CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

27.18° N · 80.29° W · GEOID 1254175

Palm City

Martin County, Florida · part of the Port St. Lucie, FL metro

FloridaPalm City, FLPalm CityPalm City

The short answer

Palm City is home to 26,371 people. Median household income is $125,820 a year and median rent is $2,013 a month, 19.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $563,400, about 4.5x annual median household income.

The story in Palm City is how fast things are changing. Household income rose 8.2% a year while rent rose 4.5% between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, pay gained on rent more than in 97% of places its size. Also notable: About 0 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, fewer than in 91% of places its size. It is the lowest of 474 Florida places we track.

42OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

Palm City scores better than 42% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 141st of 474 in Florida.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%47
Economy 20%68
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%21
Education 10%76
Commute 10%15
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,013
47% above the median place
Median household income
$125,820
57% above the median place
Median home value
$563,400
76% above the median place
Unemployment
4.8%
1% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Palm City

Martin County gains about 10.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in10,267
Moved out8,932
Net+1,335

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Florida, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within FloridaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$143K
Leavers$90K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Martin County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.6% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Martin County report $142,900 a year in income on average; those leaving, $90,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$80,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,013 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,824 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $563,400.
Getting to work
32 minutes each way on average; 24.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Tanque Verde, AZ matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
2.6%
31% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
5.7%
0% below the median place
Income of households moving in7
$142,932
103% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.7%0% below
Moved from another state12.6%31% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure10.2above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$142,932103% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$90,11928% above
02

What it costs to live here

90% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 97% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Palm City19.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$80,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.2%
6% below the median place
Home price to income
4.5x
18% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$104,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Palm City, $2,013 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.5 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Palm City, but easier on the budget

Places that match Palm City on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Tanque Verde, AZ8013.3% vs 19.2%$3,400Compare
Keller, TX7814.7% vs 19.2%$44,800Compare
Tyrone, GA7610.5% vs 19.2%$19,800Compare
Lake Norman of Iredell, NC749.2% vs 19.2%$57,700Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Palm City.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Palm City? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
89.7%
35% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,824
51% above the median place
Median home value1
$563,400
76% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,01347% above
Rent to income119.2%6% below
Property tax rate10.8%10% below
Home price to income14.5x18% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure100.21% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,06928% above
HUD area median income4County figure$102,0005% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,64342% above
Median home value1$563,40076% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure-1.7%below (median 3.2%)
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure66.7%29% above
Homeownership189.7%35% above
Renters paying 30%+148.6%4% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,82451% above
Vacant homes110.8%53% above
Median year built119931% above
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 0 bus and rail stops per square mile, fewer than in 88% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 474 Florida places we track.

Income per person1
$66,506
66% above the median place
Works from home1
24.7%
98% above the median place
Median household income1
$125,820
57% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute32 min +28%
Poverty rate5.6% −48%
Unemployment4.8% −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$125,82057% above
Income per person1$66,50666% above
Unemployment14.8%1% below
Average annual pay6County figure$62,2346% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.7%27% above
Jobs6County figure77,91848% below
Poverty rate15.6%48% below
Mean commute132 min28% above
Works from home124.7%98% above
Commutes by transit1County figure0.3%61% below
04

Who lives here

The median resident is 52.1 years old, older than in 97% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Median age1
52.1
34% above the median place
High school or higher1
97.1%
5% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
47.6%
48% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband95.1% +3%
No health insurance4.7% −27%
Born abroad7.4% −16%
Household size2.5 +1%
All 8 people measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population126,3711754th largest
Median age152.134% above
Bachelor's or higher147.6%48% above
High school or higher197.1%5% above
Household size12.51% above
Born abroad17.4%16% below
No health insurance14.7%27% below
Homes with broadband195.1%3% above
05

Life in Palm City

The nearest National Park Service site is Big Cypress National Preserve, about 97 miles away.

14 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents4.2 −59%
Playgrounds per 10k5.3 −44%
Grocery stores per 10k1.1 −46%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k7.6 −32%
Libraries per 10k0.8 −13%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Big Cypress National Preserve 97 miles
  • Canaveral National Seashore 114 miles
  • Biscayne National Park 116 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars27.6 +33%
Shops49.4 +63%
Arts, recreation and fitness8.1 +98%
Doctors' offices and clinics32.7 +62%
Child care centers1.3 −43%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
96.6
214% above the median place
Shops per 10k8
49.4
63% above the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
1.3
43% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure36300% above
Public school students12County figure18,316274% above
Students per teacher12County figure17.916% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure27.633% above
Shops per 10k8County figure49.463% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure8.198% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure32.762% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.343% below
Parks per 10k94.259% below
Playgrounds per 10k95.344% below
Grocery stores per 10k91.146% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k97.632% below
Libraries per 10k90.813% below
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1096.6214% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11County figure148% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

January average low is 54°F, 115% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Palm City. Larger places are fetched first.

January average low13
54°F
115% above the median place
Average temperature13
75°F
36% above the median place
Hurricane risk14
98.7
40% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasurePalm CityAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure91°F5% above
January average low13County figure54°F115% above
Average temperature13County figure75°F36% above
Annual precipitation13County figure55.6 in27% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure94.12% above
Hurricane risk14County figure98.740% above
Tornado risk14County figure74.88% below
Wildfire risk14County figure90.448% above
Heat wave risk14County figure67.825% below
Median air quality index15County figure407% below
Good air days15County figure79.5%16% above
08

Palm City in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Palm City does better than 48% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 70%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,013/mo (2024)$2,570/mo$2,110 to $3,130/mo+4.1%
Median household income$125,820 (2024)$161,500$136,500 to $191,000+4.2%
Median home value$563,400 (2024)$819,000$595,000 to $1,128,000+6.4%

The median home would be worth 5.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Palm City

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Amityville, NY$2,247$106,285Compare
Hull, MA$2,081$115,485Compare
East Lake, FL$1,942$99,333Compare
Bethpage, NY$2,014$122,257Compare
Bethpage, NYEast Lake, FLHull, MAAmityville, NYPalm City, FLPalm CityAmityvilleHullEast LakeBethpagePalm CityAmityvilleHullEast LakeBethpage

Places built like Palm City

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Palm City performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Palm City, FL19.2%8.2%/yrn/a
East Lake, FL23.5%4.0%/yrn/aCompare
Fleming Island, FL19.9%4.4%/yrn/aCompare
Safety Harbor, FL19.6%6.5%/yr-2.6%Compare
Lake Norman of Catawba, NC14.0%8.1%/yrn/aCompare
DeBary, FL23.7%6.3%/yr6.1%Compare
Bella Vista, AR19.0%5.4%/yr14.7%Compare

Common questions

Is Palm City a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 42 out of 100, better than 42% of the places we rate and 141st of 474 in Florida. On cost, space and class size it scores 80 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Palm City expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $563,400.

What salary do you need to live in Palm City?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $80,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Palm City?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Amityville, NY, Hull, MA, East Lake, FL and Bethpage, NY.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Palm City with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Palm City itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/palm-city-florida

Citytistics. “Palm City, Florida.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/palm-city-florida/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.