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Buying a home in Mary Esther, Florida

The typical owner-occupied home in Mary Esther is worth about $298,900, 17% below the Florida median of $359,000 and 10% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,697 a year in property taxes, about 0.57% of their home's value, lower than the Florida rate of 0.76%. The median household earns $76,890 a year, so the median home costs 3.9 times the median income (4.8 times for Florida). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Mary Esther at a glance

Mary Esther Florida U.S.
Median home value $298,900 $359,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,697 $2,730 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.57% 0.76% 0.94%
Median household income $76,890 $74,568 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 70% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,859 $1,959 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.6% 23.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,699 $1,669 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.1% 35.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1973 1988 1980
Vacant homes 14.0% 14.7% 10.1%
Population 4,061 22,416,077 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Mary Esther

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Mary Esther home of $298,900 with 20% down costs about $1,875 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,373, 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 $80,361 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Mary Esther household income of $76,890; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $286,000.

The median rent here is $1,699 a month, so owning the median home costs about $176 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,780
Loan amount$239,120
Principal and interest$1,609
Property taxes (0.57% a year)$142
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
PMI$0
Total per month$1,875

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,462
Loan amount$293,486
Principal and interest$1,974
Property taxes (0.57% a year)$142
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,373

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Questions about home buying in Mary Esther

What is the median home value in Mary Esther?

About $298,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Mary Esther?

Homeowners pay a median $1,697 a year, which is about 0.57% 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 Mary Esther?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,875 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $80,361 a year.

More about Mary Esther

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