Cost of Living: The Treasure Coast Counties | Michael Wisniewski

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Cost of Living

Cost of Living: The Treasure Coast Counties

The Treasure Coast offers more home for the dollar than South Florida, and its property tax and insurance picture is part of the appeal. Here is the honest breakdown across Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin Counties.

The Treasure Coast offers more home for the dollar than South Florida, and its property tax and insurance picture is part of the appeal. Here is the honest breakdown across Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin Counties.

Wiz's tip

Compare any Treasure Coast town against your current town with Michael's market data on a strategy call, home price, taxes, and insurance all on one sheet. That sheet decides the budget.

Home prices, from the market Michael works with daily

Indian River County's county-wide median sat near $367,000 in late 2025, with island waterfront homes frequently above $1 million. St. Lucie County's median hovered between $385,000 and $400,000, and Martin County's hovered around $477,000 with single-family medians near $575,000 to $600,000. That spread alone changes what your budget buys.

Property taxes

Effective property tax rates in the Treasure Coast are among Florida's lowest: about 0.71 percent of home value in Indian River County and about 0.76 percent in Martin County. St. Lucie runs higher near 0.95 percent. The Homestead Exemption and capped assessed value growth for homesteaded properties keep year-over-year tax increases gentle.

Homeowners insurance

Annual homeowners insurance on a single-family home in Martin County averaged about $4,700, with the Treasure Coast overall running below South Florida's premiums. Florida is the most expensive state in the country for homeowners insurance, so the line item belongs in every budget from day one.

The everyday picture

No state income tax applies anywhere in the state, groceries and everyday prices run close to the national average on the Treasure Coast, and the slower pace means less congestion-driven spending. It is the region's quiet cost advantage, along with the beaches.

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