Indian River County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $376,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $222,000 |
What this means
Twelve month change in Indian River County: −0.7%, essentially flat, now 7.3% below the Apr 2024 peak.
Builders are busier: 344 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 151%.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Indian River County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 172,799 | 0.7% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 8.1% | -0.8 pts |
| Median home value | $351,500 | 2% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | 19% lower |
| Median household income | $73,491 | 1% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 80.1% | +12.5 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 34.8% | +13.5 pts |
| Average commute | 24 min | 15% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 13% | -1.2 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 80% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 9.6% | +2.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,436 | 11% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $4,334 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Indian River County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Indian River County has an older population (34.8% age 65 or older); fewer renters than most of Florida (19.63%, lower than Florida's 5.58%.
Southeast coastal county named for the Indian River Lagoon, seated at Vero Beach. The county was formed in 1925 and is governed from Vero Beach.
Most people live in or around Vero Beach South, Sebastian and Florida Ridge. Vero Beach South alone has about 30,344 residents.
What anchors the area
- Commercial airports: Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB)
- Economy: Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital; Indian River County schools; Piper Aircraft; county government; Publix
- Known for: Indian River Lagoon; Humiston Beach
Retirees are a big part of this market (34.8% of residents are 65 or older). Smaller households (2.33 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos. Commutes are short, about 24 minutes on average.
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 159,794 in April 2020 to 172,799 in July 2025 (8.1%; Florida 8.9%). In the latest year it gained 0.72%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 178 |
| 2 to 4 units | 2 |
| 5 or more units | 72 |
| Total | 252 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 1.5 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
9%, down from 11.9% a year earlier as prices caught up (ATTOM).
More on corridors and rents: South Florida and Keys investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Jeanne | 3 |
| 2022 | Nicole | 1 |
Landfalls and named damage since 2000, from the state record.
Insurance runs about $361 a month here on average ($4,334 a year with wind, per state regulators).
On the coast, flood zone and elevation can matter as much as the price.
Flood, storms and jobs
| Indian River County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 9,634 (13.4%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 12,860 (17.8%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 51.7% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 2,937, $63,934,978 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Frances ($32,722,142); Hurricane Jeanne ($16,870,185); Hurricane Milton ($4,178,545) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 13 (11 hurricane, 1 biological, 1 freezing) |
Federal flood policies in high risk zones get 25% off here, thanks to the county (unincorporated areas)'s CRS class 5 rating. Current map: 01/26/23.
Where people work: health care and social assistance (20%), retail (18%), hotels and restaurants (13%), out of 51,628 private jobs in Indian River County (2023). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 13% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Indian River 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
The median home equals 4.8 years of median household income (4.8 for the state).
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,139 | 75.6% | 72.2% | $310,855 |
| FHA | 649 | 15.6% | 17.8% | $300,501 |
| VA | 360 | 8.7% | 9.9% | $374,639 |
| USDA | 5 | 0.1% | 0.2% | $325,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 57.2% |
| Cash out refinance | 15.2% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.7% |
| Home improvement | 9.1% |
Total loans rose 9.2% from 2024 (3,803 to 4,153).
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 75.6% of local loans.
- FHA: the $541,287 limit covers the typical $351,500 home.
- VA: veterans are 9.6% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $2,436 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Indian River County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Indian River County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 19.9% | -12.5 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 34.3% | -0.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 9.5% | +1.9 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 11.7% (+3.9 pts vs Florida) |
| Commercial airport | Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Vero Beach. 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 | 16.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 7.3% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.58% |
Largest cities and towns in Indian River County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Indian River Shores has the highest median value ($1,132,000) and Fellsmere the lowest ($175,400); West Vero Corridor shows the best rent to price ratio (9.46% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vero Beach South | 30,344 | $335,200 | $1,314 | $73,420 |
| Sebastian | 26,262 | $317,000 | $1,451 | $69,409 |
| Florida Ridge | 20,889 | $287,900 | $1,342 | $66,625 |
| Vero Beach | 17,042 | $391,900 | $1,221 | $69,758 |
| West Vero Corridor | 10,461 | $216,400 | $1,706 | $61,927 |
| Vero Lake Estates | 6,559 | $328,200 | $2,094 | $83,199 |
| Winter Beach | 4,985 | $472,200 | $2,295 | $92,394 |
| Fellsmere | 4,953 | $175,400 | $1,158 | $55,893 |
| Gifford | 4,668 | $236,000 | $892 | $33,175 |
| Indian River Shores | 4,386 | $1,132,000 | $2,185 | $156,037 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian River County | $351,500 | $1,357 | 8.1% |
| Brevard County | $339,600 | $1,556 | 9.5% |
| Okeechobee County | $193,000 | $1,082 | 7.5% |
| Osceola County | $353,300 | $1,746 | 23.9% |
| St. Lucie County | $347,300 | $1,585 | 22.2% |
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.