Santa Rosa County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $349,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $510,000 |
What this means
Santa Rosa County gained 1.5% in value over 12 months, ahead of most of Florida.
Builders are busier: 1,777 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 19%.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Santa Rosa County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 211,115 | 0.9% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 12.3% | +3.4 pts |
| Median home value | $329,800 | 8% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,544 | 7% lower |
| Median household income | $91,922 | 23% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 80.6% | +13.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 16.7% | -4.6 pts |
| Average commute | 30 min | 9% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 23.6% | +9.4 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 9.1 | 20% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 16.5% | +9.1 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,891 | 31% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,512 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Santa Rosa County
What stands out about Santa Rosa County: a large veteran community (16.5% of adults); fewer renters than most of Florida (19.4% of homes); and a lot of new housing (23.6% built since 2010).
Northwest county with beaches and barrier islands to the south, a rural center, and forested farmland to the north. Milton is the county seat, and the county dates to 1842.
Most people live in or around Navarre, Pace and Midway (Santa Rosa County). Navarre alone has about 39,838 residents.
What anchors the area
- Military: Naval Air Station Whiting Field
- Economy: tourism; Navy installations; farming; forestry
- Known for: Navarre Beach; Blackwater River State Park; Santa Rosa Island
Households are large, averaging 2.67 people. In a typical year 4.9% of residents moved in from out of state, above the Florida rate of 2.9%.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 211,115 residents as of July 2025, versus 187,994 in 2020, a 12.3% change. Year over year: +1.76%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 1,929 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 1,929 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 9.1 (close to Florida, 7.6) |
Newer housing dominates: 23.6% built since 2010. Ask about HOA and CDD fees on any new build; lenders count both. CDD fees explained
Regional context lives in the Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Dennis | major |
Storms tied to Santa Rosa County by landfall or named damage since 2000.
Insurance runs about $293 a month here on average ($3,512 a year with wind, per state regulators).
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
Flood, storms and jobs
| Santa Rosa County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 5,594 (8%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 9,799 (14.1%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 66.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 7,651, $477,231,190 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Ivan ($388,170,255); Hurricane Sally ($33,203,314); Mid spring storms ($18,210,854) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 18 (11 hurricane, 4 severe storm, 2 tropical storm) |
Federal flood policies in high risk zones get 25% off here, thanks to the county (unincorporated areas)'s CRS class 5 rating. Current map: 11/19/21.
Santa Rosa County counted 32,335 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were retail (22%), hotels and restaurants (18%), health care and social assistance (14%). Tourism signal: 18% work in hotels and restaurants, well above the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Santa Rosa 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
Homes cost 3.6 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide. Monthly payments are more manageable relative to local incomes.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,275 | 51.5% | 72.2% | $245,513 |
| FHA | 907 | 14.3% | 17.8% | $283,324 |
| VA | 2,119 | 33.3% | 9.9% | $398,388 |
| USDA | 60 | 0.9% | 0.2% | $254,167 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 61.1% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.3% |
| Rate and term refinance | 10.9% |
| Home improvement | 6.9% |
That is up 6.5% from 5,974 loans in 2024. VA loans are unusually common here. 60 USDA loans show that parts of the county qualify.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 51.5% of local loans.
- FHA: the $541,287 limit covers the typical $329,800 home.
- VA: veterans are 16.5% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
First time buyers can check state assistance at the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $1,891 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Santa Rosa County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Santa Rosa County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 19.4% | -13.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 27.2% | -8.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 3.9% | -3.7 pts |
Few rentals sit empty.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 4% (-3.8 pts vs Florida) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Navarre. Before you underwrite nightly income, get the zoning and HOA answer in writing. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 80.2% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 6.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 8.4% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.64% |
Largest cities and towns in Santa Rosa County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Gulf Breeze has the highest median value ($505,600) and East Milton the lowest ($212,900); Milton shows the best rent to price ratio (7.49% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navarre | 39,838 | $375,700 | $1,966 | $105,265 |
| Pace | 26,282 | $293,800 | $1,282 | $80,701 |
| Midway (Santa Rosa County) | 21,317 | $381,600 | $1,645 | $96,041 |
| East Milton | 14,783 | $212,900 | $1,157 | $64,904 |
| Milton | 10,733 | $233,100 | $1,455 | $76,301 |
| Gulf Breeze | 6,660 | $505,600 | $1,536 | $104,050 |
| Bagdad | 4,466 | $227,900 | $945 | $82,034 |
| Wallace | 4,202 | $400,700 | $1,411 | $116,496 |
| Point Baker | 3,976 | $213,000 | $1,145 | $64,769 |
| Tiger Point | 3,628 | $427,900 | $2,165 | $118,967 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
Santa Rosa County has the fastest growth in its group; 1 of its 2 neighbors is cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County | $329,800 | $1,544 | 12.3% |
| Escambia County | $257,200 | $1,321 | 3.7% |
| Okaloosa County | $351,200 | $1,612 | 4.8% |
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.