With Florida’s excellent weather and Disney being nearby, you might expect it would be hard to find a cheap place to live. But Florida is cheap.
But where exactly are the most affordable places to live in Florida?
To identify the most affordable places to live in Florida, we used Saturday Night Science to look at housing costs relative to incomes for every place in the state. Cheaper places include suburbs of bigger cities like Miami and those a bit further from the coast.
But it’s Florida, so the beach is just a short drive away from some of the cheapest places to live in the Sunshine State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Florida
What is the cheapest place to live in Florida? The cheapest place to live in Florida is Marianna. A great place to live in the Sunshine State if you like paddling over lakes.
If you are looking for a cheap place to live by the beach, check out Perry, Florida. No matter where you end up with these top 10, you know you will have one thing: a bank that isn’t broke.
Check out some more reading about Florida and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Florida For 2026
/10
Population: 7,150
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 82
Median Income: $40,414
Median Home Price: $193,116
Median Rent: $861
Marianna is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,230 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County and is home to Chipola College. The official nickname of Marianna is “The City of Southern Charm.”
More on Marianna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Marianna is home to Florida Caverns State Park, a park built around a underground series of caves. Take a tour, you’ll learn a lot and cool off from the summer heat.
Florida Caverns State Park is the highlight of time. Tour the caves, but also take a deep in the Blue Hole, a nice deep swimming whole in the park. Also enjoy the extensive hiking trails. Watch out for mosquitoes, snakes, and poison ivy, as well as drunk rednecks.
/10
Population: 6,985
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 87
Median Income: $59,375
Median Home Price: $260,160
Median Rent: $903
Where Alligator HWY 90 meets Alligator HWY 129 is our second most affordable city in Florida for 2026, Live Oak. Located in northern Florida, agriculture, timber, and technology have been keeping the economy in this little Suwannee County city moving in right direction.
The median income, here, is close to $59,375 with average home prices up around $260,160. So it’s no surprise that Live Oak scored off our charts in terms of snackability. They are the 49th most affordable city when we looked at home price to income ratio. Affordability = happiness. We get why your city’s motto is “A Caring Community”.
More on Live Oak: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,650
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $32,021
Median Home Price: $206,962
Median Rent: $901
Palatka stands out as a beacon of budget-friendly living in Florida in the heart of Putnam County. It has a median home value of $206,962, securing the seventh lowest spot in Florida — a significant savings on housing.
Renters rejoice with an impressive income-to-rent ratio with a $901 average rent ranking as the sixth cheapest. You’ll also save on cheap things to do, like a visit to Ravine Gardens State Park or fishing along the St. Johns River.
More on Palatka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 9,457
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $54,926
Median Home Price: $310,229
Median Rent: $1,137
Like most cities on this list, Brooksville is another Central Florida town with high affordability. With a low overall cost of living index of 88, housing, services, and healthcare are all relatively cheap in Brooksville.
Brooksville maintains a high standard of living for its 9,457 residents. It shines as a stellar selection for those prioritizing wallet-wise choices without skimping on services. One of the cheap things to do in Brooksville is to visit the Withlacoochee State Forest
More on Brooksville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,382
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $44,184
Median Home Price: $238,871
Median Rent: $1,019
Sebring ranked as the fifth most affordable city in Florida. Its overall cost of living index of 89 is 15 points better than the state average.
Living in Sebring lets you ring in the new year with lower transportation, service, and grocery costs than other Florida cities. Instead, you can spend your money grabbing a ticket to Sebring International Raceway or visiting Lake Jackson.
More on Sebring: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,057
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $36,485
Median Home Price: $208,534
Median Rent: $921
Avon Park is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 8,836, and in 2015 the estimated population was 10,086. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
More on Avon Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 5,609
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $53,359
Median Home Price: $204,196
Median Rent: $1,116
Pahokee is a city located on the shore of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 6,459. Culturally, Pahokee is associated with the Florida Heartland, although officially it is a part of South Florida.
More on Pahokee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 5,225
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $36,657
Median Home Price: $230,316
Median Rent: $922
Located in Central Florida just East of Tampa, Fort Meade is the Sunshine State’s eighth most affordable city for 2026.
This little city in Polk County crushed our HomeSnack’s snackabiliy scale by earning an 8.5/10 for affordability. This first place could not have been accomplished without their blue ribbon for most affordable city in terms of home price to income ratio. And it couldn’t have happened without great jobs and a strong economy.
Word on the street is Fort Meade is popular with kayakers, canoers, and people who love legos. We think those activities are a great way to wind down after a long day of working to pay for Fort Meade’s low cost of living.
More on Fort Meade: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 7,942
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $32,125
Median Home Price: $174,454
Median Rent: $1,047
For a city to be truly hip, it needs to be affordable.
Once a tobacco manufacturing hub, Quincy scored a 7/10 for affordability and a 9/10 for diversity. We think that makes Quincy truly hip; and thus, affordable. More importantly, this little city in Gadsden County is our ninth most affordable city in Florida for 2026.
Coca Cola also made a lot of Quincy residents wealthy. Do we think that has something to do with why the city is so great and so affordable? Probably. Either way, Quincy, you are ‘The Heart of Florida’s Future.’
More on Quincy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 6,360
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $52,928
Median Home Price: $246,080
Median Rent: $1,556
More on Pembroke Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Cheapest places to live in Florida FAQs
The county in Florida with the lowest cost of living is Suwannee County. The average living wage in Suwannee County is $78,392 according to MIT data. Suwannee County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Florida as a whole. Childcare costs $11,498 a year in Suwannee County for two children compared to the Florida average of $16,916. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,808 per year in Suwannee County compared to $15,237 on average in Florida.
The cost of living in Florida is 2.4% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Florida is $91,891 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Florida household is $57,703.
The cheapest housing market in Florida is Pembroke Park. The average home value in Pembroke Park is $47,100, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Florida is $232,000, almost 4.9 times higher than Pembroke Park.
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The county in Florida with the lowest cost of living is Suwannee County. The average living wage in Suwannee County is $78,392 according to MIT data. Suwannee County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Florida as a whole. Childcare costs $11,498 a year in Suwannee County for two children compared to the Florida average of $16,916. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,808 per year in Suwannee County compared to $15,237 on average in Florida.
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The cost of living in Florida is 2.4% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Florida is $91,891 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Florida household is $57,703.
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The cheapest housing market in Florida is Pembroke Park. The average home value in Pembroke Park is $47,100, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Florida is $232,000, almost 4.9 times higher than Pembroke Park.
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Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Sunshine State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Florida boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Florida using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Florida to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 222 places in Florida that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Florida with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Marianna.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Florida.
Florida Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Florida for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Florida.
The cheapest cities in Florida are Marianna, Live Oak, Palatka, Brooksville, Sebring, Avon Park, Pahokee, Fort Meade, Quincy, and Pembroke Park.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Florida according to the data:
- Key Biscayne
- Palm Beach
- Naples
For more Florida reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marianna | 7,150 | 82 | $40,414 | $193,116 | $861 |
| 2 | Live Oak | 6,985 | 87 | $59,375 | $260,160 | $903 |
| 3 | Palatka | 10,650 | 88 | $32,021 | $206,962 | $901 |
| 4 | Brooksville | 9,457 | 88 | $54,926 | $310,229 | $1,137 |
| 5 | Sebring | 11,382 | 89 | $44,184 | $238,871 | $1,019 |
| 6 | Avon Park | 10,057 | 89 | $36,485 | $208,534 | $921 |
| 7 | Pahokee | 5,609 | 90 | $53,359 | $204,196 | $1,116 |
| 8 | Fort Meade | 5,225 | 90 | $36,657 | $230,316 | $922 |
| 9 | Quincy | 7,942 | 91 | $32,125 | $174,454 | $1,047 |
| 10 | Pembroke Park | 6,360 | 91 | $52,928 | $246,080 | $1,556 |
| 11 | Belleview | 5,805 | 91 | $57,813 | $257,987 | $1,257 |
| 12 | New Port Richey | 17,425 | 92 | $47,606 | $289,101 | $1,193 |
| 13 | Belle Glade | 16,972 | 92 | $48,001 | $285,193 | $898 |
| 14 | Perry | 7,068 | 92 | $40,898 | $178,828 | $986 |
| 15 | Inverness | 7,770 | 93 | $43,523 | $239,816 | $975 |
| 16 | Arcadia | 7,707 | 93 | $39,677 | $243,509 | $956 |
| 17 | Lake City | 12,515 | 94 | $56,472 | $262,276 | $1,040 |
| 18 | Starke | 5,877 | 94 | $52,258 | $230,235 | $840 |
| 19 | DeFuniak Springs | 6,532 | 95 | $54,512 | $210,747 | $1,024 |
| 20 | Labelle | 5,184 | 95 | $53,309 | $213,886 | $1,650 |
| 21 | South Bay | 5,102 | 95 | $51,417 | $233,446 | $1,085 |
| 22 | Springfield | 8,230 | 96 | $54,462 | $211,774 | $1,307 |
| 23 | Lauderdale Lakes | 36,404 | 97 | $50,006 | $140,910 | $1,663 |
| 24 | Bartow | 20,438 | 97 | $68,178 | $277,441 | $1,142 |
| 25 | Zephyrhills | 19,668 | 97 | $52,108 | $304,731 | $1,148 |
| 26 | Cocoa | 19,554 | 97 | $63,105 | $296,004 | $1,274 |
| 27 | Fort Pierce | 49,082 | 98 | $47,072 | $277,925 | $1,217 |
| 28 | Holly Hill | 13,084 | 98 | $55,412 | $197,817 | $1,431 |
| 29 | Dade City | 8,152 | 98 | $70,107 | $320,848 | $1,061 |
| 30 | Clewiston | 7,348 | 98 | $57,222 | $253,570 | $763 |
| 31 | Lake Alfred | 7,277 | 98 | $67,202 | $307,548 | $1,349 |
| 32 | Okeechobee | 5,479 | 98 | $57,044 | $287,583 | $1,061 |
| 33 | Winter Haven | 55,200 | 99 | $59,648 | $275,360 | $1,246 |
| 34 | Dundee | 5,863 | 99 | $48,668 | $268,079 | $1,628 |
| 35 | Ocala | 66,584 | 100 | $56,376 | $269,576 | $1,359 |
| 36 | Eustis | 24,119 | 100 | $65,373 | $336,437 | $1,135 |
| 37 | Palmetto | 13,588 | 100 | $62,621 | $350,684 | $1,366 |
| 38 | Milton | 10,733 | 100 | $76,301 | $284,184 | $1,455 |
| 39 | Largo | 82,617 | 101 | $62,096 | $332,209 | $1,618 |
| 40 | Panama City | 34,979 | 101 | $62,265 | $283,255 | $1,327 |
| 41 | Crestview | 28,773 | 101 | $65,480 | $289,578 | $1,366 |
| 42 | Palm Springs | 27,356 | 101 | $61,739 | $267,611 | $1,669 |
| 43 | Tavares | 20,463 | 101 | $58,886 | $310,772 | $1,496 |
| 44 | Opa-locka | 16,282 | 101 | $37,532 | $468,451 | $1,351 |
| 45 | South Daytona | 13,543 | 101 | $56,579 | $244,952 | $1,379 |
| 46 | Callaway | 13,496 | 101 | $65,609 | $260,914 | $1,322 |
| 47 | Pinellas Park | 53,560 | 102 | $63,432 | $298,643 | $1,631 |
| 48 | Titusville | 49,385 | 102 | $66,192 | $270,988 | $1,334 |
| 49 | Plant City | 40,887 | 102 | $67,439 | $340,764 | $1,409 |
| 50 | Haines City | 34,234 | 102 | $65,975 | $296,317 | $1,224 |
| 51 | Leesburg | 30,807 | 102 | $52,880 | $277,247 | $1,258 |
| 52 | Lake Wales | 16,785 | 102 | $56,347 | $246,149 | $1,110 |
| 53 | Orange City | 14,372 | 102 | $57,800 | $290,439 | $1,607 |
| 54 | Green Cove Springs | 10,044 | 102 | $75,142 | $336,931 | $1,114 |
| 55 | Mascotte | 7,949 | 102 | $83,878 | $319,222 | $1,529 |
| 56 | Macclenny | 7,748 | 102 | $73,942 | $304,596 | $1,384 |
| 57 | Daytona Beach | 78,992 | 103 | $52,058 | $247,128 | $1,328 |
| 58 | Auburndale | 18,530 | 103 | $77,911 | $303,497 | $1,208 |
| 59 | Lady Lake | 16,675 | 103 | $46,074 | $336,326 | $1,387 |
| 60 | Kenneth City | 5,012 | 103 | $49,347 | $295,621 | $1,649 |
| 61 | Gainesville | 145,702 | 104 | $46,195 | $297,055 | $1,296 |
| 62 | Palm Bay | 130,132 | 104 | $72,614 | $302,461 | $1,601 |
| 63 | Lakeland | 119,961 | 104 | $64,185 | $311,156 | $1,395 |
| 64 | Edgewater | 23,627 | 104 | $60,977 | $291,763 | $1,309 |
| 65 | High Springs | 6,544 | 104 | $94,421 | $330,416 | $1,878 |
| 66 | Deltona | 97,334 | 105 | $76,924 | $297,466 | $1,711 |
| 67 | Sweetwater | 20,085 | 105 | $54,967 | $438,052 | $1,771 |
| 68 | Florida City | 12,943 | 105 | $47,482 | $372,463 | $1,362 |
| 69 | Melbourne | 86,576 | 106 | $66,991 | $356,353 | $1,525 |
| 70 | Bradenton | 57,014 | 106 | $60,822 | $353,217 | $1,618 |
| 71 | Casselberry | 30,135 | 106 | $62,447 | $346,839 | $1,674 |
| 72 | Tarpon Springs | 25,791 | 106 | $79,529 | $388,385 | $1,298 |
| 73 | West Park | 15,249 | 106 | $65,952 | $422,622 | $2,014 |
| 74 | Kissimmee | 81,479 | 107 | $53,758 | $358,736 | $1,647 |
| 75 | Tamarac | 73,019 | 107 | $61,718 | $295,511 | $1,895 |
| 76 | Sanford | 63,730 | 107 | $66,891 | $342,584 | $1,609 |
| 77 | Pensacola | 54,036 | 107 | $74,212 | $265,791 | $1,322 |
| 78 | Altamonte Springs | 46,116 | 107 | $64,070 | $294,423 | $1,740 |
| 79 | Greenacres | 44,373 | 107 | $70,491 | $283,094 | $1,756 |
| 80 | Dania Beach | 32,180 | 107 | $52,748 | $326,898 | $1,781 |
| 81 | Fort Walton Beach | 21,025 | 107 | $68,538 | $324,007 | $1,307 |
| 82 | Newberry | 7,865 | 107 | $89,552 | $330,551 | $2,100 |
| 83 | Tallahassee | 201,875 | 108 | $57,409 | $291,126 | $1,293 |
| 84 | Deerfield Beach | 88,093 | 108 | $59,730 | $273,229 | $1,774 |
| 85 | Lauderhill | 74,896 | 108 | $51,165 | $213,843 | $1,684 |
| 86 | North Miami | 60,344 | 108 | $57,188 | $416,687 | $1,702 |
| 87 | North Miami Beach | 43,898 | 108 | $63,280 | $447,840 | $1,750 |
| 88 | DeLand | 41,611 | 108 | $71,863 | $346,257 | $1,355 |
| 89 | Sebastian | 26,262 | 108 | $69,409 | $346,765 | $1,451 |
| 90 | Seminole | 19,396 | 108 | $75,774 | $380,864 | $1,708 |
| 91 | Wildwood | 17,608 | 108 | $76,552 | $293,834 | $1,519 |
| 92 | Alachua | 10,743 | 108 | $83,464 | $331,489 | $1,284 |
| 93 | Lake Park | 9,081 | 108 | $70,954 | $403,255 | $1,600 |
| 94 | Orange Park | 9,055 | 108 | $77,106 | $309,406 | $1,429 |
| 95 | South Pasadena | 5,320 | 108 | $53,075 | $304,627 | $1,792 |
| 96 | Jacksonville | 977,670 | 109 | $69,872 | $282,894 | $1,465 |
| 97 | Port Orange | 64,767 | 109 | $74,426 | $335,496 | $1,634 |
| 98 | North Lauderdale | 45,234 | 109 | $63,326 | $348,539 | $2,081 |
| 99 | Ormond Beach | 43,976 | 109 | $69,177 | $362,275 | $1,411 |
| 100 | Stuart | 18,520 | 109 | $60,225 | $378,040 | $1,586 |