St. Augustine affordability tracker.
Median home price vs. median household income in southern St. Johns County. Monthly payments at current rates. What income it actually takes to buy in St. Augustine in 2026.
How affordability works in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine and the broader southern St. Johns County market draw buyers who want coastal character and highly rated schools at a lower cost than Ponte Vedra proper. The payment and income figures above are computed live from the current Freddie Mac 30-year rate and the St. Johns County median list price from the realMLS live feed.
The county-level median covers the full range of St. Johns — from the historically lower-priced inland 32092 corridor to beach-adjacent Anastasia Island. The affordability picture varies materially between those submarkets, which means the headline figures above represent a county average rather than a guaranteed price point in any specific area. Buyers looking at the Old City or beachside Anastasia should expect to compare their income to the qualifying figure with additional margin.
What it means practically: buyers who are well above the qualifying income shown have real choices across all of southern St. Johns. Buyers closer to the threshold should focus on inland submarkets or condominium inventory where prices tend to run below the county median. St. Johns County's homestead exemption and low millage rate are genuine long-term ownership advantages. See our rent-vs-buy calculator for scenario modeling.
How mortgage rates move your payment.
The payment figure above includes principal and interest only. St. Johns County has one of the lowest property tax millage rates in Northeast Florida, which reduces the total housing cost relative to what the same mortgage payment would carry in Duval or other counties. Florida's Save Our Homes homestead exemption further limits assessment growth for primary-residence owners to 3% per year. For St. Johns-specific property tax context, see our property tax guide.
The 28% front-end DTI benchmark means your total housing payment — including taxes and insurance on top of P&I — should not exceed 28% of gross monthly income by conventional lender guidelines. The qualifying income shown is derived from P&I alone, so the actual income needed to comfortably qualify including taxes and insurance will be somewhat higher. Verify with your lender.
Rent vs. buy in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine's long-term rental market is constrained by the tourism economy — vacation rental demand on Anastasia Island and in the Old City often competes with long-term leasing, which keeps rental inventory thin and rents relatively high compared to the inland areas. Transaction costs at these price points are meaningful, lengthening the buy-vs-rent break-even. For buyers planning to stay for a longer horizon, St. Johns County's low tax rates and strong school district add to the ownership case. Use our rent-vs-buy calculator to model your specific scenario.
St. Augustine remains one of the more accessible coastal St. Johns markets, particularly in the inland and SR-A1A corridor areas where the county median is representative of available inventory. The qualifying income above tells you what the median-priced home requires at today's rate. If your household income is comfortably above it, you have real options here. If you're near or below it, the path is inland submarkets, larger down payments, or a lower price tier.
Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac PMMS, 30-year fixed, via FRED. Updated weekly. Median home price: St. Johns County median list price from the realMLS live feed. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Payment formula: P&I only, 20% down, 30-year amortization at current weekly PMMS rate. Income-required assumes P&I equals 28% of gross monthly income. Taxes and insurance excluded from displayed figures. No figure on this page is estimated or modeled when live data is available; values display as — when a data source is unavailable.
Mortgage rates: Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, updated weekly. Median list price: realMLS live county feed, St. Johns County. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Disclosure: St. Johns County median reflects the full county; Old City and Anastasia Island inventory may trade at different price levels.
Important: Information on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not financial, legal, tax, or insurance advice. Always consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Affiliated Business Arrangement: The principal owners of Momentum Realty, Jon Brooks and Brittany Brooks, have a 50% ownership interest in Titan Title Services LLC. You are not required to use Titan Title Services LLC. There are frequently other settlement service providers available with similar services; you are free to shop around to determine that you are receiving the best services and rate. See full disclosures →