Sumter County today
What this means
Values in Sumter County are about flat (−0.5% in a year), now 7.7% below the Aug 2022 peak.
Builders are busier: 3,197 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 18%.
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
| Sumter County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 157,772 | 0.7% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 21.6% | +12.7 pts |
| Median home value | $385,400 | 7% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | 24% lower |
| Median household income | $76,508 | 3% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 87.6% | +20.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 57.7% | +36.4 pts |
| Average commute | 29 min | 3% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 36.2% | +22.0 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 22.3 | 193% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 13.7% | +6.3 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,014 | 10% higher |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,105 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Sumter County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Sumter County has an older population (57.7% age 65 or older); a lot of new housing (36.2% built since 2010); and fewer renters than most of Florida (12.4% of homes).
Formerly rural central county now heavily shaped by The Villages retirement community. County seat: Bushnell. Created in 1853.
Largest communities: The Villages, Wildwood and Lake Panasoffkee. The Villages alone has about 83,498 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: The Villages
- Known for: Dade Battlefield Historic State Park; Withlacoochee State Forest; Van Fleet State Trail
This is an older market: 57.7% of residents are 65 or older. Households are small, averaging 1.93 people. In a typical year 4.8% of residents moved in from out of state, above the Florida rate of 2.9%.
Growth and where it is heading
From 129,752 residents in 2020 to 157,772 in 2025: that is 21.6%, compared with 8.9% statewide. Last year alone: +2.28%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 3,105 |
| 2 to 4 units | 186 |
| 5 or more units | 225 |
| Total | 3,516 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 22.3 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
36.2% of homes are 2010 or newer. Ask about HOA and CDD fees on any new build; lenders count both. CDD fees explained
Regional context lives in the Central Florida investor guide.
Risks to price in
No hurricane landfall in Sumter County since 2000 in the record we use. Wind and rain from storms still reach inland.
State data puts the typical homeowners policy with wind at $2,105 a year in Sumter County.
Flood, storms and jobs
| Sumter County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 2,480 (3.5%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 2,912 (4.1%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 38.6% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 100, $1,323,218 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Milton ($756,988); Other or unnamed flooding ($364,918); Hurricane Irma ($103,946) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 14 (10 hurricane, 1 tropical storm, 1 biological) |
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: 06/05/20.
Where people work: health care and social assistance (23%), retail (18%), hotels and restaurants (16%), out of 31,813 private jobs in Sumter County (2023). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 16% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Sumter County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Homes cost 5.0 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 4,866 | 84.4% | 72.2% | $286,808 |
| FHA | 434 | 7.5% | 17.8% | $265,530 |
| VA | 444 | 7.7% | 9.9% | $365,811 |
| USDA | 18 | 0.3% | 0.2% | $266,667 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 74.6% |
| Cash out refinance | 7.5% |
| Rate and term refinance | 6.2% |
| Home improvement | 4.8% |
That is up 34.7% from 4,279 loans in 2024. Conventional loans dominate, a sign of larger down payments and strong credit.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 84.4% of local loans.
- FHA: median price $385,400 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 13.7% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Assistance with cash to close is offered statewide by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $3,014 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Sumter County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Sumter County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 12.4% | -20.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 38.3% | +3.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 17.1% | +9.5 pts |
Renters are stretched here, which caps rent growth. More rentals sit empty than the state average.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 0% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 10.6% (+2.8 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 | 82.3% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 4% |
| Manufactured homes | 11.3% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.16% |
Largest cities and towns in Sumter County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Wildwood has the highest median value ($451,600) and Bushnell the lowest ($67,600); Bushnell shows the best rent to price ratio (13.22% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Villages | 83,498 | $400,100 | $1,397 | $77,622 |
| Wildwood | 17,608 | $451,600 | $1,519 | $76,552 |
| Lake Panasoffkee | 4,768 | $153,000 | $1,019 | $44,531 |
| Bushnell | 3,187 | $67,600 | $745 | $52,717 |
| Webster | 1,574 | $272,100 | $731 | $66,250 |
| Center Hill | 1,304 | $228,000 | $1,094 | $68,375 |
| Coleman | 705 | $161,800 | $957 | $54,063 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County | $385,400 | $1,269 | 21.6% |
| Citrus County | $245,500 | $1,107 | 11.6% |
| Hernando County | $276,000 | $1,298 | 14% |
| Lake County | $318,400 | $1,586 | 18.8% |
| Marion County | $243,100 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
| Pasco County | $300,900 | $1,505 | 20% |
| Polk County | $266,500 | $1,363 | 20.7% |
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.