The typical owner-occupied home in Fort Lauderdale is worth about $486,700, 36% above the Florida median of $359,000 and 46% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,516 a year in property taxes, about 0.93% of their home's value, higher than the Florida rate of 0.76%. The median household earns $83,130 a year, so the median home costs 5.9 times the median income (4.8 times for Florida). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Fort Lauderdale at a glance
| Fort Lauderdale | Florida | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $486,700 | $359,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,516 | $2,730 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.93% | 0.76% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $83,130 | $74,568 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 54% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 54% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,679 | $1,959 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.3% | 23.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,854 | $1,669 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 34.6% | 35.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1973 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 20.3% | 14.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 185,604 | 22,416,077 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Fort Lauderdale
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Fort Lauderdale home of $486,700 with 20% down costs about $3,199 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,010, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $137,110 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 46% of the median Fort Lauderdale household income of $83,130; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $295,000.
The median rent here is $1,854 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,345 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $97,340 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $389,360 |
| Principal and interest | $2,619 |
| Property taxes (0.93% a year) | $377 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $203 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,199 |
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| Down payment | $17,034 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $477,885 |
| Principal and interest | $3,215 |
| Property taxes (0.93% a year) | $377 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $203 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $215 |
| Total per month | $4,010 |
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Questions about home buying in Fort Lauderdale
What is the median home value in Fort Lauderdale?
About $486,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Fort Lauderdale?
Homeowners pay a median $4,516 a year, which is about 0.93% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Fort Lauderdale?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,199 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $137,110 a year.
More about Fort Lauderdale
- Mortgage Refinance in Fort Lauderdale
- Debt Relief in Fort Lauderdale
- Home Equity Loans in Fort Lauderdale
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data