St. Lucie County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $377,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $271,000 |
What this means
Values in St. Lucie County are about flat (−0.8% in a year), now 5.8% below the May 2024 peak.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| St. Lucie County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 402,449 | 1.7% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 22.2% | +13.3 pts |
| Median home value | $347,300 | 3% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,585 | 5% lower |
| Median household income | $71,457 | 4% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 78.6% | +11.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 24.6% | +3.3 pts |
| Average commute | 29 min | 5% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 16.5% | +2.3 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 10.0 | 32% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.6% | +1.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,241 | 19% higher |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,491 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in St. Lucie County
Compared with the rest of Florida, St. Lucie County has population growth of 22.2% since 2020 versus 8.9% for Florida; fewer renters than most of Florida (21.4% of homes); and higher property tax bills relative to value (0.93%).
Treasure Coast county seated at Fort Pierce, with Port St. Lucie as its largest city. Fort Pierce is the county seat, and the county dates to 1905.
Largest communities: Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce and Lakewood Park. Port St. Lucie alone has about 232,491 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: Indian River State College (Fort Pierce)
- Economy: citrus; cattle; fishing
Growth and where it is heading
From 329,226 residents in 2020 to 402,449 in 2025: that is 22.2%, compared with 8.9% statewide. The 2024 to 2025 change was +2.77%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 3,468 |
| 2 to 4 units | 98 |
| 5 or more units | 442 |
| Total | 4,008 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 10.0 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
St. Lucie grew 22.2% from 2020 to 2025 and Port St. Lucie about 31%, driven by buyers moving north from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach for lower prices (CBS12, Aug 2026). Apartment rents across Martin and St. Lucie averaged $2,063 in July 2026 (Miami Realtors).
More on corridors and rents: South Florida and Keys investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Frances | 2 |
| 2004 | Jeanne | 3 |
| 2022 | Nicole | 1 |
Landfalls and named damage since 2000, from the state record.
St. Lucie County homeowners paid $3,491 a year on average for coverage that includes wind (state insurance regulator, March 2026).
Flood zone and elevation drive coastal insurance costs; check them per address.
Flood, storms and jobs
| St. Lucie County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 6,144 (4.9%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 10,964 (8.7%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 44% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 3,499, $82,249,830 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Frances ($30,835,475); Hurricane Jeanne ($28,637,488); Hurricane Irma ($10,829,642) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 15 (12 hurricane, 1 biological, 1 severe storm) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 5, so policies in high risk zones get 25% off. Flood map date: 02/19/20.
Private employers in St. Lucie County: 74,865 jobs (2023), led by health care and social assistance (20%), retail (18%), hotels and restaurants (14%). Hotels and restaurants hold 14% of those jobs (close to Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in St. Lucie County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $603,750 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
The median priced home fits under the FHA limit with room to spare. FHA limits
Price to income: 4.9x locally, 4.8x for Florida.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 6,566 | 63.7% | 72.2% | $282,214 |
| FHA | 2,808 | 27.3% | 17.8% | $355,434 |
| VA | 928 | 9% | 9.9% | $407,737 |
| USDA | 2 | 0% | 0.2% | $165,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 61.6% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.7% |
| Rate and term refinance | 10.1% |
| Home improvement | 6.9% |
Total loans fell 3.9% from 2024 (10,726 to 10,304). FHA carries more weight here (27.3% of loans).
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 63.7% of local loans.
- FHA: median price $347,300 vs limit $603,750.
- VA: veterans are 8.6% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $3,241 in property tax (0.93% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in St. Lucie County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| St. Lucie County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 21.4% | -11.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 37.4% | +2.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 7.4% | -0.2 pts |
Renters are stretched here, which caps rent growth.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 9.6% (+1.8 pts vs Florida) |
A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 71.5% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 13.3% |
| Manufactured homes | 6.7% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.7% |
Largest cities and towns in St. Lucie County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Hutchinson Island South has the highest median value ($406,800) and Fort Pierce North the lowest ($167,600); Indian River Estates shows the best rent to price ratio (9.38% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie | 232,491 | $369,200 | $1,937 | $80,648 |
| Fort Pierce | 49,082 | $250,800 | $1,217 | $47,072 |
| Lakewood Park | 13,866 | $268,400 | $1,206 | $64,023 |
| Indian River Estates | 7,685 | $280,400 | $2,191 | $64,063 |
| Fort Pierce North | 7,224 | $167,600 | $921 | $40,228 |
| White City | 5,744 | $397,100 | $1,065 | $117,720 |
| River Park | 5,714 | $244,000 | $1,690 | $55,437 |
| Fort Pierce South | 5,028 | $224,100 | $1,153 | $50,503 |
| Hutchinson Island South | 4,175 | $406,800 | $1,408 | $65,871 |
| St. Lucie Village | 714 | $443,600 | $1,281 | $77,386 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
St. Lucie County has the fastest growth in its group; 1 of its 3 neighbors is cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lucie County | $347,300 | $1,585 | 22.2% |
| Indian River County | $351,500 | $1,357 | 8.1% |
| Martin County | $432,200 | $1,569 | 4.9% |
| Okeechobee County | $193,000 | $1,082 | 7.5% |
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.