Florida property taxes for retirees
The typical Florida homeowner pays $2,555 a year, 14% below the U.S. median. Here’s how homes are taxed, what changes when you buy, and what relief is available at 65.
Rules checked against the sources below on September 15, 2026. County figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077.
Florida has no state income tax, so property tax does more of the work of funding local government. For a full-time resident, two protections do most of the good: the homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap. For a newcomer, the catch is that the cap starts fresh when you buy, so you may pay far more than the neighbor who has owned the same kind of house for twenty years.3,4
How homes are valued
Each county property appraiser values homes as of January 1 at market value, which Florida calls just value. Your bill is that value, minus exemptions, times the combined millage rates set by the county, city, school district, and special districts.3
Caps, and what happens when a home sells
Once a home has a homestead exemption, its assessed value can rise by no more than 3% a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. The assessed value can never exceed the home's just value.4
The cap does not transfer to a buyer. After a sale, the home is reassessed at full just value, and the new owner starts building their own cap from there.4
Moving between Florida homesteads, you can "port" your accumulated Save Our Homes difference to the new home, up to $500,000. Portability is not automatic: you file Form DR-501T with the new county, and the new homestead must be established within three years of leaving the old one.4,3
Homestead exemption
If a home is your permanent residence on January 1, the homestead exemption can reduce its taxable value by up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes. The second $25,000 applies only to assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, and not to school taxes. Apply with your county property appraiser by March 1.3
Relief for homeowners 65 and older
Counties and cities can choose to offer homeowners 65 and older an additional exemption of up to $50,000, but only against their own tax rates, and only for households under an income limit that is adjusted every year. For 2026 the limit is $38,686 of adjusted gross household income. Ask your property appraiser whether your county and city participate.5,6
Local governments can also exempt the full assessed value of a home for owners 65 and older who have lived there at least 25 years, whose home was worth less than $250,000 when they first applied, and who meet the same income limit.5
Second homes and snowbirds
A married couple can hold only one homestead. A Florida home that is not your permanent residence gets no homestead exemption and no Save Our Homes cap. Its non-school assessed value is limited to 10% annual increases instead, and school taxes apply to the full value. Snowbirds who keep their primary residence in another state should budget for the full, uncapped bill.3,2
Median property tax by county
Monroe County has the highest median bill at $3,943; Holmes County has the lowest at $527. Effective rate is the median bill divided by the median home value, a benchmark for comparing places rather than a legal tax rate. Select a county to see it against the state and U.S., or estimate a bill for a specific home value.
| County | Median bill | Effective rate | Median home value | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | $3,943 | 0.54% | $723,800 | Details |
| Broward County | $3,610 | 0.95% | $380,400 | Details |
| Palm Beach County | $3,600 | 0.88% | $407,300 | Details |
| St. Johns County | $3,547 | 0.78% | $457,600 | Details |
| Miami-Dade County | $3,516 | 0.83% | $425,400 | Details |
| Collier County | $3,219 | 0.66% | $486,800 | Details |
| Martin County | $3,120 | 0.81% | $386,500 | Details |
| Sumter County | $2,940 | 0.83% | $356,000 | Details |
| St. Lucie County | $2,893 | 0.95% | $305,800 | Details |
| Manatee County | $2,853 | 0.79% | $359,800 | Details |
| Sarasota County | $2,826 | 0.76% | $373,100 | Details |
| Orange County | $2,795 | 0.78% | $358,300 | Details |
| Hillsborough County | $2,787 | 0.84% | $333,300 | Details |
| Lee County | $2,699 | 0.83% | $326,300 | Details |
| Flagler County | $2,628 | 0.79% | $333,400 | Details |
| Alachua County | $2,623 | 0.98% | $266,800 | Details |
| Charlotte County | $2,581 | 0.89% | $291,000 | Details |
| Nassau County | $2,558 | 0.73% | $351,100 | Details |
| Osceola County | $2,498 | 0.79% | $317,600 | Details |
| Seminole County | $2,493 | 0.70% | $357,300 | Details |
| Pinellas County | $2,324 | 0.73% | $319,000 | Details |
| Leon County | $2,305 | 0.82% | $279,800 | Details |
| Indian River County | $2,288 | 0.73% | $314,700 | Details |
| Lake County | $2,284 | 0.79% | $287,900 | Details |
| Volusia County | $2,179 | 0.78% | $278,000 | Details |
| Duval County | $2,142 | 0.78% | $274,900 | Details |
| Brevard County | $2,139 | 0.70% | $304,400 | Details |
| Clay County | $2,080 | 0.74% | $281,500 | Details |
| Pasco County | $2,028 | 0.76% | $265,800 | Details |
| Okaloosa County | $1,948 | 0.60% | $324,800 | Details |
| Santa Rosa County | $1,809 | 0.60% | $302,100 | Details |
| Polk County | $1,769 | 0.74% | $240,000 | Details |
| Hernando County | $1,732 | 0.72% | $240,700 | Details |
| Walton County | $1,709 | 0.45% | $376,400 | Details |
| Marion County | $1,659 | 0.75% | $220,800 | Details |
| Bay County | $1,653 | 0.60% | $276,900 | Details |
| Franklin County | $1,572 | 0.62% | $254,300 | Details |
| Hendry County | $1,519 | 0.80% | $189,700 | Details |
| Baker County | $1,410 | 0.63% | $225,000 | Details |
| Wakulla County | $1,408 | 0.65% | $216,300 | Details |
| Escambia County | $1,406 | 0.60% | $234,200 | Details |
| Columbia County | $1,385 | 0.74% | $186,400 | Details |
| Hardee County | $1,358 | 1.05% | $129,400 | Details |
| Okeechobee County | $1,349 | 0.75% | $179,000 | Details |
| Jefferson County | $1,348 | 0.68% | $198,800 | Details |
| Gulf County | $1,334 | 0.57% | $235,700 | Details |
| DeSoto County | $1,322 | 0.87% | $151,500 | Details |
| Citrus County | $1,320 | 0.59% | $223,200 | Details |
| Gilchrist County | $1,301 | 0.68% | $191,000 | Details |
| Highlands County | $1,295 | 0.73% | $177,900 | Details |
| Putnam County | $1,196 | 0.81% | $147,300 | Details |
| Suwannee County | $1,169 | 0.73% | $160,900 | Details |
| Glades County | $1,163 | 1.01% | $114,800 | Details |
| Levy County | $1,110 | 0.65% | $171,400 | Details |
| Liberty County | $1,031 | 0.88% | $117,600 | Details |
| Bradford County | $1,022 | 0.57% | $180,300 | Details |
| Union County | $931 | 0.58% | $160,400 | Details |
| Madison County | $928 | 0.88% | $105,900 | Details |
| Gadsden County | $854 | 0.55% | $154,700 | Details |
| Lafayette County | $850 | 0.65% | $131,600 | Details |
| Hamilton County | $806 | 0.73% | $110,400 | Details |
| Washington County | $787 | 0.50% | $156,000 | Details |
| Calhoun County | $743 | 0.55% | $134,000 | Details |
| Taylor County | $724 | 0.72% | $100,200 | Details |
| Dixie County | $715 | 0.74% | $96,900 | Details |
| Jackson County | $625 | 0.55% | $113,900 | Details |
| Holmes County | $527 | 0.52% | $101,400 | Details |
| Florida | $2,555 | 0.79% | $325,000 |
Sources
- CBS Miami, Florida property tax cut plan heads to November ballot after legislative approval (June 2, 2026) (summary source)
- Florida Institute of CPAs, Legislative Update: Property tax reform placed on November ballot (HJR 1-F staff analysis summary) (summary source)
- Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Exemptions and Additional Benefits
- Florida Department of Revenue, Save Our Homes Assessment Limitation and Portability Transfer (PT-112)
- Florida Department of Revenue, Two Additional Homestead Exemptions for Persons 65 and Older
- Pasco County Property Appraiser, Income-Qualified Senior Exemption (2026 income limitation)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077
This page explains how Florida’s property tax rules generally work. It isn’t tax or legal advice, and local exemptions, deadlines, and income limits change. Confirm what applies to a specific home with the county assessor, appraiser, auditor, or trustee.