The 10 Best Small Towns In Florida For 2026


The best small towns in Florida are Highland Beach and St. George Island for 2026 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: April 18, 2026

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Florida. Best sururbs 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.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Florida For 2026

  1. Highland Beach
  2. St. George Island
  3. Bay Hill
  4. Vineyards
  5. Sewall’s Point
  6. Indian River Shores
  7. Sawgrass
  8. Wabasso Beach
  9. Belleair Beach
  10. Plantation
  11. Redington Shores
  12. Belleair
  13. Windermere
  14. Harbor Bluffs
  15. Melbourne Beach

Best Small Towns To Live In Florida Map

What’s the best small town in Florida? Highland Beach is the best small town in Florida based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Highland Beach, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Sunshine State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Florida For 2026

1. Highland Beach

Highland Beach, FL

Source: Wikipedia User | CC-BY-SA-3.0
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 4,311
Median Income: $145,485 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $887,062 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%

2. St. George Island

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,133
Median Income: $137,899 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $725,162 (25th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

3. Bay Hill

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,512
Median Income: $127,763 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $874,555 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%

4. Vineyards

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 3,849
Median Income: $131,118 (17th Best)
Median Home Value: $682,050 (33rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%

5. Sewall’s Point

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 1,938
Median Income: $129,000 (19th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,571,918 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%

6. Indian River Shores

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 4,386
Median Income: $156,037 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,350,607 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

7. Sawgrass

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 4,929
Median Income: $122,500 (24th Best)
Median Home Value: $929,736 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%

8. Wabasso Beach

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,262
Median Income: $115,739 (33rd Best)
Median Home Value: $684,457 (32nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

9. Belleair Beach

Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 1,526
Median Income: $164,063 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $878,616 (12th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

10. Plantation

Plantation, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Ebyabe | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 4,531
Median Income: $78,404 (95th Best)
Median Home Value: $496,173 (61st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

11. Redington Shores

Redington Shores, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Philipp Michel Reichold | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,009
Median Income: $106,250 (39th Best)
Median Home Value: $667,110 (35th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%

12. Belleair

Belleair, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Mikereichold | CC BY-SA 2.5
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 4,428
Median Income: $117,083 (28th Best)
Median Home Value: $718,637 (27th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%

13. Windermere

Windermere, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 3,086
Median Income: $177,778 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $705,136 (29th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%

14. Harbor Bluffs

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 3,076
Median Income: $140,972 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $642,553 (39th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%

15. Melbourne Beach

Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 3,250
Median Income: $102,857 (46th Best)
Median Home Value: $624,117 (43rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

Best States In America

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.

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 15 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.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Florida:

  1. Crescent City
  2. Montura
  3. Gretna

For more Florida reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Florida

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Highland Beach, FL 4,311 $145,485 3.5%
2 St. George Island, FL 1,133 $137,899 0.0%
3 Bay Hill, FL 4,512 $127,763 1.5%
4 Vineyards, FL 3,849 $131,118 1.6%
5 Sewall’s Point, FL 1,938 $129,000 2.4%
6 Indian River Shores, FL 4,386 $156,037 2.1%
7 Sawgrass, FL 4,929 $122,500 3.2%
8 Wabasso Beach, FL 2,262 $115,739 0.0%
9 Belleair Beach, FL 1,526 $164,063 3.6%
10 Plantation, FL 4,531 $78,404 0.0%
11 Redington Shores, FL 2,009 $106,250 1.5%
12 Belleair, FL 4,428 $117,083 5.5%
13 Windermere, FL 3,086 $177,778 2.5%
14 Harbor Bluffs, FL 3,076 $140,972 5.2%
15 Melbourne Beach, FL 3,250 $102,857 3.1%
16 South Beach, FL 3,063 $193,594 6.3%
17 Atlantis, FL 2,038 $116,715 3.9%
18 Cabana Colony, FL 2,045 $89,875 1.2%
19 Manasota Key, FL 1,711 $142,250 3.9%
20 Indian Shores, FL 1,243 $109,125 0.0%
21 Tierra Verde, FL 4,108 $150,747 5.2%
22 El Portal, FL 1,809 $108,167 4.3%
23 Indian Rocks Beach, FL 3,664 $98,611 3.8%
24 Oakland, FL 3,646 $152,195 1.6%
25 Vamo, FL 2,936 $88,025 5.0%
26 Montverde, FL 2,249 $97,031 1.1%
27 Indialantic, FL 3,065 $104,184 5.2%
28 Hillsboro Beach, FL 2,271 $94,432 7.9%
29 St. Augustine South, FL 4,714 $75,996 2.6%
30 Verona Walk, FL 2,695 $66,411 2.8%
31 Lake Clarke Shores, FL 3,587 $156,696 6.6%
32 Redington Beach, FL 1,271 $104,803 2.6%
33 Ocean Ridge, FL 1,537 $128,750 2.6%
34 Edgewood, FL 2,758 $81,481 1.2%
35 Navarre Beach, FL 1,558 $130,307 2.0%
36 South Sarasota, FL 4,837 $92,933 5.8%
37 Holmes Beach, FL 3,047 $88,333 5.6%
38 West Bradenton, FL 3,991 $116,272 0.3%
39 Tiger Point, FL 3,628 $118,967 5.7%
40 Laguna Beach, FL 3,830 $76,607 2.8%
41 Ponce Inlet, FL 3,435 $102,200 2.2%
42 Key Vista, FL 1,418 $75,114 0.0%
43 Virginia Gardens, FL 2,423 $70,469 3.7%
44 Juno Beach, FL 3,890 $83,821 9.7%
45 Island Walk, FL 2,722 $81,103 14.0%
46 Feather Sound, FL 3,476 $87,986 2.8%
47 Malabar, FL 3,066 $128,698 0.0%
48 Oriole Beach, FL 2,005 $88,154 1.7%
49 Palm Shores, FL 1,458 $77,500 1.7%
50 Zellwood, FL 3,228 $70,278 0.9%
51 San Antonio, FL 1,446 $94,342 3.9%
52 Eglin Afb, FL 2,778 $84,167 2.7%
53 Big Coppitt Key, FL 3,109 $105,139 3.8%
54 Lake Mary Jane, FL 1,792 $145,658 3.1%
55 Burnt Store Marina, FL 2,157 $93,250 9.4%
56 Wabasso, FL 1,467 $59,006 1.7%
57 North Key Largo, FL 1,808 $149,605 2.6%
58 South Palm Beach, FL 1,576 $91,750 2.3%
59 Greenbriar, FL 2,283 $73,299 3.6%
60 Woodlawn Beach, FL 3,414 $123,355 4.0%
61 Valparaiso, FL 4,885 $90,110 4.4%
62 Pretty Bayou, FL 2,906 $85,208 4.7%
63 North Redington Beach, FL 1,404 $103,250 8.4%
64 Bear Creek, FL 2,179 $66,923 1.1%
65 Stock Island, FL 4,162 $65,515 1.8%
66 June Park, FL 4,255 $88,243 4.0%
67 Lely, FL 3,804 $69,846 2.1%
68 Heritage Pines, FL 1,477 $70,542 0.0%
69 Rio Pinar, FL 4,985 $99,881 3.9%
70 Palm Beach Shores, FL 1,248 $86,786 9.1%
71 Biscayne Park, FL 3,085 $77,083 2.2%
72 Grant-Valkaria, FL 4,921 $119,583 0.7%
73 Lake Sarasota, FL 3,595 $92,429 3.0%
74 Butler Beach, FL 4,610 $76,689 11.1%
75 Madeira Beach, FL 3,953 $75,781 2.6%
76 Charlotte Park, FL 1,966 $60,302 4.2%
77 Bal Harbour, FL 3,055 $80,806 9.4%
78 Howey-In-The-Hills, FL 2,153 $95,833 2.6%
79 Winter Beach, FL 4,985 $92,394 7.7%
80 Cudjoe Key, FL 2,492 $87,500 2.5%
81 Lake Belvedere Estates, FL 2,672 $76,036 7.9%
82 Belleair Bluffs, FL 2,070 $58,953 4.6%
83 Yalaha, FL 1,404 $121,027 0.0%
84 Punta Rassa, FL 1,335 $91,000 8.3%
85 Geneva, FL 3,441 $132,981 0.4%
86 Hutchinson Island South, FL 4,175 $65,871 3.9%
87 Wallace, FL 4,202 $116,496 1.4%
88 Holley, FL 2,487 $104,565 0.0%
89 Samsula-Spruce Creek, FL 4,852 $97,805 2.2%
90 Roseland, FL 2,142 $63,929 0.0%
91 North River Shores, FL 3,633 $75,896 4.6%
92 Molino, FL 1,447 $74,753 0.0%
93 Mary Esther, FL 4,061 $76,890 5.6%
94 Lower Grand Lagoon, FL 4,287 $74,044 2.5%
95 Buckingham, FL 4,311 $112,568 1.9%
96 Big Pine Key, FL 4,258 $110,134 1.9%
97 Venice Gardens, FL 3,280 $70,811 5.7%
98 Haverhill, FL 2,823 $79,787 4.7%
99 Rio, FL 1,232 $91,953 17.6%
100 Boulevard Gardens, FL 1,499 $70,458 0.0%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings