State ranking · HUD FMR
Florida: Most Expensive Counties
The highest-cost counties in Florida by 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY 2026.
- $2,211
- Priciest 1BR — Monroe County
- $1,296
- FL avg 1BR
- 50
- Counties ranked
The most expensive county for rent in Florida is Monroe County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $2,211/mo, which is 71% above the state average of $1,296. The national average 1-bedroom FMR is $959.
What "most expensive" really means for Florida renters
These rankings come straight from HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, which reports the 40th percentile of gross rents (utilities included, except telephone) for every county in Florida. The top entry is Monroe County with a 1-bedroom at $2,211, a studio at $1,726, 2-bedroom at $2,504, 3-bedroom at $3,303, and 4-bedroom at $3,315. Because HUD sets FMR per county (or per metro FMR area), these figures are the ceilings local housing authorities use to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards — typically between 90% and 110% of FMR — which means they also approximate the moderate end of each county's documented rental market.
Compared with the Florida state average of $1,296 for a 1-bedroom, the most expensive county is 71% above the state benchmark, and 131% above the US average of $959. High-rent counties almost always cluster in dense metropolitan FMR areas where housing supply is constrained, transit access is strong, and local wages support premium rents — which is also why voucher recipients frequently find fewer units at payment-standard rates in these counties without the help of HUD's Small Area FMR program. The ranking across all 50 counties shows the intra-state spread: moving between a top-ranked county and a mid-ranked one can mean hundreds of dollars per month in baseline rent before any amenity premium.
For budgeting, the 30% affordability rule says a household needs roughly $88,440/year to afford the most expensive 1-bedroom FMR in Florida without being cost-burdened — well above the $51,840/year needed to afford the state average. That gap translates directly into rent-burden rates: counties at the top of this list tend to have the highest share of households paying more than 30% of income for rent, and the highest share of severely burdened renters (above 50% of income). Pair this ranking with the year-over-year FMR growth and rent burden pages to see whether today's most expensive counties are still tightening, or whether lower-ranked counties are catching up fastest.
Top 50 Most Expensive Counties in Florida
| # | County | 1-BR | 2-BR | 3-BR | vs State Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monroe County | $2,211 | $2,504 | $3,303 | +71% |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County | $1,995 | $2,436 | $3,127 | +54% |
| 3 | Palm Beach County | $1,901 | $2,254 | $2,920 | +47% |
| 4 | Broward County | $1,900 | $2,333 | $3,216 | +47% |
| 5 | Collier County | $1,797 | $1,986 | $2,581 | +39% |
| 6 | Lake County | $1,731 | $1,972 | $2,476 | +34% |
| 7 | Orange County | $1,731 | $1,972 | $2,476 | +34% |
| 8 | Osceola County | $1,731 | $1,972 | $2,476 | +34% |
| 9 | Seminole County | $1,731 | $1,972 | $2,476 | +34% |
| 10 | Hernando County | $1,696 | $1,977 | $2,527 | +31% |
| 11 | Hillsborough County | $1,696 | $1,977 | $2,527 | +31% |
| 12 | Pasco County | $1,696 | $1,977 | $2,527 | +31% |
| 13 | Pinellas County | $1,696 | $1,977 | $2,527 | +31% |
| 14 | Manatee County | $1,686 | $1,958 | $2,537 | +30% |
| 15 | Sarasota County | $1,686 | $1,958 | $2,537 | +30% |
| 16 | Lee County | $1,638 | $1,961 | $2,560 | +26% |
| 17 | Okaloosa County | $1,581 | $1,785 | $2,448 | +22% |
| 18 | Bay County | $1,480 | $1,682 | $2,169 | +14% |
| 19 | Brevard County | $1,478 | $1,709 | $2,330 | +14% |
| 20 | Martin County | $1,467 | $1,757 | $2,421 | +13% |
| 21 | St. Lucie County | $1,467 | $1,757 | $2,421 | +13% |
| 22 | Flagler County | $1,433 | $1,806 | $2,468 | +11% |
| 23 | Volusia County | $1,385 | $1,700 | $2,241 | +7% |
| 24 | Clay County | $1,382 | $1,658 | $2,043 | +7% |
| 25 | Duval County | $1,382 | $1,658 | $2,043 | +7% |
| 26 | Nassau County | $1,382 | $1,658 | $2,043 | +7% |
| 27 | St. Johns County | $1,382 | $1,658 | $2,043 | +7% |
| 28 | Gulf County | $1,297 | $1,702 | $2,041 | +0% |
| 29 | Escambia County | $1,257 | $1,471 | $1,952 | -3% |
| 30 | Santa Rosa County | $1,257 | $1,471 | $1,952 | -3% |
| 31 | Alachua County | $1,246 | $1,493 | $1,868 | -4% |
| 32 | Gilchrist County | $1,246 | $1,493 | $1,868 | -4% |
| 33 | Walton County | $1,244 | $1,364 | $1,897 | -4% |
| 34 | Polk County | $1,230 | $1,497 | $2,023 | -5% |
| 35 | Indian River County | $1,222 | $1,604 | $1,956 | -6% |
| 36 | Gadsden County | $1,204 | $1,352 | $1,674 | -7% |
| 37 | Jefferson County | $1,204 | $1,352 | $1,674 | -7% |
| 38 | Leon County | $1,204 | $1,352 | $1,674 | -7% |
| 39 | Lafayette County | $1,181 | $1,323 | $1,586 | -9% |
| 40 | Marion County | $1,172 | $1,373 | $1,772 | -10% |
| 41 | Charlotte County | $1,167 | $1,470 | $2,041 | -10% |
| 42 | Sumter County | $1,139 | $1,328 | $1,655 | -12% |
| 43 | Glades County | $1,117 | $1,252 | $1,516 | -14% |
| 44 | Hendry County | $1,077 | $1,271 | $1,567 | -17% |
| 45 | Wakulla County | $1,073 | $1,199 | $1,561 | -17% |
| 46 | Hardee County | $1,064 | $1,248 | $1,691 | -18% |
| 47 | DeSoto County | $1,060 | $1,209 | $1,663 | -18% |
| 48 | Franklin County | $1,058 | $1,186 | $1,564 | -18% |
| 49 | Columbia County | $1,034 | $1,318 | $1,580 | -20% |
| 50 | Okeechobee County | $1,032 | $1,346 | $1,650 | -20% |
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Methodology
Rankings are based on FY 2026 Fair Market Rents (FMR) published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). FMR represents the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard quality units in a given area. Counties are ranked by 1-bedroom FMR in descending order. "vs State Avg" compares each county's 1-bedroom FMR to the Florida average.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.