Nassau County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $472,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $626,000 |
What this means
Twelve month change in Nassau County: +0.9%, essentially flat.
Builders are pulling back: 683 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 22%.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Nassau County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 106,879 | 0.5% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 18.3% | +9.4 pts |
| Median home value | $382,800 | 7% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,526 | 9% lower |
| Median household income | $89,804 | 20% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 82.7% | +15.1 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 23.9% | +2.6 pts |
| Average commute | 30 min | 8% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 28.1% | +13.9 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 30% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 11% | +3.6 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,699 | 1% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,051 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Nassau County
Three things set apart Nassau County: fewer renters than most of Florida (17.3% of homes); a lot of new housing (28.1% built since 2010); and population growth of 18.3% since 2020 versus 8.9% for Florida.
Northeasternmost county, with Amelia Island and a historic seaport near the Georgia line, plus rural tree farms, forests and marsh. The county was formed in 1824 and is governed from Fernandina Beach.
The population centers are Yulee, Fernandina Beach and Nassau Village-Ratliff. Yulee alone has about 16,648 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: Nassau County schools; Omni Amelia Island Resort; county government; Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island; Federal Aviation Administration
- Known for: Fort Clinch State Park; Amelia Island Lighthouse
In a typical year 5.4% of residents moved in from out of state, above the Florida rate of 2.9%.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 106,879 residents as of July 2025, versus 90,359 in 2020, a 18.3% change. In the latest year it gained 2.28%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 887 |
| 2 to 4 units | 29 |
| 5 or more units | 144 |
| Total | 1,060 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 9.9 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
Newer housing dominates: 28.1% built since 2010. Ask about HOA and CDD fees on any new build; lenders count both. CDD fees explained
Regional context lives in the Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
Nassau County has had no hurricane landfall since 2000, though passing storms still bring wind and flooding.
Budget around $3,051 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
Flood zone and elevation drive coastal insurance costs; check them per address.
Manufactured homes are 16% of housing; foundation and title rules decide financing. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Nassau County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 3,317 (8.5%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 6,287 (16.1%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 60.7% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 499, $10,581,385 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Irma ($5,237,627); Hurricane Matthew ($1,516,338); Hurricane Francine ($1,444,948) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 16 (11 hurricane, 2 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 7, so policies in high risk zones get 15% off. Flood map date: 08/02/17.
Where people work: hotels and restaurants (26%), retail (18%), health care and social assistance (13%), out of 21,651 private jobs in Nassau County (2023). Tourism signal: 26% work in hotels and restaurants, well above the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Nassau County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $580,750 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
The median home equals 4.3 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 | 2,045 | 68% | 72.2% | $336,271 |
| FHA | 378 | 12.6% | 17.8% | $323,386 |
| VA | 572 | 19% | 9.9% | $436,731 |
| USDA | 11 | 0.4% | 0.2% | $279,545 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 57% |
| Cash out refinance | 16.5% |
| Rate and term refinance | 10.8% |
| Home improvement | 6.9% |
That is up 4.2% from 2,885 loans in 2024. VA loans are unusually common here.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 68% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: median price $382,800 vs limit $580,750.
- VA: veterans are 11% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: zero down for eligible rural addresses; check each one on the USDA map.
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $2,699 in property tax (0.71% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Nassau County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Nassau County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 17.3% | -15.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32.1% | -3.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 9.2% | +1.6 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% (varies by district) |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 7% (-0.8 pts vs Florida) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Fernandina Beach. Confirm zoning and HOA rules before counting on nightly rentals. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 65.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 9.7% |
| Manufactured homes | 16% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 1.16% |
Largest cities and towns in Nassau County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Fernandina Beach has the highest median value ($555,400) and Hilliard the lowest ($239,500); Yulee shows the best rent to price ratio (6.96% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yulee | 16,648 | $302,500 | $1,754 | $85,247 |
| Fernandina Beach | 13,420 | $555,400 | $1,259 | $97,903 |
| Nassau Village-Ratliff | 4,737 | $253,000 | $1,398 | $62,417 |
| Hilliard | 3,034 | $239,500 | $1,147 | $65,096 |
| Callahan | 1,514 | $281,900 | $645 | $57,006 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau County | $382,800 | $1,526 | 18.3% |
| Baker County | $256,700 | $1,302 | 5.2% |
| Duval County | $303,500 | $1,475 | 6.8% |
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.