The 10 Best Small Towns In Florida For 2024


The best small towns in Florida are Sewall’s Point and South Beach for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

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 2024

  1. Sewall’s Point
  2. South Beach
  3. Wabasso Beach
  4. Highland Beach
  5. Indian River Shores
  6. Vineyards
  7. Bay Hill
  8. El Portal
  9. Belleair
  10. Sawgrass
  11. Plantation
  12. Tierra Verde
  13. Melbourne Beach
  14. Windermere
  15. Punta Rassa

Best Small Towns To Live In Florida Map

What’s the best small town in Florida? Sewall’s Point is the best small town in Florida based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Sewall’s Point, 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 2024

1. Sewall’s Point

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 1,922
Median Income: $122,391 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,336,842 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

2. South Beach

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 3,120
Median Income: $193,281 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,093,865 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%

3. Wabasso Beach

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,101
Median Income: $120,673 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $787,959 (27th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

4. Highland Beach

Highland Beach, FL

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

10
/10

Population: 4,261
Median Income: $140,045 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $934,974 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

5. Indian River Shores

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 4,266
Median Income: $153,242 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $1,434,354 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

6. Vineyards

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 3,649
Median Income: $120,287 (17th Best)
Median Home Value: $775,857 (30th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

7. Bay Hill

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,363
Median Income: $135,063 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $801,454 (22nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

8. El Portal

El Portal, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Averette | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 1,904
Median Income: $102,614 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $812,655 (18th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

9. Belleair

Belleair, FL

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

9.5
/10

Population: 4,295
Median Income: $114,556 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $700,159 (36th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%

10. Sawgrass

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 4,877
Median Income: $119,349 (18th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,034,163 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%

11. Plantation

Plantation, FL

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

6
/10

Population: 4,274
Median Income: $72,209 (100th Best)
Median Home Value: $503,508 (65th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

12. Tierra Verde

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 4,072
Median Income: $143,913 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $885,255 (15th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

13. Melbourne Beach

Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 3,214
Median Income: $80,795 (78th Best)
Median Home Value: $627,160 (42nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%

14. Windermere

Windermere, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 3,043
Median Income: $143,988 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $692,344 (37th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

15. Punta Rassa

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,370
Median Income: $90,000 (56th Best)
Median Home Value: $789,976 (25th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

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 2018-2022 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 – 275 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 275, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Florida. Top of that list — Sewall’s Point.

This is our tenth 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 Sewall’s Point, South Beach, Wabasso Beach, Highland Beach, Indian River Shores, Vineyards, Bay Hill, El Portal, Belleair, and Sawgrass.

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

  1. Moon Lake
  2. Pomona Park
  3. Montura

For more Florida reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Florida

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Sewall’s Point, FL 1,922 $122,391 2.1%
2 South Beach, FL 3,120 $193,281 1.3%
3 Wabasso Beach, FL 2,101 $120,673 0.0%
4 Highland Beach, FL 4,261 $140,045 4.8%
5 Indian River Shores, FL 4,266 $153,242 0.6%
6 Vineyards, FL 3,649 $120,287 1.4%
7 Bay Hill, FL 4,363 $135,063 2.0%
8 El Portal, FL 1,904 $102,614 2.0%
9 Belleair, FL 4,295 $114,556 3.2%
10 Sawgrass, FL 4,877 $119,349 1.8%
11 Plantation, FL 4,274 $72,209 1.4%
12 Tierra Verde, FL 4,072 $143,913 4.5%
13 Melbourne Beach, FL 3,214 $80,795 1.3%
14 Windermere, FL 3,043 $143,988 2.1%
15 Punta Rassa, FL 1,370 $90,000 0.0%
16 Belleair Beach, FL 1,512 $128,750 3.2%
17 Redington Shores, FL 2,078 $96,250 1.9%
18 Vamo, FL 2,656 $81,875 3.8%
19 Atlantis, FL 1,767 $96,920 2.8%
20 Laguna Beach, FL 4,194 $74,911 0.1%
21 Redington Beach, FL 1,320 $104,474 3.3%
22 Indian Shores, FL 1,182 $110,163 0.0%
23 Hillsboro Beach, FL 2,225 $86,250 6.3%
24 Tiger Point, FL 3,511 $116,711 3.5%
25 Harbor Bluffs, FL 2,889 $108,403 9.6%
26 Ocean Ridge, FL 1,712 $107,813 3.5%
27 Cabana Colony, FL 2,334 $92,635 1.1%
28 Holmes Beach, FL 3,076 $94,545 2.4%
29 Palm Beach Shores, FL 1,217 $78,240 8.9%
30 Burnt Store Marina, FL 2,278 $104,924 5.8%
31 Palm Shores, FL 1,577 $98,125 1.6%
32 Ponce Inlet, FL 3,364 $98,125 2.0%
33 Manasota Key, FL 1,718 $111,250 6.3%
34 Lake Clarke Shores, FL 3,553 $133,333 7.4%
35 Juno Beach, FL 3,818 $62,566 8.8%
36 Oriole Beach, FL 1,731 $71,080 2.1%
37 Feather Sound, FL 3,289 $93,273 4.1%
38 Gotha, FL 1,640 $174,750 2.1%
39 Wabasso, FL 1,179 $53,011 1.9%
40 South Palm Beach, FL 1,648 $82,917 1.3%
41 Rio, FL 1,373 $93,720 9.6%
42 Oakland, FL 3,488 $131,645 2.8%
43 Montverde, FL 1,782 $97,614 2.1%
44 Indian Rocks Beach, FL 3,689 $92,283 4.9%
45 Big Coppitt Key, FL 3,188 $102,943 2.9%
46 Orangetree, FL 4,929 $107,109 3.2%
47 Edgewood, FL 2,689 $81,184 1.4%
48 Navarre Beach, FL 1,594 $121,266 4.6%
49 South Sarasota, FL 4,855 $83,438 3.9%
50 Roseland, FL 1,377 $62,520 0.0%
51 Verona Walk, FL 2,998 $73,911 7.6%
52 Indialantic, FL 3,016 $74,237 5.8%
53 Virginia Gardens, FL 2,419 $75,455 3.8%
54 Lake Belvedere Estates, FL 2,867 $70,250 4.9%
55 Woodlawn Beach, FL 3,128 $107,321 3.8%
56 Lake Sarasota, FL 3,701 $100,958 3.1%
57 San Antonio, FL 1,375 $87,750 2.9%
58 Lake Mary Jane, FL 2,122 $152,663 3.1%
59 Pretty Bayou, FL 2,469 $78,008 8.4%
60 Greenbriar, FL 2,356 $66,801 2.5%
61 Bay Pines, FL 2,717 $71,635 0.8%
62 Island Walk, FL 2,679 $76,315 15.6%
63 Bear Creek, FL 2,066 $70,298 3.8%
64 St. Leo, FL 2,426 $82,115 10.4%
65 Tangerine, FL 3,870 $107,880 2.5%
66 West Bradenton, FL 3,935 $83,833 4.0%
67 Malabar, FL 2,982 $99,954 2.4%
68 Wallace, FL 3,652 $113,221 0.0%
69 Geneva, FL 3,247 $140,094 0.9%
70 North Redington Beach, FL 1,349 $83,750 12.0%
71 Butler Beach, FL 4,831 $83,661 6.3%
72 Christmas, FL 1,545 $92,550 1.7%
73 Yalaha, FL 1,404 $122,644 0.0%
74 June Park, FL 4,757 $78,675 2.8%
75 Lely, FL 3,548 $59,167 2.9%
76 Belleair Bluffs, FL 2,476 $51,913 4.7%
77 Ridge Wood Heights, FL 4,812 $64,296 1.6%
78 Valparaiso, FL 4,889 $77,837 3.0%
79 Charlotte Park, FL 1,795 $64,893 3.8%
80 Juno Ridge, FL 1,245 $90,972 2.4%
81 Winter Beach, FL 4,273 $82,045 6.8%
82 Howey-In-The-Hills, FL 2,038 $83,750 2.8%
83 Venice Gardens, FL 3,301 $59,591 4.3%
84 Stock Island, FL 4,564 $62,309 1.6%
85 North River Shores, FL 3,390 $65,682 3.1%
86 Eglin Afb, FL 2,759 $67,153 3.0%
87 Patrick Afb, FL 1,606 $76,667 1.7%
88 Mary Esther, FL 4,018 $75,167 6.4%
89 Cudjoe Key, FL 2,238 $95,086 3.0%
90 Haverhill, FL 2,859 $73,636 4.7%
91 Biscayne Park, FL 3,098 $69,830 2.4%
92 Bal Harbour, FL 3,035 $86,172 7.9%
93 Hutchinson Island South, FL 4,203 $63,300 5.4%
94 Molino, FL 1,253 $87,614 0.0%
95 Alva, FL 2,986 $81,361 0.9%
96 Bagdad, FL 4,359 $78,182 1.1%
97 Brookridge, FL 4,783 $49,240 1.4%
98 Desoto Lakes, FL 1,738 $71,920 2.2%
99 Grant-Valkaria, FL 4,520 $109,850 1.1%
100 Madeira Beach, FL 3,931 $71,712 4.5%
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