Martin County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $543,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $209,000 |
What this means
Values in Martin County are about flat (+1.4% in a year), now 4.3% below the May 2024 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 1,763 homes, 148% more than 2025.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Martin County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 166,272 | 0.7% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 4.9% | -4.0 pts |
| Median home value | $432,200 | 20% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,569 | 6% lower |
| Median household income | $82,943 | 11% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 79.6% | +12.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 32.2% | +10.9 pts |
| Average commute | 28 min | 1% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 7.4% | -6.8 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 33% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.9% | +1.5 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,322 | 22% higher |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $5,899 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Martin County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Martin County has higher than average insurance ($5,899 a year); an older population (32.36%, lower than Florida's 5.58%.
Southeast coastal county where about 28 percent of the area is water, with beaches on Hutchinson Island and a mix of town and rural land. The county was formed in 1925 and is governed from Stuart.
Largest communities: Palm City, Stuart and Hobe Sound. Palm City alone has about 26,371 residents.
What anchors the area
- Known for: Jonathan Dickinson State Park; Savannas Preserve State Park; Elliott Museum
Retirees are a big part of this market (32.2% of residents are 65 or older). Smaller households (2.33 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 166,272 residents as of July 2025, versus 158,432 in 2020, a 4.9% change. Year over year: +0.65%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 843 |
| 2 to 4 units | 2 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 845 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 5.1 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
Apartment rents across Martin and St. Lucie averaged $2,063 in July 2026, up 0.8% (Miami Realtors rental report).
Regional context lives in the South Florida and Keys investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Frances | 2 |
| 2004 | Jeanne | 3 |
Storms tied to Martin County by landfall or named damage since 2000.
Budget around $5,899 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
On the coast, flood zone and elevation can matter as much as the price.
33.5% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
| Martin County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 3,905 (5.8%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 9,539 (14.1%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 77.8% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 1,882, $32,898,308 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Jeanne ($11,463,195); Hurricane Frances ($10,290,234); Other or unnamed flooding ($5,804,350) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 15 (12 hurricane, 1 biological, 1 severe 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 02/19/20).
Where people work: health care and social assistance (23%), retail (16%), hotels and restaurants (13%), out of 67,697 private jobs in Martin County (2023). Hotels and restaurants hold 13% of those jobs (close to Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in Martin County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $603,750 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Homes cost 5.2 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,155 | 83.9% | 72.2% | $442,876 |
| FHA | 385 | 10.2% | 17.8% | $364,818 |
| VA | 220 | 5.8% | 9.9% | $495,682 |
| USDA | 1 | 0% | 0.2% | $345,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 56.1% |
| Cash out refinance | 14.1% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.3% |
| Home improvement | 11% |
Lending volume grew 16.3% versus 2024, when lenders made 3,235 loans. Most buyers here use conventional financing.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 83.9% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $603,750.
- VA: veterans are 8.9% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
First time buyers can check state assistance at the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Property taxes run about 0.77% of value for current owners (median bill $3,322); a new buyer's bill resets to the purchase price. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Martin County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Martin County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 20.4% | -12.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.9% | +1.7 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 6.4% | -1.2 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 12.3% (+4.5 pts vs Florida) |
Nightly rental rights depend on zoning, local registration and the HOA. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 54.2% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 21.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 8.8% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.98% |
Largest cities and towns in Martin County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Sewall's Point has the highest median value ($1,502,200) and Indiantown the lowest ($204,900); North River Shores shows the best rent to price ratio (8.27% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm City | 26,371 | $563,400 | $2,013 | $125,820 |
| Stuart | 18,520 | $329,400 | $1,586 | $60,225 |
| Hobe Sound | 13,817 | $394,700 | $1,129 | $63,484 |
| Jensen Beach | 12,531 | $411,700 | $1,267 | $70,884 |
| Port Salerno | 11,184 | $352,600 | $1,440 | $67,436 |
| Indiantown | 6,695 | $204,900 | $923 | $55,520 |
| North River Shores | 3,633 | $309,800 | $2,136 | $75,896 |
| Sewall's Point | 1,938 | $1,502,200 | $2,200 | $129,000 |
| Rio | 1,232 | $303,800 | Not reported | $91,953 |
| Jupiter Island | 845 | $2,000,001 | Not reported | $219,722 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County | $432,200 | $1,569 | 4.9% |
| Glades County | $137,000 | $886 | 9.4% |
| Hendry County | $219,200 | $1,003 | 21.8% |
| Okeechobee County | $193,000 | $1,082 | 7.5% |
| Palm Beach County | $447,300 | $1,916 | 5.6% |
| 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.