St. Cloud today
| Typical value | Typical rent | Gross yield | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single family house | $391,000 | $2,830 | 8.7% |
| Condo or townhome (apartment rent) | $193,000 | $2,050 | 12.8% |
What this means
St. Cloud home values slipped 3.2% in 12 months, now 8.2% below the Sep 2022 peak.
House gross yield today: 8.7% (above Florida houses at 8.1%). That helps a rental carry at 25% down.
Permits January to September 2026: 854 homes, 25% fewer than 2025.
Rents are area estimates; check comps for the exact house. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| St. Cloud | vs Osceola County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 74,960 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 26.9% | +3.0 pts | +18.0 pts |
| Median home value | $356,200 | 1% higher | 1% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,683 | 4% lower | 1% higher |
| Median household income | $83,174 | 15% higher | 12% higher |
| Gross rent yield | 5.67% | −0.3 pts | +0.1 pts |
| Owner occupied homes | 72.5% | +7.2 pts | +4.9 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 12.3% | −1.1 pts | −9.0 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 36 | 2% higher | 28% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 32.6% | +5.2 pts | +18.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,770 | 3% higher | 1% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in St. Cloud
Northern Osceola County city on East Lake Tohopekaliga about 26 miles southeast of Orlando, founded in 1909 as a retirement colony for Union veterans.
As an incorporated city, St. Cloud sets its own zoning inside Osceola County.
Known for: Lakefront Park; St. Cloud Heritage Museum; Reptile World Serpentarium
Getting around and growth: US 192 and US 441 run together through the city.
Next to the rest of Osceola County, fewer homes are seasonal or vacation homes (1.5% vs 11.2%); less of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (4.3% vs 19.6%); more homes are owner occupied (72.5% vs 65.3%) and household incomes are higher ($83,174 vs $72,637).
Out of 150 cities covered here, St. Cloud sits at 96 on price, 64 on rent yield and 58 on income.
Closest matches on price and rent: Riviera Beach ($354,500, $1,702), Clearwater ($361,300, $1,658), North Miami ($365,000, $1,702).
Growth and housing
Population went from 59,090 in 2020 to 74,960 in 2025 (26.9%), versus 23.9% for Osceola County.
| 2025 building permits | St. Cloud |
|---|---|
| Single family | 1,430 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total units | 1,430 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 19.1 |
Newer housing (32.6% built since 2010) often comes with HOA and CDD fees that lenders count. CDD fees
Half the homes are older than 2003. Most housing is single family (71.9%). Households average 3.05 people.
Out of state arrivals: 2.5% of residents a year, versus 3.1% countywide.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,940 a year |
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in St. Cloud get a 25% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 5. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $533,730 on 51 claims inside St. Cloud. For county flood claims, disaster history and jobs, see the Osceola County guide (11% of homes there are in high risk zones).
Buying a home in St. Cloud
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $356,200 |
Homes cost 4.3 times median household income here (Osceola County 4.9, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: mortgage insurance drops off as equity builds.
- FHA: the St. Cloud median of $356,200 fits under the $541,287 limit.
- VA: veterans are 8% of adults.
Sample FHA payment at $356,200
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Principal and interest (7.32%, 3.5% down) | $2,403 |
| Property tax (0.78%) | $232 |
| Insurance (county average) | $245 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $160 |
| Total before HOA or CDD | $3,039 |
| Income needed at a 45% debt ratio | $81,050 a year |
Example, not a quote. Assumptions. Down payment help: Florida Housing.
Investing in St. Cloud
| Rental math at the median | Value |
|---|---|
| Price / rent | $356,200 / $1,683 |
| Estimated net cap rate | 2.8% to 3.5% |
| DSCR at 25% down | 0.73 |
| Down payment for DSCR 1.0 | 51% down |
| Down payment for DSCR 1.25 | 65% down |
Long term rentals
| St. Cloud | vs Osceola County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 27.5% | −7.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 4.6% | −2.4 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 34.5% | −3.4 pts |
Short term rentals
1.5% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use (Osceola County 11.2%).
| 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 | 71.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 4.3% |
| Manufactured homes | 6.4% |
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 Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes and apartments, smoothed. September 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.