St. Augustine today
What this means
Values in St. Augustine are down 1% over the past year, now 8.5% below the Aug 2022 peak.
Builders are pulling back: 67 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 71%.
Rents are area estimates; check comps for the exact house. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| St. Augustine | vs St. Johns County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,141 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 12.7% | -14.0 pts | +3.8 pts |
| Median home value | $439,800 | 10% lower | 23% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,653 | 14% lower | 1% lower |
| Median household income | $78,151 | 29% lower | 5% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 63% | -19.2 pts | -4.6 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 27.4% | +6.3 pts | +6.1 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 20 | 25% lower | 28% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 18.4% | -16.3 pts | +4.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,822 | 24% lower | 3% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in St. Augustine
St. Johns County seat on the Atlantic, 40 miles south of Jacksonville, founded by Spain in 1565.
As an incorporated city, St. Augustine sets its own zoning inside St. Johns County.
Known for: Castillo de San Marcos; Flagler College; Lightner Museum; St. George Street
Development and roads: Flagler's railway and hotels made it a winter resort; tourism leads the economy.
Against the St. Johns County averages, it grew slower than the county since 2020 (12.7% vs 26.7%); fewer homes are owner occupied (63% vs 82.2%); housing is older (18.4% built since 2010 vs 34.7%) and households are smaller (2.13 vs 2.62 people).
Cities with similar prices and rents: Princeton ($426,900, $1,647), Venice ($434,700, $1,606), Hollywood ($410,600, $1,653).
Growth and housing
Population went from 14,316 in 2020 to 16,141 in 2025 (12.7%), versus 26.7% for St. Johns County.
| 2025 building permits | St. Augustine |
|---|---|
| Single family | 71 |
| 5 or more units | 180 |
| Total units | 251 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 15.6 |
Median year built: 1980. The housing mix is 56.1% detached houses and 28.6% larger buildings. Households average 2.13 people.
5.8% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 5.3%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,883 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
49.7% of homes predate 1980: expect four point inspections. Inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
St. Augustine has its own flood program rating: CRS class 4, which takes 30% off federal flood premiums in high risk zones. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $104,179,634 on 2,553 claims inside St. Augustine. For county flood claims, disaster history and jobs, see the St. Johns County guide (2.9% of homes there are in high risk zones).
Buying a home in St. Augustine
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $580,750 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $439,800 |
Homes cost 5.6 times median household income here (St. Johns County 4.5, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: the St. Augustine median of $439,800 fits under the $580,750 limit.
- VA: veterans are 9.4% of adults.
Investing in St. Augustine
Long term rentals
| St. Augustine | vs St. Johns County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 37% | +19.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 5.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.9% | -1.2 pts |
Short term rentals
St. Augustine is one of Florida's vacation rental markets: 15.1% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Check the address against local zoning and the HOA documents first. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 56.1% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 28.6% |
| Manufactured homes | 0.1% |
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.