Clearwater today
What this means
Clearwater prices barely moved in the past year (+0.9%), now 8.5% below the Apr 2024 peak.
Rents are area estimates; check comps for the exact house. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Clearwater | vs Pinellas County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 114,364 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | -2.5% | -1.4 pts | -11.4 pts |
| Median home value | $361,300 | 2% higher | 1% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,658 | 1% higher | 1% lower |
| Median household income | $66,381 | 9% lower | 11% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 58.6% | -10.9 pts | -9.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 24.1% | -2.3 pts | +2.8 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 23 | 10% lower | 19% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 6.5% | +0.7 pts | -7.7 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,625 | 6% higher | 4% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Clearwater
Pinellas County seat between Tampa and St. Petersburg, with Clearwater Beach on a barrier island across the Intracoastal Waterway. Settled in 1888.
As an incorporated city, Clearwater sets its own zoning inside Pinellas County.
Known for: Clearwater Beach; Clearwater Marine Aquarium; BayCare Ballpark (Phillies spring training); Morton Plant Hospital
The Clearwater Memorial Causeway to the beach opened in 2005.
Compared with Pinellas County as a whole, more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (42.9% vs 30.1%); fewer homes are owner occupied (58.6% vs 69.5%); commutes are shorter (23 vs 25 minutes) and household incomes are lower ($66,381 vs $72,646).
Closest matches on price and rent: Chuluota ($362,100, $1,693), St. Cloud ($356,200, $1,683), St. Petersburg ($371,100, $1,663).
Growth and housing
Population went from 117,343 in 2020 to 114,364 in 2025 (-2.5%), versus -1.1% for Pinellas County.
| 2025 building permits | Clearwater |
|---|---|
| Single family | 45 |
| 5 or more units | 10 |
| Total units | 55 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.5 |
Median year built: 1978. Apartments and condos make up a large share: 42.9% of homes are in buildings of five or more units. Households average 2.27 people.
Each year about 3.1% of residents arrive from other states.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $4,063 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
55.9% of homes predate 1980: expect four point inspections. Inspections
Condo towers and big complexes (27.9% of homes) mean assessments and building approval matter. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Clearwater has its own flood program rating: CRS class 5, which takes 25% off federal flood premiums in high risk zones. Insured homes in the city filed 1,751 flood claims since 2000, with $220,346,306 paid. Countywide, 1.2% of homes sit in a FEMA high risk zone; the Pinellas County guide has the full flood, storm and jobs picture.
Buying a home in Clearwater
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $361,300 |
Homes cost 5.4 times median household income here (Pinellas County 4.9, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: the Clearwater median of $361,300 fits under the $541,287 limit.
- VA: veterans are 7.7% of adults.
Investing in Clearwater
Long term rentals
| Clearwater | vs Pinellas County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 41.4% | +10.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 8% | -1.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 37.9% | +2.9 pts |
Short term rentals
Clearwater is one of Florida's vacation rental markets: 10.4% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use.
| 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 | 38.1% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 42.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 5.3% |
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.