Skip to content
Cost & Benefits

Most affordable towns in Florida, 2026

Floral City is the most affordable ranked town in Florida. Rent, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity are 22.5% each. Gasoline is 10%. A lower score is more affordable.

Summary

480
Towns ranked in Florida.
Floral City
Number 1 in Florida. Rent is 11.9% of income. National rank 34.
26.2%
Median rent share among ranked towns in Florida.
1
Ranked Florida town in the national top 100.
Leisure City
Least affordable ranked town in Florida. Rent is 49.3% of income. National rank 4932.

Gasoline

$4.084

per gallon. EIA publishes this state price for the week of October 12, 2026. At 12,000 miles a year and 25 mpg, that is $1,960.32 a year for every ranked town in Florida.

How to cite this

Free to quote and reuse if you credit Cost & Benefits and link to this page.

Cost & Benefits. "2026 Most Affordable Towns Index: Florida." October 16, 2026. https://costandbenefits.com/reports/most-affordable-towns-2026/florida

https://costandbenefits.com/reports/most-affordable-towns-2026/florida

Download the Florida CSV

National index · Press · How we count

Benefits and taxes in Florida

Top 25

  1. #1 in Florida · National #34

    Floral City

    Rent share 11.9% · Price level 93.5 · Score 0.162

    Median rent is $617 a month and median income is $62,025, so rent is 11.9% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Homosassa Springs, FL metro price level is 93.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is gasoline price.

  2. #2 in Florida · National #145

    Bradfordville

    Rent share 16.9% · Price level 93.9 · Score 0.200

    Median rent is $1,881 a month and median income is $133,359, so rent is 16.9% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Tallahassee, FL metro price level is 93.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is gasoline price.

  3. #3 in Florida · National #230

    White City

    Rent share 10.9% · Price level 100.2 · Score 0.219

    Median rent is $1,065 a month and median income is $117,720, so rent is 10.9% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Port St. Lucie, FL metro price level is 100.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  4. #4 in Florida · National #437

    Crawfordville

    Rent share 19.5% · Price level 93.9 · Score 0.249

    Median rent is $1,344 a month and median income is $82,656, so rent is 19.5% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Tallahassee, FL metro price level is 93.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  5. #5 in Florida · National #489

    North Merritt Island

    Rent share 14.6% · Price level 100.0 · Score 0.256

    Median rent is $1,274 a month and median income is $104,878, so rent is 14.6% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro price level is 100.0 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  6. #6 in Florida · National #524

    The Villages

    Rent share 21.6% · Price level 85.4 · Score 0.260

    Median rent is $1,397 a month and median income is $77,622, so rent is 21.6% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Wildwood-The Villages, FL metro price level is 85.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  7. #7 in Florida · National #545

    Alachua

    Rent share 18.5% · Price level 96.7 · Score 0.263

    Median rent is $1,284 a month and median income is $83,464, so rent is 18.5% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Gainesville, FL metro price level is 96.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  8. #8 in Florida · National #585

    Fernandina Beach

    Rent share 15.4% · Price level 99.5 · Score 0.268

    Median rent is $1,259 a month and median income is $97,903, so rent is 15.4% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Jacksonville, FL metro price level is 99.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  9. #9 in Florida · National #597

    Middleburg

    Rent share 17.6% · Price level 99.5 · Score 0.269

    Median rent is $1,093 a month and median income is $74,634, so rent is 17.6% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Jacksonville, FL metro price level is 99.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  10. #10 in Florida · National #605

    Gonzalez

    Rent share 18.3% · Price level 97.7 · Score 0.269

    Median rent is $1,250 a month and median income is $82,062, so rent is 18.3% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metro price level is 97.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  11. #11 in Florida · National #672

    Pasadena Hills

    Rent share 16.5% · Price level 100.9 · Score 0.276

    Median rent is $1,167 a month and median income is $84,821, so rent is 16.5% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro price level is 100.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  12. #12 in Florida · National #677

    Auburndale

    Rent share 18.6% · Price level 97.1 · Score 0.276

    Median rent is $1,208 a month and median income is $77,911, so rent is 18.6% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro price level is 97.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  13. #13 in Florida · National #682

    Port LaBelle

    Rent share 15.7% · Price level 103.4 · Score 0.277

    Median rent is $983 a month and median income is $75,231, so rent is 15.7% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Florida state price level is 103.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  14. #14 in Florida · National #688

    Lakeland Highlands

    Rent share 18.9% · Price level 97.1 · Score 0.278

    Median rent is $1,704 a month and median income is $108,263, so rent is 18.9% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro price level is 97.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  15. #15 in Florida · National #705

    Keystone

    Rent share 16.7% · Price level 100.9 · Score 0.279

    Median rent is $2,238 a month and median income is $161,056, so rent is 16.7% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro price level is 100.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  16. #16 in Florida · National #706

    Fussels Corner

    Rent share 20.0% · Price level 97.1 · Score 0.279

    Median rent is $937 a month and median income is $56,091, so rent is 20.0% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro price level is 97.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is tax burden and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  17. #17 in Florida · National #715

    Gulf Breeze

    Rent share 17.7% · Price level 97.7 · Score 0.280

    Median rent is $1,536 a month and median income is $104,050, so rent is 17.7% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metro price level is 97.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  18. #18 in Florida · National #754

    Shady Hills

    Rent share 17.4% · Price level 100.9 · Score 0.284

    Median rent is $993 a month and median income is $68,409, so rent is 17.4% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro price level is 100.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  19. #19 in Florida · National #758

    Orangetree

    Rent share 14.9% · Price level 103.2 · Score 0.284

    Median rent is $1,399 a month and median income is $112,857, so rent is 14.9% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Naples-Marco Island, FL metro price level is 103.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  20. #20 in Florida · National #771

    Sanibel

    Rent share 9.0% · Price level 102.3 · Score 0.285

    Median rent is $811 a month and median income is $108,644, so rent is 9.0% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro price level is 102.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  21. #21 in Florida · National #772

    Lake Lorraine

    Rent share 19.1% · Price level 97.0 · Score 0.285

    Median rent is $1,654 a month and median income is $104,105, so rent is 19.1% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro price level is 97.0 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  22. #22 in Florida · National #788

    Pace

    Rent share 19.1% · Price level 97.7 · Score 0.286

    Median rent is $1,282 a month and median income is $80,701, so rent is 19.1% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metro price level is 97.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  23. #23 in Florida · National #883

    Lake Butler

    Rent share 16.4% · Price level 101.4 · Score 0.294

    Median rent is $2,487 a month and median income is $182,500, so rent is 16.4% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro price level is 101.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  24. #24 in Florida · National #891

    Green Cove Springs

    Rent share 17.8% · Price level 99.5 · Score 0.295

    Median rent is $1,114 a month and median income is $75,142, so rent is 17.8% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Jacksonville, FL metro price level is 99.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  25. #25 in Florida · National #895

    Clewiston

    Rent share 16.0% · Price level 103.4 · Score 0.296

    Median rent is $763 a month and median income is $57,222, so rent is 16.0% of income, under the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Florida state price level is 103.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

Least affordable 10

  1. #480 in Florida · National #4932

    Leisure City

    Rent share 49.3% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.594

    Median rent is $1,723 a month and median income is $41,977, so rent is 49.3% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  2. #479 in Florida · National #4925

    Sunny Isles Beach

    Rent share 40.6% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.594

    Median rent is $2,096 a month and median income is $61,921, so rent is 40.6% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  3. #478 in Florida · National #4883

    West Miami

    Rent share 43.3% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.591

    Median rent is $2,210 a month and median income is $61,274, so rent is 43.3% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  4. #477 in Florida · National #4875

    Opa-locka

    Rent share 43.2% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.590

    Median rent is $1,351 a month and median income is $37,532, so rent is 43.2% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  5. #476 in Florida · National #4864

    Florida City

    Rent share 34.4% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.589

    Median rent is $1,362 a month and median income is $47,482, so rent is 34.4% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  6. #475 in Florida · National #4862

    Gladeview

    Rent share 33.9% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.589

    Median rent is $1,341 a month and median income is $47,469, so rent is 33.9% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  7. #474 in Florida · National #4861

    Brownsville

    Rent share 36.8% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.589

    Median rent is $1,252 a month and median income is $40,795, so rent is 36.8% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  8. #473 in Florida · National #4849

    Miami

    Rent share 33.8% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.588

    Median rent is $1,758 a month and median income is $62,462, so rent is 33.8% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  9. #472 in Florida · National #4809

    Biscayne Gardens

    Rent share 33.4% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.584

    Median rent is $1,534 a month and median income is $55,165, so rent is 33.4% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  10. #471 in Florida · National #4808

    Hialeah

    Rent share 36.5% · Price level 114.2 · Score 0.584

    Median rent is $1,689 a month and median income is $55,594, so rent is 36.5% of income, over the 26.2% median for ranked towns in Florida. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro price level is 114.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.03 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.084 a gallon (Florida). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is electricity price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

The formula

A lower score is more affordable. Rent share, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity each count 22.5%. Gasoline counts 10%. Those weights are our choice. Gasoline stays at 10% because the miles figure is one national standard, not a measured town commute. This is not a government standard.

A percentile is the share of ranked towns with a strictly lower number, divided by the number of ranked towns minus one. The lowest number scores 0. Tied numbers share a percentile.

  1. Rent share = (median monthly rent × 12) / median household income. Both figures are the Census 2020–2024 medians for that place.
  2. RPP-adjusted cost is the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. A basket priced at 100 for the U.S. average costs this many dollars in the town's area. We use the metro index when the county is in a metro BEA publishes. Otherwise we use the state index and say so. This index includes housing, so housing also shows up in the rent share.
  3. Tax burden is the average of three percentiles. Income-tax share is state income tax plus the stored 2023 local AGI add-on, divided by the town's median household income, on a joint return. Property share is the state's median effective property-tax rate times the town's median home value, divided by income. Sales rate is the combined state and average local sales-tax rate. We do not turn the sales rate into dollars, because that would require a shopping basket we do not have.
  4. Electricity is the state residential price in cents per kilowatt-hour. Every town in a state shares it. We do not guess how many kilowatt-hours a home uses.
  5. Gasoline is the EIA retail price for all grades and all formulations, in dollars per gallon. Where EIA publishes a state series, we use that state. Every other state uses the PADD region EIA assigns to it. Census does not publish commuting miles for these towns, so annual gas spend is 12,000 miles a year divided by 25 miles per gallon, times the price. That is 480 gallons, the same for every town. Those miles are our standard, not an ACS figure and not a government mileage rule. Because the gallons do not change, the gas percentile is the percentile of the price.

    Weekly prices are for the week of October 12, 2026, from the EIA workbook released October 14, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/xls/pswrgvwall.xls. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon use West Coast (PADD 5) Except California. That series is not in the weekly workbook, so those five use the monthly price dated September 15, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_a_epm0_pte_dpgal_m.htm.

    • State series, week of October 12, 2026: California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington.
    • Central Atlantic (PADD 1B), week of October 12, 2026: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
    • Gulf Coast (PADD 3), week of October 12, 2026: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico.
    • Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C), week of October 12, 2026: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia.
    • Midwest (PADD 2), week of October 12, 2026: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
    • New England (PADD 1A), week of October 12, 2026: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
    • Rocky Mountain (PADD 4), week of October 12, 2026: Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming.
    • West Coast (PADD 5) Except California, September 15, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon.

Score = 0.225 × rent percentile + 0.225 × price-level percentile + 0.225 × tax score + 0.225 × electricity percentile + 0.10 × gasoline percentile. Rank 1 is the lowest score. If scores tie, the lower rent share wins, then the lower price level, then the place slug in A-to-Z order.

Questions

What is the most affordable town in Florida in this index?

Floral City is number 1 of 480 ranked towns in Florida. Median rent is 11.9% of median income. Its national rank is 34.

How many towns in Florida were ranked?

480 towns in Florida have at least 5,000 people and published Census rent, income, and home value. Places missing one of those figures are left out.

Does this ranking approve benefits in Florida?

No. Cost & Benefits does not approve or deny benefits. The score is a cost comparison only.