About Martin County
Martin County sits on Florida's Treasure Coast between Palm Beach County to the south and St. Lucie County to the north, with Atlantic beaches on the east and a western edge that reaches toward Lake Okeechobee. It has five municipalities: the City of Stuart, the county seat, the Village of Indiantown, and the towns of Sewall's Point, Jupiter Island and Ocean Breeze. Unincorporated communities that the Census lists, such as Palm City, Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach and Port Salerno, fall under the county.
The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Frances came ashore at the southern end of Hutchinson Island in September 2004, and Jeanne's eye crossed the coast just east of Stuart three weeks later. Martin is also one of the counties around Lake Okeechobee named on Palm Beach County's dike planning page. The USDA's profile lists hay, oranges, sugarcane, vegetables and nursery stock among its crops.
Martin County also draws a growth line: since 1982 its comprehensive plan has used an Urban Service District to mark where urban-scale development and public services are planned, so a lot's location relative to that boundary can matter.
Quick facts
- County seat
- Stuart
- Region
- Southeast Florida
- 2026 conforming loan limit
- $832,750
- One-unit home · FHFA
- 2026 FHA loan limit
- $603,750
- One-unit home · HUD
- Geography
- Atlantic coast, including the barrier island of Jupiter Island
- Hutchinson Island, where Hurricane Frances came ashore in 2004
- Western county reaching toward Lake Okeechobee, named in Palm Beach County's dike planning
- Housing types
- Single-family neighborhoods in Stuart, Palm City and Hobe Sound
- Barrier-island and waterfront homes
- Rural and agricultural parcels in the west
- Condominium buildings near the water
Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.
Housing in Martin County
Martin County's housing runs from waterfront homes on barrier islands and the St. Lucie River to suburban neighborhoods in Stuart and Palm City and rural parcels in the west near Indiantown. Whether a parcel is inside the Primary Urban Service District, the Secondary district or outside both can affect which services and densities the county plans, so it is worth asking the Growth Management Department before buying vacant land. Each of the five municipalities also sets its own local rules inside its limits, so confirm which government covers a parcel before asking about permits.
Coastal buyers see more of the flood and evacuation questions, with king tide alerts on the county home page from September through December. Western buyers see more acreage, farm use and septic questions. Condominium owners and investors should ask about inspection and reserve records and about the association's rental rules.
Financing in Martin County
USDA loans
Some Martin County addresses, such as those in the rural west around Indiantown, may appear on USDA's property eligibility map, while others in the more developed east do not. USDA decides eligibility one address at a time and applies household income limits and property standards, so check the map first, then ask a loan officer about the specific property and any well or septic system.
Jumbo loans
Martin County's quick facts list its 2026 conforming and FHA limits. A waterfront or barrier-island purchase above the conforming limit is a jumbo loan, and lenders often review those more closely for assets, reserves and appraisal. Because Martin's 2026 conforming limit sits at FHFA's baseline, the county has no separate high-balance tier. A side-by-side of conforming and jumbo options from a loan officer also surfaces flood-zone questions that could change the route.
Condominiums
Three habitable stories or more is the line at which a Martin County condominium or cooperative building comes under the state's milestone inspection and structural integrity reserve study rules (ss. 553.899, 718.112 and 719.106, F.S.). Ask the association for the inspection summary, the reserve study and the budget, and ask a loan officer how the lender reviews the project. Waterfront buildings can face an earlier first inspection if the local agency finds that salt-water conditions warrant it.
Flood zones and flood insurance
Martin County labels its storm surge evacuation zones AB, CD and E, based on National Hurricane Center surge modeling, and says some areas are in no zone at all. The county stresses that evacuation zones are not flood zones. FEMA sets flood zones, which drive flood insurance and some building rules. The county home page has flagged king tides for September through December, so ask about street flooding near the water. Martin's three System Units on the federal CBRS Mapper are Hobe Sound, Frank B. McGilvrey and Blowing Rocks. Federal law bars FHA, VA and USDA loans inside them; conventional lending may still be an option.
Homeowners insurance
Wind and flood coverage are quoted separately, and most homeowners policies exclude flood, so ask an agent for both before an offer. A new flood policy usually has a 30-day wait unless it is bought with the mortgage. Waterfront and barrier-island homes can raise different questions from inland ones. Eligible owners can also ask about the state's My Safe Florida Home inspections and upgrade grants, subject to funding.
Homestead exemption
Martin County's Property Appraiser accepts homestead applications until March 1, with an office in Stuart and a Hobe Sound branch. Ownership and permanent residence on the January 1 of the filing year are required. A sale generally resets the assessment to just value the next January 1, so a buyer should not assume the seller's capped taxes carry over. A buyer coming from another Florida homestead can ask about transferring all or part of that benefit.
Local homebuyer assistance
Martin County Human Services runs SHIP, and applicants call to book an appointment. When checked in October 2026, its page listed home repair help and rental move-in help but no purchase help, and it says not every strategy is open at all times, so ask which are open before planning around them. Buyers can still ask a loan officer about statewide Florida Housing programs.
Cities, towns and communities
- StuartCityCounty seatCounty seat; Jeanne's eye crossed the coast just east of Stuart in 2004.
- Sewall's PointTownTown on a peninsula near Stuart, between the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon.
- Jupiter IslandTownBarrier-island town in southern Martin County, separate from the Town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County.
- Ocean BreezeTownSmall town in eastern Martin County.
- IndiantownVillageVillage in western Martin County, away from the coast.
Official local resources
- Martin County Property Appraiser
- Martin County Tax Collector
- Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (official records)
- Martin County Emergency Management
- Martin County Human Services, SHIP Program
- Martin County Storm Surge Evacuation Zones
Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.
Martin County: common questions
5 questions
Does Martin County's SHIP program help with buying a home?
When checked in October 2026, the county's SHIP page listed home repair help and rental move-in help but no purchase help, and it says not every strategy is open at all times. Martin County Human Services runs the program, so ask it before you assume a strategy is open.
What do the evacuation zone names AB, CD and E mean on a Martin County map?
They are the county's storm surge evacuation zones, set from National Hurricane Center surge modeling. Some areas are in no zone. They are different from FEMA flood zones, which set flood insurance costs and some building rules. Look up both for any address you are considering.
What is the Urban Service District, and does it matter for a lot I want to buy?
The county says the Urban Service District is a growth boundary set in 1982 that marks the area suitable for urban development and included in planning for public facilities and services. It became the Primary district in 1990, and a Secondary district marks the transition to rural land. Ask the Growth Management Department where a specific parcel falls.
Should I worry about king tide flooding on a waterfront street in Martin County?
The county home page has flagged king tides for September through December, so it is reasonable to ask. Visit the street at a high tide if you can, ask neighbors and the seller about water on the road or driveway, check the FEMA flood zone, and ask an insurance agent how the address is rated. Evacuation zones will not answer this.
Is the Town of Jupiter Island in Palm Beach County like Jupiter?
No. Jupiter Island is a town in Martin County, on the barrier island in the south of the county, while the Town of Jupiter is in Palm Beach County. The parcel's county decides which Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and housing office apply, so confirm it with the title or closing agent before asking either county.
Loan programs to explore
- USDA LoansRural Development loans for eligible areas and incomes.
- Condotel and Non-Warrantable Condo LoansFor condos and condo-hotels outside Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project rules.
- Jumbo LoansFor loan amounts above the conforming limit.
- Florida Housing Homebuyer ProgramsFlorida Housing first mortgages with down payment help.
Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.
Browse all loan programsNeighboring counties
All 67 countiesLocal information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.