drops off as equity builds.
- FHA: $238,000 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
- VA: veterans are 7.8% of adults.
Investing in Bradenton
Long term rentals
| Bradenton | vs Manatee County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 44% | +18.3 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 11.9% | -2.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 37.8% | +2.2 pts |
Short term rentals
Seasonal and vacation homes: 8.9% of the stock, against 12.4% countywide.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Confirm zoning, registration and HOA rules for the exact address. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 42.4% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 36.8% |
| Manufactured homes | 3.5% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.