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City Housing Verdict

Surfside, FL

High Pressure

Surfside, FL is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States — roughly 2.2x the national average (Cost Index: 219). The housing market drives nearly all of that premium: the typical home here is valued at $1,272,196, far above the $303,400 US median. Local household income is $88,938, which should be read as place context rather than a personal salary target.

Surfside already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 24% rent burden, 14.3x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 419. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Surfside.

Monthly Housing
$1,795/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
24%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$5,117/mo
After housing and debt · $1,706/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 31%
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Cost Index
219
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$1,272,196
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $736,800
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,795/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$88,938
National: $78,538
Population
5,566
Purchasing Power
52
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
419 / 100
~4.2x more expensive
Rent Index
133 / 100
33% above average
Goods & Groceries
104 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
97 / 100
Typical utility costs
Healthcare & Services
109 / 100
9% above average
Overall Index
219
Very Expensive · ~2.2x the US average

Surfside Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $1,272,196 and Florida's property tax rate of 0.86%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$88,938
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
24%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
14.3x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Surfside looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Surfside, FL

Est. Annual Property Tax
$10,941
Monthly Impact
$912
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.86%
National avg: ~1.00%

Florida Place Tax Context

Tax TypeFloridaNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.86%1.00%
Top Income Tax RateNo State Income Tax~5.0%
State Sales Tax7.01%~5.0%

Compare Surfside to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Surfside, FL
219
133
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Surfside, FL: 419
Rent Prices
133

FAQ: Living in Surfside

Is Surfside, FL an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Surfside is about 119% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 219. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $1,272,196, and monthly rents average roughly $1,795. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Surfside fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,795, while local median household income is $88,938. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 24% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Surfside, FL?+

Florida is one of the few states with no state income tax, which can save residents thousands of dollars per year. The effective property tax rate is 0.86%. On a home worth $1,272,196, that translates to roughly $10,941 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 7.01% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Surfside, FL?+

The typical monthly rent in Surfside is around $1,795. That's about 33% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $1,272,196, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Surfside, FL?+

The median home in Surfside is valued at $1,272,196. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $6,433/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 66% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Surfside?+

Grocery prices in Surfside are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 104, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 97). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Surfside, FL like to live in?+

Surfside is a small town with a population of about 5,566. The median age of residents is 41, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 15.42%, near the national average of 12.4%.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Florida

Use these city pages when you want to compare Surfside against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly