Best Places to Retire in Florida

Ranked by the numbers, the top 10 are Deerfield Beach ($214,000 median), Lauderdale Lakes ($119,000 median), Lauderhill ($144,498 median), Daytona Beach ($264,999 median), North Fort Myers ($154,950 median), Fort Mc Coy ($179,500 median), Palm Springs ($164,950 median), Margate ($169,900 median), Tallahassee ($205,000 median), Interlachen ($199,900 median). 284 places qualified with at least 60 homes for sale; the score blends what it costs to own the median home against local income, five-year appreciation, county population growth, market balance, inventory depth and the own-versus-rent gap, all printed in the table.

Florida cities ranked for a fixed budget (cost to own 50%, beach access 20%, market balance 30%)

Place	Median price	Cost to own / mo	Property tax / mo	Citizens avg premium	Months supply	Days to contract	Homes for sale
1. Deerfield Beach Broward · list-based	$214,000	$1,535	$271	$1,561	7% pending	91	748
2. Lauderdale Lakes Broward · list-based	$119,000	$874	$114	$1,561	7% pending	123	351
3. Lauderhill Broward · list-based	$144,498	$1,052	$156	$1,561	7% pending	112	616
4. Daytona Beach Volusia · list-based	$264,999	$1,898	$344	$1,807	11% pending	99	703
5. North Fort Myers Lee · list-based	$154,950	$1,143	$140	$2,197	29% pending	66	346
6. Fort Mc Coy Marion · list-based	$179,500	$1,186	$130	$1,263	8% pending	31	65
7. Palm Springs Palm Beach · list-based	$164,950	$1,199	$179	$1,753	3% pending	64	142
8. Margate Broward · list-based	$169,900	$1,228	$198	$1,561	8% pending	77	480
9. Tallahassee Leon · list-based	$205,000	$1,332	$196	$990	0% pending	24	343
10. Interlachen Putnam · list-based	$199,900	$1,382	$211	$1,345	11% pending	73	75
11. North Miami Miami-Dade · list-based	$199,900	$1,436	$220	$1,891	12% pending	69	253
12. Crystal River Citrus · list-based	$349,000	$2,338	$373	$1,410	14% pending	43	139
13. Hallandale Beach Broward · list-based	$329,950	$2,340	$463	$1,561	5% pending	65	604
14. Sunrise Broward · list-based	$220,000	$1,576	$281	$1,561	10% pending	79	689
15. Panama City Beach Bay · list-based	$369,900	$2,447	$327	$1,928	24% pending	95	791
16. Miami Gardens Miami-Dade · list-based	$229,500	$1,636	$263	$1,891	44% pending	44	82
17. Englewood Charlotte · list-based	$350,000	$2,468	$423	$2,298	12% pending	62	416
18. South Daytona Volusia · list-based	$227,450	$1,639	$284	$1,807	15% pending	86	62
19. Tamarac Broward · list-based	$229,900	$1,645	$297	$1,561	11% pending	73	669
20. DeFuniak Springs Walton · list-based	$251,400	$1,657	$164	$1,942	17% pending	88	206
21. Fort Myers Lee · list-based	$235,900	$1,680	$247	$2,197	29% pending	57	1,293
22. Coconut Creek Broward · list-based	$235,000	$1,680	$306	$1,561	8% pending	77	424
23. Ocklawaha Marion · list-based	$262,950	$1,712	$214	$1,263	10% pending	40	124
24. Palatka Putnam · list-based	$249,450	$1,714	$281	$1,345	15% pending	70	106
25. Belleview Marion · list-based	$268,500	$1,747	$220	$1,263	17% pending	47	133

How to read it: median price is the recorded MLS sale median for the past 12 months where our feeds carry sold records (at least 120 sales), otherwise the median asking price of current listings (rows marked list-based; appreciation and price change then come from the county Zillow index); cost to own is principal and interest on 80% of that median at the county’s current rate, plus non-homestead property tax at the county’s verified millage (less the $50,000 homestead exemption) and the county’s average Citizens premium; share of income is that annual cost against the Census median household income pooled over the ZIPs where the city’s homes are listed; 5-yr appreciation is the compound annual change in recorded medians; county pop. growth is the county’s five-year Census change.

Score = 50 + 10 × (0.35 affordability + 0.15 appreciation + 0.15 population growth + 0.10 market balance + 0.10 inventory depth + 0.15 own-versus-rent), each as a capped z-score across the ranked set. Inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply only; nothing about the people who live there. Data as of 2026-09-25; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

55+ community guides

Florida's age-restricted communities are covered separately: Central Florida · Tampa Bay · Southwest Florida · Southeast Florida · Jacksonville.

The top 10, in detail

1. Deerfield Beach, Broward County

Median asking price $214,000 across 748 current listings, 7% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 91 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,535 a month, 34% of the local median household income of $53,413; typical rent is $2,551. Prices compounded +4.5% a year over five years; the county grew +1.9% in population over five years. Broward County property tax

2. Lauderdale Lakes, Broward County

Median asking price $119,000 across 351 current listings, 7% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 123 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $874 a month, 20% of the local median household income of $51,918; typical rent is $1,942. Prices compounded +4.5% a year over five years; the county grew +1.9% in population over five years. Broward County property tax

3. Lauderhill, Broward County

Median asking price $144,498 across 616 current listings, 7% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 111 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,052 a month, 24% of the local median household income of $51,918; typical rent is $1,942. Prices compounded +4.5% a year over five years; the county grew +1.9% in population over five years. Broward County property tax

4. Daytona Beach, Volusia County

Median asking price $264,999 across 703 current listings, 11% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 99 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -0.9% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,898 a month, 38% of the local median household income of $60,418; typical rent is $1,652. Prices compounded +3.2% a year over five years; the county grew +7.7% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Volusia County property tax

5. North Fort Myers, Lee County

Median asking price $154,950 across 346 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 66 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,143 a month, 25% of the local median household income of $54,198; typical rent is $1,786. Prices compounded +1.6% a year over five years; the county grew +10.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Lee County property tax

6. Fort Mc Coy, Marion County

Median asking price $179,500 across 65 current listings, 8% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 31 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.3% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,186 a month, 31% of the local median household income of $46,429. Prices compounded +4.2% a year over five years; the county grew +11.3% in population over five years. Marion County property tax

7. Palm Springs, Palm Beach County

Median asking price $164,950 across 142 current listings, 3% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 64 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved +1.2% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,199 a month, 24% of the local median household income of $61,218; typical rent is $1,999. Prices compounded +5.0% a year over five years; the county grew +4.2% in population over five years. Palm Beach County property tax

8. Margate, Broward County

Median asking price $169,900 across 480 current listings, 8% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 77 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,228 a month, 23% of the local median household income of $62,930; typical rent is $2,155. Prices compounded +4.5% a year over five years; the county grew +1.9% in population over five years. Broward County property tax

9. Tallahassee, Leon County

Median asking price $205,000 across 343 current listings, 0% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 24 days on market. Owning the median costs about $1,332 a month, 32% of the local median household income of $50,412; typical rent is $1,343. Leon County property tax

10. Interlachen, Putnam County

Median asking price $199,900 across 75 current listings, 11% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 73 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved +0.7% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,382 a month, 37% of the local median household income of $45,320. Prices compounded +2.8% a year over five years; the county grew +2.0% in population over five years. market data · Putnam County property tax

Questions people ask

What is the best place to retire in Florida on a budget?

On cost to own, Deerfield Beach leads at about $1,535 a month for the $214,000 median home, with property tax around $3,254 a year after the homestead exemption and the county's average Citizens premium of $1,561. Florida has no state income tax and no tax on retirement income.

Does Florida tax retirement income?

No. Florida has no personal income tax, so Social Security, pensions and retirement-account withdrawals are untaxed at the state level. The carrying costs that matter are property tax (capped at 3% a year growth once you homestead) and insurance.

Should a retiree buy a condo in Florida?

Only after reading the building's milestone inspection and structural reserve study, which sellers must now provide; older coastal buildings carry the repair bills the 2022 to 2025 laws forced into the open. Our condo guide covers the documents and the 7-business-day cancellation right.

Every ranking in this series

Homes for sale in Florida by city and county · Florida city and relocation guides

Rankings are computed from the published data sources and the formula stated on this page, with no editorial scoring; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply, and the rankings describe housing economics, not the character of any community. Figures are as of 2026-09-25 and change as new sales record. EAB RE Investments LLC dba Momentum Realty is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. Listing data deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.