Plant City today
What this means
The past year cost Plant City owners about 1% in value, now 5.4% below the May 2024 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 449 homes, 49% fewer than 2025.
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
| Plant City | vs Hillsborough County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,118 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 10.7% | +2.9 pts | +1.8 pts |
| Median home value | $291,800 | 21% lower | 19% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,409 | 15% lower | 16% lower |
| Median household income | $67,439 | 15% lower | 10% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 66.4% | +4.9 pts | -1.2 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 14.4% | -0.6 pts | -6.9 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 28 | 2% lower | 1% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 13% | -5.6 pts | -1.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,945 | 35% lower | 29% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Plant City
Northeast Hillsborough city on Interstate 4 midway between Brandon and Lakeland, incorporated in 1885 and named for Henry Plant.
Plant City is an incorporated city in Hillsborough County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Florida Strawberry Festival; Wish Farms; Plant City Union Depot
Getting around and growth: Interstate 4 and US 92 run through the city.
Next to the rest of Hillsborough County, homes are cheaper than the county median ($291,800 vs $371,500); Census median rent runs lower ($1,409 vs $1,667 countywide); household incomes are lower ($67,439 vs $79,540) and less of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (16.2% vs 23%).
If you like the numbers here, also look at Spring Hill ($288,500, $1,440), Jacksonville ($293,700, $1,465), University (Orange County) ($298,900, $1,445).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 44,118 residents in 2025, up from 39,859 in 2020: 10.7% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Plant City |
|---|---|
| Single family | 517 |
| 5 or more units | 423 |
| Total units | 970 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 22.0 |
Half the homes are older than 1989. Most housing is single family (67.6%). Households average 2.76 people.
0.9% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 3.2%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,525 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
33% of homes predate 1980: expect four point inspections. Inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in Plant City get a 20% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 6. Insured homes in the city filed 147 flood claims since 2000, with $12,451,971 paid. Countywide, 12.7% of homes sit in a FEMA high risk zone; the Hillsborough County guide has the full flood, storm and jobs picture.
Buying a home in Plant City
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $291,800 |
Homes cost 4.3 times median household income here (Hillsborough County 4.7, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: the Plant City median of $291,800 fits under the $541,287 limit.
Investing in Plant City
Long term rentals
| Plant City | vs Hillsborough County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 33.6% | -4.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 3.7% | -2.7 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.1% | -0.8 pts |
Short term rentals
0.9% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use (Hillsborough County 1.6%).
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Nightly rentals depend on local zoning and the HOA; check both. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 67.6% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 16.2% |
| Manufactured homes | 5.8% |
Nearby
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.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). 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.