Marion County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $271,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $114,000 |
What this means
The past year cost Marion County owners about 2.2% in value, now 6.7% below the Oct 2022 peak.
Run the calculator below with the real numbers.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Marion County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 442,660 | 1.9% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 17.8% | +8.9 pts |
| Median home value | $243,100 | 32% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,277 | 23% lower |
| Median household income | $61,010 | 18% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 77.5% | +9.9 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 28.7% | +7.4 pts |
| Average commute | 27 min | 4% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 13.5% | -0.7 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 78% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 10.5% | +3.1 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,806 | 34% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,191 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Marion County
What stands out about Marion County: population growth of 17.8% since 2020 versus 8.9% for Florida; lower than average insurance ($2,191 a year); and home values well below the state ($243,100 vs $359,000).
Inland North Central county of rolling hills, known as the horse capital of the world. The county was formed in 1844 and is governed from Ocala.
Largest communities: The Villages, Ocala and Silver Springs Shores. The Villages alone has about 83,498 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: College of Central Florida (Ocala)
- Military: Pinecastle Range Complex
- Economy: thoroughbred breeding and horse farms; tourism
- Known for: Silver Springs State Park; Ocala National Forest
With 28.7% of residents 65 or older, retirees shape demand here.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 442,660 residents as of July 2025, versus 375,892 in 2020, a 17.8% change. Last year alone: +3.43%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 5,420 |
| 2 to 4 units | 186 |
| 5 or more units | 379 |
| Total | 5,985 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 13.5 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
Ocala ranked first in the country for percentage population growth in the Census release covering July 2024 to July 2025 (FOX 13, April 2026). New subdivisions and retiree demand drive the market.
See the Central Florida investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
Marion County has had no hurricane landfall since 2000, though passing storms still bring wind and flooding.
Average homeowners premium with wind: $2,191 a year, about $183 a month (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, March 2026).
18.2% of homes are manufactured, so loan options depend on how the home is titled and set. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Marion County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 7,895 (4.6%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 3,398 (2%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 21.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 186, $5,647,287 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Irma ($3,223,121); Other or unnamed flooding ($1,902,862); Hurricane Jeanne ($154,655) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 15 (11 hurricane, 1 tropical storm, 1 biological) |
Federal flood policies in high risk zones get 15% off here, thanks to the county (unincorporated areas)'s CRS class 7 rating. Current map: 04/19/17.
Private employers in Marion County: 101,916 jobs (2023), led by retail (20%), health care and social assistance (18%), hotels and restaurants (11%). Tourism signal: 11% work in hotels and restaurants, close to the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Marion 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 4.0 years of median household income (4.8 for the state). That makes ownership easier to reach than in most of the state.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 7,763 | 60.6% | 72.2% | $201,536 |
| FHA | 3,262 | 25.5% | 17.8% | $258,899 |
| VA | 1,674 | 13.1% | 9.9% | $304,104 |
| USDA | 110 | 0.9% | 0.2% | $227,091 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 64.8% |
| Cash out refinance | 12.9% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.7% |
| Home improvement | 5.4% |
That is up 3.5% from 12,376 loans in 2024. FHA share runs well above the state. VA loans are unusually common here. 110 USDA loans show that parts of the county qualify.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 60.6% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 10.5% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Assistance with cash to close is offered statewide by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $1,806 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Marion County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Marion County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 22.5% | -9.9 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 31.4% | -3.8 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 9.1% | +1.5 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 4% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 4.6% (-3.2 pts vs Florida) |
A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 67.5% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 6.6% |
| Manufactured homes | 18.2% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.8% |
Largest cities and towns in Marion County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, The Villages has the highest median value ($400,100) and Silver Springs the lowest ($30,800); Silver Springs shows the best rent to price ratio (45.82% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Villages | 83,498 | $400,100 | $1,397 | $77,622 |
| Ocala | 66,584 | $241,400 | $1,359 | $56,376 |
| Silver Springs Shores | 28,537 | $201,300 | $1,430 | $63,611 |
| Liberty Triangle | 24,888 | $275,500 | $1,711 | $64,943 |
| Marion Oaks | 23,972 | $257,700 | $1,658 | $72,392 |
| On Top of the World | 16,007 | $303,900 | $1,212 | $60,670 |
| Rainbow Springs | 6,082 | $310,600 | $1,112 | $57,161 |
| Belleview | 5,805 | $210,200 | $1,257 | $57,813 |
| Rainbow Lakes Estates | 3,762 | $160,400 | $1,030 | $50,429 |
| Silver Springs | 2,712 | $30,800 | $1,176 | $32,074 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
2 of its 7 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | $243,100 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
| Alachua County | $288,800 | $1,339 | 4.1% |
| Citrus County | $245,500 | $1,107 | 11.6% |
| Lake County | $318,400 | $1,586 | 18.8% |
| Levy County | $190,600 | $850 | 13.1% |
| Putnam County | $160,300 | $906 | 6% |
| Sumter County | $385,400 | $1,269 | 21.6% |
| Volusia County | $313,000 | $1,467 | 9.6% |
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.