Gulf County today
What this means
Values in Gulf County are about flat (−0.8% in a year), now 7.1% below the Apr 2024 peak.
About 41% 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
| Gulf County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 15,943 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 12.3% | +3.4 pts |
| Median home value | $250,000 | 30% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,187 | 29% lower |
| Median household income | $61,179 | 18% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 80.8% | +13.2 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 23.7% | +2.4 pts |
| Average commute | 24 min | 14% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 19.5% | +5.3 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 18.9 | 149% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 9.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,578 | 42% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,752 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Gulf County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Gulf County has many seasonal and vacation homes (19.5% of housing); heavy building (18.9 new units per 1,000 residents in 2025); and fewer renters than most of Florida (19.2% of homes).
Panhandle county on the Gulf that spans two time zones, with about a quarter of its area in water. County seat: Port St. Joe. Created in 1925.
Most people live in or around Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka. Port St. Joe alone has about 3,616 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: timber; shellfish
- Known for: St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Smaller households (2.11 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos.
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 14,198 in April 2020 to 15,943 in July 2025 (12.3%; Florida 8.9%). The 2024 to 2025 change was +0.3%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 302 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 302 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 18.9 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
Regional context lives in the Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Michael | 5 |
Landfalls and named damage since 2000, from the state record.
Average homeowners premium with wind: $3,752 a year, about $313 a month (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, March 2026).
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
17.9% of homes are manufactured, so loan options depend on how the home is titled and set. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Gulf County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 3,403 (40.9%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 1,610 (19.4%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 38.8% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 1,192, $85,887,629 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Michael ($81,025,347); Other or unnamed flooding ($1,785,210); Hurricane Dennis ($1,351,650) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 21 (14 hurricane, 4 severe storm, 2 tropical storm) |
Federal flood policies in high risk zones get 20% off here, thanks to the county (unincorporated areas)'s CRS class 6 rating. Current map: 03/09/21.
Where people work: hotels and restaurants (25%), retail (20%), health care and social assistance (14%), out of 2,779 private jobs in Gulf County (2023). Hotels and restaurants hold 25% of those jobs (well above Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in Gulf County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
The median priced home fits under the FHA limit with room to spare. FHA limits
The median home equals 4.1 years of median household income (4.8 for the state). Monthly payments are more manageable relative to local incomes.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 378 | 77.9% | 72.2% | $414,127 |
| FHA | 57 | 11.8% | 17.8% | $253,421 |
| VA | 47 | 9.7% | 9.9% | $344,149 |
| USDA | 3 | 0.6% | 0.2% | $188,333 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 64.1% |
| Cash out refinance | 8.9% |
| Rate and term refinance | 13.2% |
| Home improvement | 5.2% |
Lending volume grew 10.2% versus 2024, when lenders made 440 loans. Most buyers here use conventional financing.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 77.9% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: median price $250,000 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 9.8% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: a county of 15,943 people likely has eligible addresses; check the map.
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $1,578 in property tax (0.63% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Gulf County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Gulf County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 19.2% | -13.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.4% | +1.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 39.5% | +31.9 pts |
Vacancy is high; price rentals carefully.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 19.5% (+11.7 pts vs Florida) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Port St. Joe. Before you underwrite nightly income, get the zoning and HOA answer in writing. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 65.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 5.3% |
| Manufactured homes | 17.9% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.62% |
Largest cities and towns in Gulf County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Joe | 3,616 | $353,100 | $1,433 | $55,542 |
| Wewahitchka | 1,884 | $185,800 | $825 | $43,674 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
2 of its 4 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf County | $250,000 | $1,187 | 12.3% |
| Bay County | $310,500 | $1,484 | 16.7% |
| Calhoun County | $145,300 | $779 | -2.6% |
| Franklin County | $273,300 | $1,049 | 4.7% |
| Liberty County | $127,300 | $943 | 0.7% |
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.