Citrus County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $272,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $154,000 |
What this means
Values in Citrus County are about flat (−0.7% in a year), now 6% below the Sep 2022 peak.
About 15% of homes sit in a FEMA high risk flood zone, where a mortgage requires flood insurance. Get a flood quote before you make an offer.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Citrus County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 171,666 | 0.7% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 11.6% | +2.7 pts |
| Median home value | $245,500 | 32% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,107 | 34% lower |
| Median household income | $56,546 | 24% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 85.2% | +17.6 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 36.5% | +15.2 pts |
| Average commute | 28 min | 1% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 11.5% | -2.7 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 12.2 | 61% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 12.8% | +5.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,430 | 48% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,456 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Citrus County
What stands out about Citrus County: an older population (36.5% age 65 or older); fewer renters than most of Florida (14.8% of homes); and a large veteran community (12.8% of adults).
Nature Coast county on the Gulf, where water covers about a quarter of its area and many coastal islands are reached by boat. County seat: Inverness. Created in 1887.
Largest communities: Homosassa Springs, Citrus Springs and Sugarmill Woods. Homosassa Springs alone has about 15,701 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: health care; citrus growing; phosphate mining
- Known for: Crystal River Archaeological Site; Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park; Withlacoochee State Trail
Retirees are a big part of this market (36.5% of residents are 65 or older). Smaller households (2.24 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos.
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 153,843 in April 2020 to 171,666 in July 2025 (11.6%; Florida 8.9%). Year over year: +1.09%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 2,082 |
| 2 to 4 units | 14 |
| 5 or more units | 6 |
| Total | 2,102 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 12.2 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
See the Central Florida investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
No hurricane landfall in Citrus County since 2000 in the record we use. Wind and rain from storms still reach inland.
Citrus County homeowners paid $2,456 a year on average for coverage that includes wind (state insurance regulator, March 2026).
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
Manufactured housing (21.1%) is common here; age and installation decide which loans work. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Citrus County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 12,092 (15.3%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 5,549 (7%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 39.3% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 4,359, $327,541,069 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Helene ($168,186,711); Hurricane Idalia ($99,392,315); Hurricane Hermine ($49,498,569) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 16 (11 hurricane, 2 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
Flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) holds Community Rating System class 5, worth 25% off federal premiums in high risk zones (map dated 01/15/21).
Citrus County counted 31,162 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were health care and social assistance (32%), retail (21%), hotels and restaurants (12%). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 12% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Citrus County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Price to income: 4.3x locally, 4.8x for Florida.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,376 | 65.2% | 72.2% | $195,240 |
| FHA | 981 | 18.9% | 17.8% | $238,068 |
| VA | 765 | 14.8% | 9.9% | $303,745 |
| USDA | 55 | 1.1% | 0.2% | $233,182 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 59% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.1% |
| Rate and term refinance | 11.7% |
| Home improvement | 6.9% |
Total loans rose 12.4% from 2024 (4,606 to 5,177). VA lending is strong (14.8% of loans). 55 USDA loans show that parts of the county qualify.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 65.2% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: median price $245,500 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 12.8% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $1,430 in property tax (0.58% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Citrus County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Citrus County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 14.8% | -17.6 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.2% | -2.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 8.1% | +0.5 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 8% (+0.2 pts vs Florida) |
Zoning, registration and HOA rules decide if a home can rent nightly. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 69.8% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 3.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 21.1% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 1.31% |
Largest cities and towns in Citrus County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Citrus Hills has the highest median value ($436,600) and Homosassa Springs the lowest ($158,200); Beverly Hills shows the best rent to price ratio (8.75% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homosassa Springs | 15,701 | $158,200 | $939 | $48,049 |
| Citrus Springs | 12,215 | $240,000 | $1,324 | $68,011 |
| Sugarmill Woods | 10,782 | $332,600 | $1,276 | $71,426 |
| Pine Ridge (Citrus County) | 10,762 | $384,800 | $1,530 | $71,014 |
| Beverly Hills | 9,650 | $164,500 | $1,199 | $46,488 |
| Citrus Hills | 9,304 | $436,600 | $1,527 | $85,837 |
| Hernando | 9,299 | $209,700 | $964 | $43,076 |
| Inverness | 7,770 | $203,000 | $975 | $43,523 |
| Inverness Highlands South | 7,449 | $216,800 | $1,289 | $60,750 |
| Lecanto | 7,398 | $316,900 | $1,304 | $56,215 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
Citrus County has the slowest growth in its group; 2 of its 4 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus County | $245,500 | $1,107 | 11.6% |
| Hernando County | $276,000 | $1,298 | 14% |
| Levy County | $190,600 | $850 | 13.1% |
| Marion County | $243,100 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
| Sumter County | $385,400 | $1,269 | 21.6% |
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.
- 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.