St. Johns County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $514,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $319,000 |
What this means
Twelve month change in St. Johns County: −0.6%, essentially flat, now 6.9% below the Aug 2022 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 2,601 homes, 36% 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
| St. Johns County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 346,328 | 1.5% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 26.7% | +17.8 pts |
| Median home value | $489,200 | 36% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,922 | 15% higher |
| Median household income | $109,839 | 47% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 82.2% | +14.6 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 21.1% | -0.2 pts |
| Average commute | 27 min | 4% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 34.7% | +20.5 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 13.7 | 80% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 9.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,721 | 36% higher |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,883 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in St. Johns County
Three things set apart St. Johns County: population growth of 26.7% since 2020 versus 8.9% for Florida; a lot of new housing (34.7% built since 2010); and household incomes above the state ($109,839 vs $74,568).
First Coast county that is mainly residential, with commuter communities for Jacksonville and tourism centered on St. Augustine. County seat: St. Augustine. Created in 1821.
Most people live in or around Fruit Cove, Nocatee and World Golf Village. Fruit Cove alone has about 35,877 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: Flagler College (St. Augustine)
- Economy: tourism; golf
- Known for: St. Augustine historic district; Marineland
In a typical year 5.3% of residents moved in from out of state, above the Florida rate of 2.9%.
Growth and where it is heading
From 273,426 residents in 2020 to 346,328 in 2025: that is 26.7%, compared with 8.9% statewide. The 2024 to 2025 change was +3.9%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 3,554 |
| 2 to 4 units | 142 |
| 5 or more units | 1,039 |
| Total | 4,735 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 13.7 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
34.7% of homes are 2010 or newer. New subdivisions often add HOA dues and a CDD assessment to the payment. CDD fees explained
What the regional research shows
St. Johns is one of the fastest growing high income counties in the state. The St. Augustine and Beaches apartment submarket was the only one around Jacksonville with falling rents in 2026 (minus 0.3%) as new supply arrived (Matthews, Q3 2026).
More on corridors and rents: Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
St. Johns County has had no hurricane landfall since 2000, though passing storms still bring wind and flooding.
Average homeowners premium with wind: $2,883 a year, about $240 a month (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, March 2026).
Flood zone and elevation drive coastal insurance costs; check them per address.
Flood, storms and jobs
| St. Johns County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 2,783 (2.9%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 22,491 (23.2%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 342.3% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 6,997, $246,335,736 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Matthew ($146,165,880); Hurricane Irma ($61,118,961); Hurricane Ian ($24,521,584) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 16 (11 hurricane, 1 tropical storm, 1 biological) |
Flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) holds Community Rating System class 5, worth 25% off federal premiums in high risk zones (map dated 12/07/18).
Where people work: hotels and restaurants (21%), retail (18%), health care and social assistance (13%), out of 80,082 private jobs in St. Johns County (2023). Hotels and restaurants hold 21% of those jobs (well above Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in St. Johns County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $580,750 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
The median priced home fits under the FHA limit with room to spare. FHA limits
The median home equals 4.5 years of median household income (4.8 for the state).
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 8,281 | 74.3% | 72.2% | $383,336 |
| FHA | 1,438 | 12.9% | 17.8% | $360,146 |
| VA | 1,410 | 12.6% | 9.9% | $508,922 |
| USDA | 22 | 0.2% | 0.2% | $266,364 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 63% |
| Cash out refinance | 11.7% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.6% |
| Home improvement | 7.2% |
That is up 2.2% from 10,910 loans in 2024.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: the default choice here (74.3% of 2025 loans).
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $580,750.
- VA: veterans are 9.8% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
First time buyers can check state assistance at the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Median property tax here: $3,721, or 0.76% of the median value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in St. Johns County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| St. Johns County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 17.8% | -14.6 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 35.1% | -0.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 5.2% | -2.4 pts |
Rental vacancy is tight.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 8.8% (+1.0 pts vs Florida) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach. Zoning, registration and HOA rules decide if a home can rent nightly. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 72.1% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 13.4% |
| Manufactured homes | 4.8% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.38% |
Largest cities and towns in St. Johns County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Sawgrass has the highest median value ($888,500) and St. Augustine Shores the lowest ($339,300); St. Augustine Shores shows the best rent to price ratio (7.37% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit Cove | 35,877 | $484,000 | $2,336 | $141,863 |
| Nocatee | 27,442 | $648,800 | $3,501 | $141,868 |
| World Golf Village | 26,077 | $477,000 | $2,299 | $117,212 |
| Palm Valley | 19,796 | $690,800 | $1,856 | $116,625 |
| St. Augustine | 15,351 | $439,800 | $1,653 | $78,151 |
| St. Augustine Shores | 9,462 | $339,300 | $2,084 | $73,688 |
| St. Augustine Beach | 6,860 | $634,400 | $1,807 | $100,802 |
| Sawgrass | 4,929 | $888,500 | $1,951 | $122,500 |
| St. Augustine South | 4,714 | $347,400 | $1,448 | $75,996 |
| Butler Beach | 4,610 | $493,100 | $1,743 | $76,689 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
St. Johns County has the highest home values in its group; St.Johns County has the fastest growth in its group; 4 of its 4 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Johns County | $489,200 | $1,922 | 26.7% |
| Clay County | $312,500 | $1,551 | 9.8% |
| Duval County | $303,500 | $1,475 | 6.8% |
| Flagler County | $364,900 | $1,722 | 21.7% |
| Putnam County | $160,300 | $906 | 6% |
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.