Broward County, Florida: The Complete 2026 County Guide
Canals and beaches at the middle of the metro, with family suburbs minutes from both cities
Broward County is Greater Fort Lauderdale: canals, beaches, and a global airport, wrapped around more than 30 distinct cities from Weston and Parkland to Hollywood and the coast. It delivers the South Florida lifestyle with more land and more variety than Miami-Dade, and an easier commute to almost everything. Families, snowbirds, and waterfront lovers all find their version of Florida here.
This guide covers the Broward County market numbers with their sources and dates, the schools and districts worth knowing, the honest commute and rail picture, the cost of living versus the rest of Florida, every town guide on this site inside the county, and who thrives here at each life stage. It is written by a local advisor, not a content farm.
Is BROWARD COUNTY right for you? Read the honest pros and cons
Broward County · Greater Fort Lauderdale
In this guide
Market at a glance
Broward County, sourced and dated
Broward's all-homes median was about $449,000 to $455,000 in 2024 and 2025, while single-family medians hovered near $610,000 to $640,000. Existing condos, a weaker segment, ran near $260,000 to $285,000. Sales volume is rising again, and the market was ranked among the strongest in America for 2025.
Every figure below carries its source and its as-of date, because a good advisor labels the data before he uses it. The snapshot is static, not a live ticker: Michael pulls fresh numbers for your exact town and street on a strategy call.
Median sale price, single family
$655,000
Up 4.8% year over year from $625,000. The all-homes median ran nearer $460,000, pulled down by the condo tier.
PBP Real Estate / BeachesMLS · August 2026
Median days on market, houses
35 days
Down from 45 a year prior. Condos and townhomes take longer, closer to 65-plus days, and need patience.
PBP Real Estate / BeachesMLS · August 2026
Inventory feel
Houses balanced, condos soft
Single-family supply about 4.2 months with 4,204 houses for sale, a balanced market; the condo and townhome segment ran about 10.6 months of supply.
PBP Real Estate / BeachesMLS · August 2026
Property tax context
Above the state average
Effective rate about 0.94% with a median annual bill around $3,890, among the higher county rates in Florida.
U.S. Census ACS · 2024
Read it honestly: Broward is the middle metro with a two-speed market. Single-family houses ran a $655,000 median up 4.8% year over year with 35 days on market and about 4.2 months of supply (PBP Real Estate, August 2026), while the condo and townhome segment sat near 10.6 months of supply, a genuine buyer's market with real fine print in association fees. The honest read: houses reward prepared sellers, condos reward patient buyers, and the county's property tax line runs above the state average. Michael matches the segment to the plan.
Sources: PBP Real Estate, Broward County Housing Market Report, August 2026 · Realtor.com via FRED, Broward County days on market · BestPlaces, Broward County cost of living · Niche, Cypress Bay High School .
The honest case
Why Broward County
Broward is South Florida's middle metro, and its superpower is variety with proximity: the canal-and-Intracoastal world of Fort Lauderdale, the family suburbs of Weston, Parkland, and Coral Springs, the arts village of Wilton Manors, the Broadwalk of Hollywood, and more than 30 cities between, all wrapped around an international airport and a downtown on the river.
The market rewards the difference between segments: single-family houses at a $655,000 median with 35 days on market (August 2026) versus a condo tier at roughly 10.6 months of supply where prepared buyers negotiate. Families get real yards and strong suburban schools in the west; waterfront lovers get the canals; snowbirds get the beach towns.
As The Life Transition Specialist, Michael frames Broward as the easiest metro transition in Florida: the northeast family moving to Weston for Cypress Bay, the empty-nester selling a big house for a downtown Fort Lauderdale condo, the investor reading association packets in the soft condo tier, and the relocator choosing Broward's calmer density over Miami's. It is the county where chapters land softly.
The middle metro with everything
Downtown Fort Lauderdale, the airport, the canals, and the beaches, with Miami 40 to 60 minutes south and West Palm Beach a shorter drive north. Broward is the easy center.
A boater's city and beach towns
Fort Lauderdale's celebrated canal network, a working cruise and yacht scene, and beach towns from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's dive reef to Hollywood's family Broadwalk.
Family suburbs with yards
Weston, Parkland, Cooper City, and Coral Springs deliver planned streets, strong schools, and real lawns minutes from the urban core, which is Broward's honest answer to Miami's density.
31 cities, 31 price points
From Wilton Manors' bungalows to Southwest Ranches' acreage to Hollywood's beach condos, the county prices by city, and there is a corridor for nearly every budget.
Who it is NOT right for
- Buyers who want Old Florida quiet in every direction. Broward is a working metro: traffic, density, and airport noise are real, and the calm lives in the planned suburbs, not the core.
- Condo investors who skip the homework. A 10.6-month supply means leverage, and association finances, assessments, and lender scrutiny mean the packet matters as much as the view.
- Anyone who needs a huge private lot on a budget. Western acreage exists in Southwest Ranches, but land in Broward is metro-priced almost everywhere else.
The directory
Broward County: towns we cover
Thirty-one town and community guides live in Broward County on this site, grouped by geography: the oceanfront and beach towns, the neighborhoods around downtown Fort Lauderdale, the northern inland cities, and the western family suburbs. Click any name for its full guide. 31 guides in all, and every one links to a full town-by-town report.
Oceanfront & beach towns
10 guides
Fort Lauderdale's canals and the beach towns from Deerfield to Hollywood's Broadwalk.
Fort Lauderdale
The Venice of America
Living in Fort LauderdaleHollywood
The beachfront Broadwalk city
Living in HollywoodDania Beach
Florida's first city, reborn by the runway
Living in Dania BeachHallandale Beach
Oceanfront condos and the famous horse track
Living in Hallandale BeachPompano Beach
The fishing city with a restored shore
Living in Pompano BeachDeerfield Beach
The friendly city by the pier
Living in Deerfield BeachLauderdale-by-the-Sea
The barefoot beach village
Living in Lauderdale-by-the-SeaHillsboro Beach
The narrow island of oceanfront estates
Living in Hillsboro BeachLighthouse Point
The yacht club town by the inlet
Living in Lighthouse PointSea Ranch Lakes
A gated village of lakes and old Florida
Living in Sea Ranch LakesAround downtown Fort Lauderdale
2 guides
The arts village of Wilton Manors and the mid-town neighborhoods next to the county seat.
Northern inland
6 guides
Coconut Creek's butterfly country and the established cities from Margate to Lauderhill.
Coconut Creek
The Butterfly Capital of America
Living in Coconut CreekMargate
The friendly lake city of northwest Broward
Living in MargateTamarac
Lakeside 55-plus roots with new family energy
Living in TamaracNorth Lauderdale
Compact, connected, family-priced
Living in North LauderdaleLauderdale Lakes
Lakeside value in central Broward
Living in Lauderdale LakesLauderhill
The diverse heart of central Broward
Living in LauderhillWestern suburbs
13 guides
Weston, Parkland, Coral Springs, and the planned family cities west of the Turnpike.
Coral Springs
A master-planned family city
Living in Coral SpringsParkland
Estates and parks in the far northwest
Living in ParklandWeston
The master-planned city with top schools
Living in WestonDavie
Horse country wrapped in a university town
Living in DaviePlantation
Tree-lined suburb with a historic heart
Living in PlantationSunrise
The arena city at the crossroads
Living in SunrisePembroke Pines
The big, comfortable western suburb
Living in Pembroke PinesMiramar
Families, parks, and the Everglades at the door
Living in MiramarCooper City
The safe, school-first suburb
Living in Cooper CitySouthwest Ranches
The equestrian farms of southwest Broward
Living in Southwest RanchesWest Park
The county's newest small city
Living in West ParkPembroke Park
Small town, big crossroads
Living in Pembroke ParkLazy Lake
Florida's smallest town by a lake
Living in Lazy LakeThe district report, with rankings
Schools & districts in Broward County
Broward County Public Schools is one of the largest districts in America, and the honest read is a district of tiers: elite magnets and powerhouse suburban high schools on one side, and zones that vary block to block on the other. Weston's Cypress Bay and Parkland's Stoneman Douglas anchor the western family corridor, while Pompano Beach High runs the county's strongest public magnet story.
Choice is the Broward engine: countywide magnets like Pompano Beach High and McFatter Technical, charter schools across the west, and IB programs at several high schools. Attendance zones are strict, choice seats are application-based, and Michael verifies the assigned school for every address.
| School | Rating / rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pompano Beach High School | Niche A+, the #3 public high school in Broward and about #19 in Florida, #51 magnet in America; US News ranks it #21 in Florida and about #200 nationally. | Niche / US News, 2025-26 |
| Cypress Bay High School | Niche A+, #4 in Broward and about #25 in Florida; GreatSchools 8/10. | Niche / GreatSchools, 2026 |
| Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School | Niche A+; US News 2026-27 ranks it about #84 in Florida, in the top 5% of U.S. high schools, with 73% math and 77% reading proficiency. | Niche / US News, 2026-27 |
Pompano Beach High School
Countywide magnet, Pompano Beach
- Niche A+, #3 in Broward and #19 in Florida, 2026
- US News #21 in Florida, about #200 nationally
- The county's strongest magnet high school brand
Cypress Bay High School
District public high school, Weston
- Niche A+, #4 in Broward and about #25 in Florida
- The anchor of Weston's school country and the largest American high school campus
- The reason families pay the Weston premium
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
District public high school, Parkland
- Niche A+, top 5% of U.S. high schools on US News
- Stellar proficiency scores in math and reading
- The anchor of Parkland's family-school corridor
School choice, honestly: Broward's choice system is enormous and worth the homework: countywide magnets like Pompano Beach High and McFatter Technical, charters across the western suburbs, IB programs at multiple high schools, and strict attendance zones everywhere else. The honest rule: the assigned zone school and the choice-available school are two different questions, application deadlines are real, and Michael confirms both for every address before an offer.
The drive and rail math, sourced
Getting around Broward County
Broward's geography makes it the metro's commuter center: I-95 hugs the coast, the Turnpike runs the west, and the Sawgrass Expressway ties the western suburbs together. The drive math: Weston to downtown Fort Lauderdale about 35 to 45 minutes in the morning and up to an hour at peak, Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami about 40 to 60 minutes, and the western suburbs to either city within the hour.
Transit is Broward's strength: Tri-Rail serves seven county stations from Deerfield Beach through Fort Lauderdale, the airport, and Hollywood, and Brightline runs from downtown Fort Lauderdale (101 NW 2nd Ave) to Miami and points north. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport sits in-county, the easy-in easy-out airport of the metro.
The local job base is concentrated around the airport, downtown Fort Lauderdale, the hospitals, and the western office parks, and the county's position between Miami and West Palm Beach makes it the practical home base for commuters in every direction.
Weston to downtown Fort Lauderdale
~35-45 min
morning peak, up to ~1 hr at rush
Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami
~40-60 min
I-95, normal to peak traffic
Tri-Rail stations in the county
7
Deerfield Beach to Hollywood, 2026
Brightline to Miami / West Palm
~30-40 min each way
from downtown Fort Lauderdale
The money line, sourced
Cost of living in Broward County versus Florida
Broward sits above the Florida average but below Miami's price ceiling, and the sourced index says it plainly: BestPlaces scores Broward County and Fort Lauderdale at 110.5 (2025-26), about 10.5 percent above the U.S. average and 7.2 percent above the Florida average. Housing and coastal insurance carry the premium, and the condo tier is where the honest value lives right now.
The index, honestly
BestPlaces scores Broward at 110.5, about 10.5 percent above the U.S. average and 7.2 percent above Florida. Housing and insurance drive the spread.
BestPlaces, 2025-26
Home values
Single-family median $655,000 (August 2026) with all-homes near $460,000 and the condo tier carrying deeper supply. The spread between segments is Broward's best buying insight.
PBP Real Estate, Aug 2026
No state income tax
Florida taxes no wage or retirement income. Property taxes run above the state average, about 0.94% effective with a median bill near $3,890 (ACS 2024).
State law / U.S. Census ACS, 2024
The bottom line
Broward is the middle-cost middle metro: pricier than the Treasure Coast, calmer than Miami-Dade, and full of segment deals if you know where the soft spots are.
BestPlaces / PBP Real Estate, 2026
| Category | Broward County | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living vs. U.S. average | ~10.5% above (index 110.5) | BestPlaces, 2025-26, county |
| Cost of living vs. Florida average | ~7.2% above | Florida average ~103, BestPlaces |
| Median sale price, single family | $655,000 | PBP Real Estate, Aug 2026 |
| Effective property tax rate | ~0.94% · median bill ~$3,890 | U.S. Census ACS, 2024, above state average |
| State income tax | None | Florida state law, applies in Broward County |
Match the county to your chapter
Who thrives in Broward County
The life stages Broward County fits especially well, each with the sourced reason attached. This is the audience range Michael works with every week as The Life Transition Specialist: buyers, sellers, retirees, families, and investors from the Treasure Coast to South Florida.
First-time buyers
Entry lives in the condo and townhome tier, near 10.6 months of supply with real negotiating room, and in the western cities' smaller homes. Michael runs the full cost-of-ownership line, association fees included, before the first offer.
Families
Weston, Parkland, Cooper City, and Coral Springs deliver the family package, planned streets, yards, and A-plus high school brands, with Cypress Bay and Stoneman Douglas anchoring the corridor. The school-per-dollar math is Broward's family argument.
Retirees
Coastal condos from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea to Hollywood, no state income tax, and the county's hospital and airport infrastructure make the retirement math work. Condo finances deserve the scrutiny Michael gives them.
Investors
The condo tier's deep supply is the investor story of the metro right now, leverage for cash and financed buyers alike, with association packets as the real contract. Michael reads them line by line.
Second-home & empty-nester buyers
Downtown Fort Lauderdale condos over the canals, beach-town walkability, and Brightline access to both metros fit the empty-nester and snowbird calendar, with seasonality and insurance as the honest fine print.
Why locals love Broward County
Broward is the county I send buyers who want South Florida without the sprint: Weston and Parkland for the families, the beaches and canals for the boaters, and the soft condo market for the investors who read the fine print. It is the metro's easy middle.
Local favorites
The Broward County rhythm
- Fort Lauderdale's canal-and-waterway world and riverfront downtown
- The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk's family oceanfront promenade
- Las Olas Boulevard dining and the river arts district
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's dive reef and screen-door village character
- Weston, Parkland, and Coral Springs' parks and family events
- Coconut Creek's butterfly world and quiet northern green spaces
Straight answers, no fine print
Broward County: frequently asked questions
The questions buyers and relocators ask Michael most about Broward County, answered directly with the sourced numbers on this page.
01 Is Broward County a good place to live?
Yes, for most buyers, and it is the metro's most flexible county. Fort Lauderdale's canals and downtown, family suburbs like Weston and Parkland with A-plus high school brands, beach towns from Hollywood to Deerfield, and an in-county international airport all sit under one county line. The honest trade-offs: the single-family median ran $655,000 in August 2026, traffic and density are daily, and the condo tier's deep supply (about 10.6 months) is both the deal and the fine print. If you want South Florida's energy with more land and calmer density than Miami, this is the county.
02 How expensive is Broward compared to the rest of Florida?
About 7 percent above the Florida average. BestPlaces scores Broward at 110.5, about 10.5 percent above the U.S. average and 7.2 percent above Florida. Single-family homes ran a $655,000 median in August 2026 while the all-homes median sat near $460,000, and effective property taxes run above the state average at about 0.94%. No state income tax is the permanent counterweight.
03 Which Broward cities are best for families?
Weston, Parkland, Cooper City, and Coral Springs lead the family list, with planned streets, yards, and the county's strongest school brands: Cypress Bay (Niche A+) in Weston and Stoneman Douglas (Niche A+) in Parkland. School assignments are address-specific and choice seats are application-based, so Michael confirms the exact options for every property.
04 Can I commute between Broward and Miami without a car?
Partly, and better than almost anywhere else in Florida. Tri-Rail runs seven Broward stations from Deerfield Beach to Hollywood, Brightline connects downtown Fort Lauderdale to Miami in about 30 to 40 minutes, and the county airport sits at the rail-transfer point. Walkable pockets exist around Las Olas and downtown Fort Lauderdale; outside them, a car remains the default and I-95 rush hour is the honest trade.
05 Is flooding a concern in Broward?
It is the single most honest question to ask about any coastal South Florida property. Flood zones, base elevation, building vintage, and association finances all matter, and flood insurance is mandatory in many coastal zones. Michael reviews the FEMA flood map and the building's master policy with buyers before any offer, because the map is where budgets go to die if nobody looks.
06 Is the Broward condo market a good deal right now?
For prepared buyers, yes: the condo and townhome segment ran about 10.6 months of supply in August 2026, a genuine buyer's market with room to negotiate. The honest fine print is association finances, special assessments, and lender scrutiny, which Michael reads before the numbers get quoted. Houses, at 4.2 months and 35 days on market, are a different, tighter story.
Have a question this page did not answer? Ask it directly: (561) 441-8420 or michael@thecompleterealestateteam.com.
The honest list
Broward County pros and cons
Michael has lived both sides of these lists with clients. Both columns are real, and both should be in your decision.
The pros
-
Two metros plus its own airport
Brightline, Tri-Rail, I-95, and an in-county international airport make Broward the practical center of the whole region.
-
Family suburbs with real school brands
Weston's Cypress Bay and Parkland's Stoneman Douglas anchor an A-plus western corridor, with planned streets and yards minutes from the urban core.
-
Waterfront variety
The canal-and-Intracoastal world of Fort Lauderdale, the dive reef of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, and the family Broadwalk of Hollywood, all in one county.
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A soft condo market for patient buyers
About 10.6 months of supply means real negotiation room for buyers willing to read the association packet, the county's honest value story right now.
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31 cities, 31 price points
From beach condos to western acreage, a corridor exists for nearly every budget, which is the county's best inventory asset.
The cons
-
Traffic and density are daily life
I-95, the Turnpike, and the airport corridors jam in season and out. The energy that makes the metro exciting is the same force that makes the commute real.
-
Single-family pricing is metro-tier
A $655,000 single-family median leaves value concentrated in the condo tier and the outer western cities, not the eastern core.
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Coastal flood zones and insurance
Mandatory flood coverage and rising wind premiums are facts of coastal life, and elevation and building vintage decide hundreds of dollars a month.
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Condo fees and association scrutiny
Older towers carry special assessments, deferred maintenance, and lender scrutiny. The association packet is as important as the view.
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Property taxes above the state average
An effective rate near 0.94% with a median bill around $3,890 (ACS 2024) puts Broward among the higher-tax counties in Florida.
Your next step · Free 15-minute strategy call
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Michael "Wiz" Wisniewski, The Life Transition Specialist, is a Certified Real Estate Planning Advisor and Certified A.I. Real Estate Advisor at The Complete Real Estate Team, powered by Dalton Wade Real Estate, Florida DRE #3301665. Bring your questions about Broward County, your timeline, schools, and budget: he will tell you honestly whether this county fits your plan, and which town and corridor your money should live in.
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