Florida’s 15 Best Hidden Gem Housing Markets of 2025

Florida has its share of million-dollar homes, but you don’t need a million-dollar housing budget to live well in the Sunshine State. There are actually quite a few Florida locales that offer strong livability scores, but come in well below the state average when it comes to single-family home values. GOBankingRates has compiled a list of the state’s best blends of high livability and housing affordability.

To compile its list, GBR analyzed data from Zillow, AreaVibes, Sperling’s Best Places, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve. Cities were weighted based on how they rank in multiple categories, and an overall score was determined — producing a list of the best hidden gems for housing.

The average value of a single-family home in Florida currently sits at $402,892. In each of the 15 markets in this list, you can expect to spend $50,000 to $150,000 below that.

• Average home value in city: $321,853
• Amount below average home value in state: $81,039
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,842
• Livability: 78
• Median household income: $62,043

Pinellas Park is located just north of St. Petersburg in west-central Florida. Average monthly expenditures in Pinellas Park come in around $2,085, the highest figure among cities on GBR’s list. The total average monthly cost of living pencils out to $3,927.

• Average home value in city: $315,105
• Amount below average home value in state: $87,787
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,804
• Livability: 80
• Median household income: $46,160

New Port Richey sits along the state’s Gulf Coast, just north of the Tampa Bay area. New Port Richey’s average total monthly cost of living sits at $3,880. About 29% of its residents are age 65 or older.

• Average home value in city: $311,837
• Amount below average home value in state: $91,055
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,785
• Livability: 80
• Median household income: $66,556

You’ll find Fort Walton Beach in the Florida Panhandle, about 40 miles east of Pensacola. Fort Walton Beach’s average total monthly living costs come in at $3,819.

• Average home value in city: $325,914
• Amount below average home value in state: $76,978
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,866
• Livability: 80
• Median household income: $83,093

Another Panhandle city, Lynn Haven is located just north of Panama City. Lynn Haven’s median household income is the highest among the cities on GBR’s list. Lynn Haven is a relatively young city compared to others on the list, with only about 15% of its residents age 65 and up.

• Average home value in city: $289,539
• Amount below average home value in state: $113,353
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,657
• Livability: 80
• Median household income: $50,130

Daytona Beach is located on Florida’s east coast, roughly 55 miles northeast of Orlando. Average total monthly living expenses in Daytona Beach sit around $3,620. Its median household income ranks third lowest among the cities listed.

• Average home value in city: $351,345
• Amount below average home value in state: $51,547
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,011
• Livability: 83
• Median household income: $68,863

Sebastian is situated about 85 miles southeast of Orlando on Florida’s east coast. The average single-family home in Sebastian is worth around $351,000 — the highest on the list, but still more than $50,000 below the state average. It’s a popular spot for retirees, with about 36% of its residents age 65 or older.

• Average home value in city: $350,442
• Amount below average home value in state: $52,450
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,006
• Livability: 83
• Median household income: $68,955

You’ll find Port Orange a few miles south of Daytona Beach. Among the cities listed, Port Orange trails only Sebastian for the highest monthly mortgage (just over $2,000). Nearly a quarter of Port Orange residents are age 65 or older.

• Average home value in city: $283,573
• Amount below average home value in state: $119,319
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,623
• Livability: 80
• Median household income: $72,676

Milton is located about 20 miles northeast of Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle. Milton is the least-populous of GBR’s Florida hidden gem housing markets, with roughly 10,485 residents. Its median household income is the second highest.

• Average home value in city: $310,336
• Amount below average home value in state: $92,556
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,776
• Livability: 82
• Median household income: $68,267

This central Florida city sits about 50 miles southwest of Orlando, just east of Lakeland. Auburndale’s average total monthly living costs pencil out to roughly $3,829.

• Average home value in city: $323,471
• Amount below average home value in state: $79,421
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,852
• Livability: 84
• Median household income: $45,611

Best known as home to the University of Florida, Gainesville sits in the state’s north-central region. Gainesville gets a livability score of 84 from AreaVibes, tying it with two other cities for the second highest on this list. Its median household income ranks last, however.

• Average home value in city: $254,478
• Amount below average home value in state: $148,414
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,457
• Livability: 82
• Median household income: $54,931

South Daytona sits just south of Daytona Beach on Florida’s east coast. Its average single-family home value comes in nearly $150,000 below the state average, which is the biggest delta among the cities on GBR’s list. South Daytona also offers the lowest average monthly mortgage at just $1,457.

• Average home value in city: $299,855
• Amount below average home value in state: $103,037
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,716
• Livability: 84
• Median household income: $66,981

Jacksonville sits in northeastern Florida, about 25 miles south of the Georgia border. With 961,739 residents, it’s by far the most populous city on GBR’s list. Jacksonville also gets a livability score of 84 from AreaVibes — tied for the second highest.

• Average home value in city: $304,235
• Amount below average home value in state: $98,657
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,741
• Livability: 85
• Median household income: $55,931

Florida’s capital is also one of its top hidden gem housing markets. Tallahassee boasts a strong livability score of 85, which ranks No. 1 among the cities on this list. It trails Jacksonville in population with 199,696 residents.

• Average home value in city: $287,167
• Amount below average home value in state: $115,725
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,644
• Livability: 84
• Median household income: $64,898

Titusville is located on Florida’s east coast, roughly 40 miles east of Orlando. Titusville’s livability score of 84 ties for second-best among the cities on GBR’s list. The average total monthly cost of living comes in at $3,605.

• Average home value in city: $260,455
• Amount below average home value in state: $142,437
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,491
• Livability: 83
• Median household income: $72,699

Pensacola is located in the far western part of the Florida Panhandle, right along the Gulf of Mexico. Pensacola’s total cost of living pencils out to $3,473 a month on average. Average home values here come in around $142,000 below the state average, offering the second-highest savings on GBR’s list.

Photo disclaimer: Imagery is representational and may not reflect exact locations listed.

Methodology: To identify the best hidden gem housing markets for 2025, GOBankingRates conducted a comprehensive analysis of cities across the U.S. The selection began with data from the Zillow Home Value Index, focusing on cities where the average single-family home value was at least $50,000 below the statewide average. Cities with a livability score below 70, sourced from AreaVibes, were excluded to ensure a baseline quality of life. Cost-of-living indexes were obtained from Sperling’s BestPlaces and paired with national average expenditure data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to estimate typical spending in each city. Assuming a 10% down payment and applying the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average monthly mortgage was calculated for each location. From there, the total necessity cost of living was determined by combining mortgage and expenditure estimates. Each city was then scored and weighted using the following weighted criteria: median household income (1.00), average mortgage cost (1.00), difference from statewide home value (2.00), and livability index (2.00). Final scores were then summed and ranked. All data is current as of Sept. 2, 2025.