Pinellas County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $405,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $214,000 |
What this means
Pinellas County prices barely moved in the past year (+0.7%), now 8.7% below the May 2024 peak.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Pinellas County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 948,563 | 4.0% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.1% | -10.0 pts |
| Median home value | $355,100 | 1% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,642 | 2% lower |
| Median household income | $72,646 | 3% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 69.5% | +1.9 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 26.4% | +5.1 pts |
| Average commute | 25 min | 10% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 5.8% | -8.4 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 42% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.3% | +0.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,474 | 9% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $4,063 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Pinellas County
What stands out about Pinellas County: slow growth (-1.1% since 2020, Florida 8.9%); little new housing (5.8% built since 2010); and an older population (26.4% age 65 or older).
Densely built peninsula between the Gulf and Tampa Bay, known for beaches, barrier islands and tourism. County seat: Clearwater. Created in 1912.
Largest communities: St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Largo. St. Petersburg alone has about 262,732 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: Eckerd College (St. Petersburg); St. Petersburg College (St. Petersburg)
- Major teams: Tampa Bay Rays (MLB, St. Petersburg)
- Commercial airports: St. Pete Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
- Economy: aviation and aerospace; defense; medical technology; business and financial services; information technology
- Known for: Fort De Soto Park; Clearwater Marine Aquarium; Heritage Village
This is an older market: 26.4% of residents are 65 or older. Households are small, averaging 2.20 people.
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 959,090 in April 2020 to 948,563 in July 2025 (-1.1%; Florida 8.9%). The 2024 to 2025 change was -1.23%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 1,376 |
| 2 to 4 units | 119 |
| 5 or more units | 2,703 |
| Total | 4,198 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 4.4 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
Pinellas lost population from July 2024 to July 2025, second most in the country, after the 2024 storms (FOX 13). Tourist tax collections still topped $90 million for the fourth straight year, but about 5,000 short term rentals were still offline in late 2025 (FOX 13, Nov 2025). Each beach city sets its own rental rules; St. Petersburg allows rentals under 30 days only three times a year and Clearwater bans them in residential districts (Tampa Bay rental rules guide).
See the Tampa Bay investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
No direct landfalls here since 2000; inland wind and flood damage from passing storms is the main exposure.
State data puts the typical homeowners policy with wind at $4,063 a year in Pinellas County.
Flood zone and elevation drive coastal insurance costs; check them per address.
58.8% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
18% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units. Condo reserve and inspection rules can raise dues and limit financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
| Pinellas County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 4,807 (1.2%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 76,020 (19.4%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 1181.3% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 33,164, $3,593,367,391 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Helene ($3,222,011,187); Hurricane Milton ($144,905,133); Hurricane Idalia ($136,098,903) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 14 (10 hurricane, 1 tropical storm, 1 biological) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 2, so policies in high risk zones get 40% off. Flood map date: 08/24/21.
Pinellas County counted 425,004 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were health care and social assistance (18%), retail (13%), hotels and restaurants (12%). Hotels and restaurants hold 12% of those jobs (close to Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in Pinellas 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
Price to income: 4.9x locally, 4.8x for Florida.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 16,592 | 83.4% | 72.2% | $378,230 |
| FHA | 1,943 | 9.8% | 17.8% | $328,500 |
| VA | 1,356 | 6.8% | 9.9% | $447,552 |
| USDA | 11 | 0.1% | 0.2% | $22,273 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 52.5% |
| Cash out refinance | 14.2% |
| Rate and term refinance | 12% |
| Home improvement | 10.4% |
Lending volume grew 5.1% versus 2024, when lenders made 18,938 loans. Conventional loans dominate, a sign of larger down payments and strong credit.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: the default choice here (83.4% of 2025 loans).
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 8.3% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $2,474 in property tax (0.7% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Pinellas County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Pinellas County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 30.5% | -1.9 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 35% | -0.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 9.1% | +1.5 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 6% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 9.2% (+1.4 pts vs Florida) |
| Commercial airport | St. Pete Clearwater International Airport (PIE) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Clearwater, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Indian Rocks Beach. Nightly rental rights depend on zoning, local registration and the HOA. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 48% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 30.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 9% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 1.99% |
Largest cities and towns in Pinellas County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, East Lake has the highest median value ($488,000) and Lealman the lowest ($196,400); Largo shows the best rent to price ratio (8.47% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | 262,732 | $371,100 | $1,663 | $75,192 |
| Clearwater | 117,247 | $361,300 | $1,658 | $66,381 |
| Largo | 82,617 | $229,100 | $1,618 | $62,096 |
| Palm Harbor | 61,512 | $405,300 | $1,806 | $78,935 |
| Pinellas Park | 53,560 | $278,900 | $1,631 | $63,432 |
| Dunedin | 36,062 | $396,000 | $1,675 | $74,477 |
| East Lake | 33,283 | $488,000 | $1,942 | $99,333 |
| Tarpon Springs | 25,791 | $340,700 | $1,298 | $79,529 |
| Lealman | 20,567 | $196,400 | $1,247 | $45,308 |
| Seminole | 19,396 | $348,500 | $1,708 | $75,774 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
Pinellas County has the slowest growth in its group; 1 of its 2 neighbors is cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County | $355,100 | $1,642 | -1.1% |
| Hillsborough County | $371,500 | $1,667 | 7.8% |
| Pasco County | $300,900 | $1,505 | 20% |
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.