Florida’s Housing Market Just Flexed HARD — 6 Cities in the Top 10 for New Buyers

Thinking about buying your first home? You might want to pack a bag and head south—Florida is eating.

WalletHub just dropped their annual list of the Best and Worst Cities for First-Time Homebuyers, and Palm Bay, Florida took the top spot. That’s right: Sunshine, space launches, and solid real estate vibes.

They looked at 300 cities and scored them on everything from affordability and real estate taxes to weather, school quality, and crime rates—a total of 22 key indicators.

🔥 Top 10 Best Cities for First-Time Homebuyers:

Palm Bay, FL
Boise, ID
Tampa, FL
Surprise, AZ
Huntsville, AL
Gilbert, AZ
Cape Coral, FL
Orlando, FL
Lakeland, FL
Sunrise, FL

That’s six Florida cities in the top 10. Someone get the group chat going—we’re house hunting.

Palm Bay ranked #2 in real estate market strength and #3 in quality of life, though affordability wasn’t its strongest stat (118th). Still, for a first-time buyer? It’s a big win.

💸 And the Worst Place to Buy Your First Home?

Berkeley, California.(Yeah, ouch.)

In fact, eight of the bottom 10 cities on the list were in California—including Santa Monica, Oakland, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara. So unless you’re rolling in tech money or living rent-free in your parent’s guest house... maybe keep looking.

Dex & Barbie T

Dex & Barbie T get you started every weekday morning with lots of energy and laughs. As two vastly different personalities, Dex & Barbie T bring a fresh perspective to discussions on relationships, work, family, and trending topics with a focus on issues that matter to the Jacksonville community. Wake up, listen, and enjoy every weekday morning!