1st Advantage MortgageAbout 80% of Martin County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $82,943. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Martin County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Martin County
- How much Martin County households make
- How Martin County residents earn a living
- Martin County and the counties next door
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Martin County
- Room for a loan payment in Martin County
- What the numbers mean for Martin County borrowers
- People and households in Martin County
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Martin County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Martin County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Martin County's population at 162,176; only 32 of Florida's 67 county-level areas are larger. It covers 544 square miles of land, or about 298 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Port St. Lucie, FL metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Palm City is the biggest of its 11 Census places, at roughly 26,371 people (16% of the county total).
Rent, home values and ownership in Martin County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,569 in Martin County versus $1,669 statewide. 61% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 37% spend half or more. With a median value of $432,200, a typical Martin County house costs 5.2 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 80% of homes.
| Housing | Martin County | Florida statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,569/mo | $1,669/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $432,200 | $359,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 61% | 60% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 35% | 35% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.8% | 8.0% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Martin County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
How much Martin County households make
The median household income in Martin County is $82,943; statewide it is $74,568, so Martin County runs 11% above Florida as a whole.
| Income band | Share in Martin County | Difference from Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.8% | -1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.2% | -3.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.1% | +1.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 15.0% | +4.0 pts |
Some 21% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 42% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 11.3%, 1 point lower than the state's 12.6%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.508 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Martin County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 19% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 14%. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 19% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 16% work from home. 4.3% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Martin County | Compared with Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.2% | -1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.2% | 0.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 12.1% | +1.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.5% | -0.4 pts |
| Construction | 9.4% | +1.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.9% | -0.2 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Martin County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Martin County and the counties next door
Distances run center to center, from St. Lucie County at 21 miles out to Hendry County at 60. Income ranges from $45,870 in Glades County to $83,581 in Palm Beach County; 1 of these neighbors top Martin County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County | - | $82,943 | $1,569/mo | 80% |
| St. Lucie County, FL | 21 mi | $71,457 | $1,585/mo | 79% |
| Palm Beach County, FL | 30 mi | $83,581 | $1,916/mo | 70% |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 37 mi | $57,984 | $1,082/mo | 74% |
| Indian River County, FL | 44 mi | $73,491 | $1,357/mo | 80% |
| Glades County, FL | 50 mi | $45,870 | $886/mo | 85% |
| Hendry County, FL | 60 mi | $56,393 | $1,003/mo | 74% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Martin County
11 Census places fall mainly inside Martin County; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 97,543 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $55,520 in Indiantown to $219,722 in Jupiter Island. Rent is cheapest in Indiantown ($923) and steepest in Ocean Breeze ($2,764). No Martin County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 11.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm City | CDP | 26,371 | $125,820 | $2,013 | 10 mi |
| Stuart | city | 18,520 | $60,225 | $1,586 | 12 mi |
| Hobe Sound | CDP | 13,817 | $63,484 | $1,129 | 16 mi |
| Jensen Beach | CDP | 12,531 | $70,884 | $1,267 | 15 mi |
| Port Salerno | CDP | 11,184 | $67,436 | $1,440 | 14 mi |
| Indiantown | village | 6,695 | $55,520 | $923 | 6 mi |
| North River Shores | CDP | 3,633 | $75,896 | $2,136 | 12 mi |
| Sewall's Point | town | 1,938 | $129,000 | $2,200 | 15 mi |
| Rio | CDP | 1,232 | $91,953 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Jupiter Island | town | 845 | $219,722 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Ocean Breeze | town | 777 | $95,833 | $2,764 | 15 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Room for a loan payment in Martin County
Martin County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,912 before taxes
- 23% goes to median rent ($1,569)
- $1,403: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
What the numbers mean for Martin County borrowers
Where the Martin County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Long drives. With 19% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Martin County budgets.
- Older households. A 53.3 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 42% of Martin County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
People and households in Martin County
37% of Martin County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 10.5% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Martin County | Florida | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 42.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 37.1% | 34.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.0% | 10.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.5% | 11.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 15.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.5% |
| 60+ min | 10.2% |
Before you sign
A short checklist for Martin County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A Florida license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Licensing and complaints for Martin County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Martin County, check the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Florida state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Florida guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Martin County earn?
The median is $82,943; 42% earn $100,000 or more and 21% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Martin County?
$1,569 a month at the median, about 23% of median household income.
Should Martin County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 80% of Martin County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Palm City?
Yes, along with the other 10 Census places in Martin County, such as Stuart, Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach.
Can Martin County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Florida county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.