You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Florida. Best suburbs in Florida. Best counties in Florida.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Sunshine State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Florida based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Florida ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$145,485 median income · 3.5% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$137,899 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$127,763 median income · 1.5% unemployment
$131,118 median income · 1.6% unemployment
$129,000 median income · 2.4% unemployment
$156,037 median income · 2.1% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$122,500 median income · 3.2% unemployment
$115,739 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$164,063 median income · 3.6% unemployment
$78,404 median income · 0.0% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Florida’s statewide median.
Florida statewide median: $74,568
Florida statewide median: $375,662
Florida statewide median: 4.8%
On the map
Where Florida’s best small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Florida
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Florida possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 270 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 270, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Florida. Top of that list — Highland Beach.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in Florida.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In Florida
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Beach | 4,311 | $145,485 | $887,063 | 3.5% |
| 2 | St. George Island | 1,133 | $137,899 | $725,163 | 0.0% |
| 3 | Bay Hill | 4,512 | $127,763 | $874,555 | 1.5% |
| 4 | Vineyards | 3,849 | $131,118 | $682,051 | 1.6% |
| 5 | Sewall’s Point | 1,938 | $129,000 | $1,571,919 | 2.4% |
| 6 | Indian River Shores | 4,386 | $156,037 | $1,350,607 | 2.1% |
| 7 | Sawgrass | 4,929 | $122,500 | $929,736 | 3.2% |
| 8 | Wabasso Beach | 2,262 | $115,739 | $684,457 | 0.0% |
| 9 | Belleair Beach | 1,526 | $164,063 | $878,616 | 3.6% |
| 10 | Plantation | 4,531 | $78,404 | $496,174 | 0.0% |
| 11 | Redington Shores | 2,009 | $106,250 | $667,111 | 1.5% |
| 12 | Belleair | 4,428 | $117,083 | $718,638 | 5.5% |
| 13 | Windermere | 3,086 | $177,778 | $705,137 | 2.5% |
| 14 | Harbor Bluffs | 3,076 | $140,972 | $642,554 | 5.2% |
| 15 | Melbourne Beach | 3,250 | $102,857 | $624,118 | 3.1% |
| 16 | South Beach | 3,063 | $193,594 | $942,502 | 6.3% |
| 17 | Atlantis | 2,038 | $116,715 | $659,762 | 3.9% |
| 18 | Cabana Colony | 2,045 | $89,875 | $456,863 | 1.2% |
| 19 | Manasota Key | 1,711 | $142,250 | $722,338 | 3.9% |
| 20 | Indian Shores | 1,243 | $109,125 | $638,467 | 0.0% |
| 21 | Tierra Verde | 4,108 | $150,747 | $792,633 | 5.2% |
| 22 | El Portal | 1,809 | $108,167 | $838,138 | 4.3% |
| 23 | Indian Rocks Beach | 3,664 | $98,611 | $776,860 | 3.8% |
| 24 | Oakland | 3,646 | $152,195 | $561,314 | 1.6% |
| 25 | Vamo | 2,936 | $88,025 | $381,312 | 5.0% |
| 26 | Montverde | 2,249 | $97,031 | $686,828 | 1.1% |
| 27 | Indialantic | 3,065 | $104,184 | $610,217 | 5.2% |
| 28 | Hillsboro Beach | 2,271 | $94,432 | $509,937 | 7.9% |
| 29 | St. Augustine South | 4,714 | $75,996 | $363,523 | 2.6% |
| 30 | Verona Walk | 2,695 | $66,411 | $625,754 | 2.8% |
| 31 | Lake Clarke Shores | 3,587 | $156,696 | $650,574 | 6.6% |
| 32 | Redington Beach | 1,271 | $104,803 | $705,163 | 2.6% |
| 33 | Ocean Ridge | 1,537 | $128,750 | $1,451,409 | 2.6% |
| 34 | Edgewood | 2,758 | $81,481 | $483,107 | 1.2% |
| 35 | Navarre Beach | 1,558 | $130,307 | $816,096 | 2.0% |
| 36 | South Sarasota | 4,837 | $92,933 | $816,410 | 5.8% |
| 37 | Holmes Beach | 3,047 | $88,333 | $961,440 | 5.6% |
| 38 | West Bradenton | 3,991 | $116,272 | $444,829 | 0.3% |
| 39 | Tiger Point | 3,628 | $118,967 | $447,759 | 5.7% |
| 40 | Laguna Beach | 3,830 | $76,607 | $458,433 | 2.8% |
| 41 | Ponce Inlet | 3,435 | $102,200 | $525,625 | 2.2% |
| 42 | Key Vista | 1,418 | $75,114 | $393,137 | 0.0% |
| 43 | Virginia Gardens | 2,423 | $70,469 | $600,367 | 3.7% |
| 44 | Juno Beach | 3,890 | $83,821 | $840,687 | 9.7% |
| 45 | Island Walk | 2,722 | $81,103 | $698,898 | 14.0% |
| 46 | Feather Sound | 3,476 | $87,986 | $435,098 | 2.8% |
| 47 | Malabar | 3,066 | $128,698 | $530,135 | 0.0% |
| 48 | Oriole Beach | 2,005 | $88,154 | $341,130 | 1.7% |
| 49 | Palm Shores | 1,458 | $77,500 | $442,693 | 1.7% |
| 50 | Zellwood | 3,228 | $70,278 | $333,786 | 0.9% |
| 51 | San Antonio | 1,446 | $94,342 | $348,846 | 3.9% |
| 52 | Eglin AFB | 2,778 | $84,167 | $0 | 2.7% |
| 53 | Big Coppitt Key | 3,109 | $105,139 | $781,684 | 3.8% |
| 54 | Lake Mary Jane | 1,792 | $145,658 | $562,864 | 3.1% |
| 55 | Burnt Store Marina | 2,157 | $93,250 | $450,061 | 9.4% |
| 56 | Wabasso | 1,467 | $59,006 | $420,029 | 1.7% |
| 57 | North Key Largo | 1,808 | $149,605 | $2,092,823 | 2.6% |
| 58 | South Palm Beach | 1,576 | $91,750 | $373,251 | 2.3% |
| 59 | Greenbriar | 2,283 | $73,299 | $369,592 | 3.6% |
| 60 | Woodlawn Beach | 3,414 | $123,355 | $422,645 | 4.0% |
| 61 | Valparaiso | 4,885 | $90,110 | $332,779 | 4.4% |
| 62 | Pretty Bayou | 2,906 | $85,208 | $312,772 | 4.7% |
| 63 | North Redington Beach | 1,404 | $103,250 | $664,684 | 8.4% |
| 64 | Bear Creek | 2,179 | $66,923 | $390,416 | 1.1% |
| 65 | Stock Island | 4,162 | $65,515 | $668,865 | 1.8% |
| 66 | June Park | 4,255 | $88,243 | $430,284 | 4.0% |
| 67 | Lely | 3,804 | $69,846 | $341,235 | 2.1% |
| 68 | Heritage Pines | 1,477 | $70,542 | $302,203 | 0.0% |
| 69 | Rio Pinar | 4,985 | $99,881 | $407,577 | 3.9% |
| 70 | Palm Beach Shores | 1,248 | $86,786 | $805,971 | 9.1% |
| 71 | Biscayne Park | 3,085 | $77,083 | $927,080 | 2.2% |
| 72 | Grant-Valkaria | 4,921 | $119,583 | $534,695 | 0.7% |
| 73 | Lake Sarasota | 3,595 | $92,429 | $398,683 | 3.0% |
| 74 | Butler Beach | 4,610 | $76,689 | $515,985 | 11.1% |
| 75 | Madeira Beach | 3,953 | $75,781 | $635,855 | 2.6% |
| 76 | Charlotte Park | 1,966 | $60,302 | $304,296 | 4.2% |
| 77 | Bal Harbour | 3,055 | $80,806 | $1,942,193 | 9.4% |
| 78 | Howey-in-the-Hills | 2,153 | $95,833 | $405,170 | 2.6% |
| 79 | Winter Beach | 4,985 | $92,394 | $494,115 | 7.7% |
| 80 | Cudjoe Key | 2,492 | $87,500 | $897,193 | 2.5% |
| 81 | Lake Belvedere Estates | 2,672 | $76,036 | $456,044 | 7.9% |
| 82 | Belleair Bluffs | 2,070 | $58,953 | $381,263 | 4.6% |
| 83 | Yalaha | 1,404 | $121,027 | $335,821 | 0.0% |
| 84 | Punta Rassa | 1,335 | $91,000 | $617,173 | 8.3% |
| 85 | Geneva | 3,441 | $132,981 | $581,983 | 0.4% |
| 86 | Hutchinson Island South | 4,175 | $65,871 | $425,680 | 3.9% |
| 87 | Wallace | 4,202 | $116,496 | $419,297 | 1.4% |
| 88 | Holley | 2,487 | $104,565 | $434,574 | 0.0% |
| 89 | Samsula-Spruce Creek | 4,852 | $97,805 | $464,083 | 2.2% |
| 90 | Roseland | 2,142 | $63,929 | $345,839 | 0.0% |
| 91 | North River Shores | 3,633 | $75,896 | $324,178 | 4.6% |
| 92 | Molino | 1,447 | $74,753 | $373,576 | 0.0% |
| 93 | Mary Esther | 4,061 | $76,890 | $324,890 | 5.6% |
| 94 | Lower Grand Lagoon | 4,287 | $74,044 | $415,634 | 2.5% |
| 95 | Buckingham | 4,311 | $112,568 | $451,108 | 1.9% |
| 96 | Big Pine Key | 4,258 | $110,134 | $736,013 | 1.9% |
| 97 | Venice Gardens | 3,280 | $70,811 | $363,314 | 5.7% |
| 98 | Haverhill | 2,823 | $79,787 | $498,704 | 4.7% |
| 99 | Rio | 1,232 | $91,953 | $317,900 | 17.6% |
| 100 | Boulevard Gardens | 1,499 | $70,458 | $264,637 | 0.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 270 Florida towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in Florida are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Florida are Highland Beach, St. George Island, Bay Hill, Vineyards, Sewall’s Point, Indian River Shores, Sawgrass, Wabasso Beach, Belleair Beach, and Plantation. Not sold on Florida? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Small Towns In Florida FAQs
What is the best small town to live in Florida?
Highland Beach is the best small town in Florida for 2026. The median household income there is $145,485 and the median home costs $887,063. St. George Island and Bay Hill round out the top three.
What are the best small towns in Florida?
The best small towns in Florida are Highland Beach, St. George Island, Bay Hill, Vineyards, Sewall’s Point, Indian River Shores, Sawgrass, Wabasso Beach, Belleair Beach, and Plantation. We ranked all 270 Florida towns with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
What counts as a small town?
For this ranking, a small town is any Florida place with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents. 270 towns fit that window this year.
How do you rank the best small towns in Florida?
Each town is scored on density, unemployment, housing costs, income, education, insurance coverage, and commute times, using Census American Community Survey data. The town with the best average across all of it, Highland Beach, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Highland Beach?
The median home in Highland Beach runs $887,063, against $375,662 across Florida as a whole. Pair that with a $145,485 median household income, and you can see why it ranks so well.
