St. Petersburg today
What this means
Values in St. Petersburg are about flat (+0.6% in a year), now 9.6% below the May 2024 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 1,437 homes, 25% more 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. Petersburg | vs Pinellas County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 264,033 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 2.2% | +3.3 pts | -6.7 pts |
| Median home value | $371,100 | 5% higher | 3% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,663 | 1% higher | about the same |
| Median household income | $75,192 | 4% higher | 1% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 62.8% | -6.7 pts | -4.8 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 21.1% | -5.3 pts | -0.2 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 26 | 2% higher | 9% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 8.4% | +2.6 pts | -5.8 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,463 | about the same | 10% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in St. Petersburg
Pinellas County city on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf, founded in 1888 and known for its sunny climate.
As an incorporated city, St. Petersburg sets its own zoning inside Pinellas County.
Known for: Salvador Dali Museum; St. Pete Pier; Raymond James headquarters
Interstate 275 and bay bridges link it to Tampa.
Compared with Pinellas County as a whole, the population is younger (21.1% age 65 or older vs 26.4%); fewer homes are seasonal or vacation homes (5.1% vs 9.2%); fewer homes are owner occupied (62.8% vs 69.5%) and it grew faster than the county since 2020 (2.2% vs -1.1%).
Cities with similar prices and rents: Clearwater ($361,300, $1,658), Homestead ($380,000, $1,674), North Miami ($365,000, $1,702).
Growth and housing
Population went from 258,358 in 2020 to 264,033 in 2025 (2.2%), versus -1.1% for Pinellas County.
| 2025 building permits | St. Petersburg |
|---|---|
| Single family | 629 |
| 5 or more units | 1,905 |
| Total units | 2,641 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 10.0 |
Median year built: 1969. The housing mix is 55.3% detached houses and 32% larger buildings. Average household size is 2.14.
Each year about 3.5% of residents arrive from other states.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $4,063 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
70.1% of homes predate 1980: expect four point inspections. Inspections
18.3% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
The city earned Community Rating System class 5; federal flood policies in its high risk zones cost 25% less. 11,135 flood claims ($1,214,111,741) have come from St. Petersburg since 2000. The Pinellas County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 1.2% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in St. Petersburg
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $371,100 |
Price to income: 4.9x, compared with 4.9x for the county.
- Conventional: mortgage insurance drops off as equity builds.
- FHA: $170,187 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
Investing in St. Petersburg
Long term rentals
| St. Petersburg | vs Pinellas County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 37.2% | +6.7 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 8.4% | -0.7 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.9% | -1.1 pts |
Short term rentals
Vacation home share is below the county (5.1% vs 9.2%), so nightly demand here is thinner.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Rules vary street by street; verify zoning and HOA limits early. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 55.3% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 32% |
| Manufactured homes | 2.2% |
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.