Lee County vs Palm Beach County: The Numbers, Side by Side
Deciding between Lee County and Palm Beach County? Skip the anecdotes — here is every measurable difference between the two counties: home values and list prices, property taxes at each side’s verified millage, insurance, rents, growth, investor yield and migration — each figure from the named source that produced it.
The head-to-head table
| Metric | Lee County | Palm Beach County |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value (Zillow) | $338,437 | $473,295 |
| Median list price | $396,850 | $496,200 |
| 1-yr value change | -6.4% | -1.2% |
| 5-yr value change | 3.0% | 5.7% |
| Median days on market | 90 days | 77 days |
| Active listings | 10,575 | 11,072 |
| Listings with a price cut | 20.8% | 16.0% |
| Typical millage (property tax) | 15.97 mills | 18.72 mills |
| Avg Citizens insurance | $2,197/yr | $1,753/yr |
| Typical rent (ZORI) | $1,874/mo | $2,662/mo |
| Modeled monthly cost to own | $2,123/mo | $2,844/mo |
| Gross cap rate | 6.6% | 6.8% |
| Net migration (people/yr) | +4899 | -1374 |
| Residential permits (2025) | 13,547 | 4,228 |
Bold marks the side a cost-or-yield metric favors. Values from Zillow research series, Realtor.com Economic Research, verified county millage, Citizens Property Insurance filings, Zillow Observed Rent Index, IRS SOI migration and Census permits; all change over time.
What the table actually says
On price, Lee County is the cheaper market — typical values run about $134,859 lower than Palm Beach County.
On carrying costs, Lee County has the lower typical millage and Palm Beach County the lower average Citizens premium; the own-versus-rent gap is narrower in Palm Beach County.
On momentum, Palm Beach County shows the stronger 1-year value change (-1.2% vs -6.4%); five-year growth favors Palm Beach County.
For rental investors, Palm Beach County carries the higher gross cap rate (6.8% vs 6.6%).
On demand, IRS migration data shows Lee County gaining more net residents per year (4,899 vs -1,374).
The costs people forget to compare
Two Florida specifics matter more than the sticker gap. First, property tax RESETS to your purchase price when you buy — compare the two markets at YOUR price with the property tax calculator, not at the sellers’ current bills. Second, insurance varies more by home age, construction and distance-to-coast than by county average — quote the specific home. The buyer closing costs calculator builds both into a real cash-to-close for either market.
Dig deeper on Lee County
Run the numbers in Lee County
- Find the best agent in Lee County
- Get a cash offer in Lee County
- Lee County housing scorecard
- What would selling net you
- Buyer closing costs calculator
Common questions
Is Lee County or Palm Beach County cheaper to buy a home?
Which has lower property taxes, Lee County or Palm Beach County?
Which is better for rental investors?
A factual comparison of market data only, from the sources named above as of 2026-06-16; figures change over time and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. It describes markets, not people, and is not advice about where anyone should live. Equal Housing Opportunity.