For people considering a move
Considering a move to St. Johns County?
Communities, schools, weather, insurance, and flood zones in St. Johns County, Florida.
St. Augustine weather
76°
Partly cloudy
Updated Nov 2, 2026, 10:00 AM
County population
306,934
ACS 2024 5-year
Updated Nov 2, 2026, 3:01 PM
Median home value
$489,200
Census ACS, not MLS
Updated Nov 2, 2026, 3:01 PM
Median household income
$109,839
Census Reporter via U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates
Updated Nov 2, 2026, 3:01 PM
Planning to sell before you move? We can help you find a trusted agent at home.
Why people move here
Beaches, a historic downtown, schools, and no state income tax. Also heat, storms, insurance, and growth.
Communities
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, World Golf Village, the beaches, Vilano, northwest St. Johns, and the official PUD directory.
Schools
How the district’s state ranking works, and how to check the campus for a street address.
What’s happening
Community updates
National Weather Service alerts refresh about every 15 minutes. Seasonal notes cover October 2026 through February 2027 and stay until they are no longer useful.
Alert · National Weather Service
Rip Current Statement issued November 2 at 1:25PM EST until November 4 at 4:00AM EST by NWS Jacksonville FL
* WHAT...For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of up to 5
Nov 2, 2026, 1:25 PM
SourceAlert · National Weather Service
High Surf Advisory issued November 2 at 1:25PM EST until November 3 at 12:00AM EST by NWS Jacksonville FL
* WHAT...For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of up to 5
Nov 2, 2026, 1:25 PM
SourceAlert · National Weather Service
Coastal Flood Advisory issued November 2 at 1:25PM EST until November 4 at 4:00AM EST by NWS Jacksonville FL
* WHAT...Minor coastal flooding.
Nov 2, 2026, 1:25 PM
SourceCommunity · Editorial note
This week: CAKE at the Amp, Kids Day, and Colonial Oak
Wednesday, October 21, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre lists An Evening with CAKE. Saturday the Amp has Turnpike Troubadours, and the city calendar still has Ancient City Kids Day at Francis Field, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Colonial Oak’s calendar has One Good Ring Friday night and a ticketed Jerry’s Middle Finger show Sunday. Confirm times and tickets with the venue. Last reviewed October 20, 2026.
Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 PM
SourceSeason · Editorial note
Nights of Lights: November 21, 2026 – January 18, 2027
The City of St. Augustine has set this season: Light-Up! Night is Saturday, November 21, 2026, and the white lights stay on through Monday, January 18, 2027 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). The historic district is beautiful and crowded — park once, walk on a weekday if you can, and treat Saturday night as a different town. The Historic Coast calendar also lists St. Augustine Beach’s Light Up the NIGHT fireworks for Thursday, December 31, at 8:30 p.m.; confirm parking and shuttles closer to New Year’s Eve. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.
Sep 19, 2026, 12:00 PM
SourceSeason · Editorial note
Holiday parades on land and water
Two downtown dates are published: the St. Augustine Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 9 a.m., and the Holiday Regatta of Lights on Matanzas Bay on Saturday, December 12, at 6 p.m. Colonial Night Watch — encampment and a torchlight parade — is listed the same Saturday evening as the Christmas Parade, December 5. Palm Valley’s lighted boat parade on the Intracoastal is typically the first Saturday in December; the tourism calendar lists December 5, 2026, but the organizer site had not posted a 2026 date as of this review, so treat that one as typical until they confirm. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.
Sep 19, 2026, 11:30 AM
Source
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Latest news
Two property-tax questions on Tuesday's ballot: Amendment 3 and the $100 million conservation bond
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, St. Johns County voters decide two property-tax questions at once: statewide Amendment 3, which would greatly raise the homestead exemption on non-school taxes but make new Florida residents wait five years for the larger break, and a county bond of up to $100 million to buy conservation land, repaid with a property tax capped at 0.15 mills.
Farmland to subdivisions: what St. Johns County has approved, denied and will hear next under Florida's new agricultural enclave law
St. Johns County has certified about 551 acres of farmland as "agricultural enclaves" under a new state law, denied more than 5,600 acres, faces a court challenge over land north of Nocatee, and hears three more requests on Nov. 3.
King tides and a nor'easter flood St. Augustine streets, with a warning in effect until Friday
King tides and a strong nor'easter flooded streets near City Hall and Flagler College in St. Augustine on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. As of Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service still has a coastal flood warning on the St. Johns County coast until 2 a.m. Friday, calling for moderate flooding around high tide.
Latest notes
Which St. Augustine restaurants did the Michelin Guide actually mention?
As of the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Florida, St. Augustine has four mentioned restaurants and zero Michelin stars. Bar Citra and Sunday hold Bib Gourmand (good food, good value). Asado Life and Lotus Noodle Bar are Recommended. Nearby Jacksonville-area rooms were also listed; they are a drive, not a St. Johns street.
Where do residents eat in St. Augustine and St. Johns County?
Build a Wednesday map first: town-center and corridor restaurants near where you will actually live, then add historic St. Augustine as a planned outing. The visitor core is real and crowded; it is not your only pantry. A short 2026 Michelin Florida list now sits in town — Bib Gourmand and Recommended, not stars — and those rooms take a little more intention than a village burrito.
Where do people in St. Johns County actually shop?
You can grocery-shop, outlet-shop, and run most household errands inside the county. You still drive to Jacksonville’s St. Johns Town Center when you want the Apple-and-Anthropologie version of a Saturday. Nocatee and Ponte Vedra cover the weekly village; the I-95 / SR 16 and International Golf Parkway interchanges cover the big box. Downtown is the souvenir and boutique hour, not the back-to-school run.
Questions
Last updated October 26, 2026.
Is St. Johns County a good place to live?
Yes, if you want Atlantic beaches, a historic downtown, and a public school district that out-of-state families already search by name. It is also growing quickly, so traffic, new construction, and insurance belong in the same conversation. Come in August as well as March.
What does a home cost in St. Johns County?
In September 2026, the single-family median sale price was $573,750, up 2.5% from a year earlier, according to realMLS data published by the St. Johns Citizen. Ponte Vedra and close-in coastal streets sit at the high end; farther inland and some newer villages can look more approachable until insurance and community fees are included. Compare monthly carrying cost, not only the sticker.
Which St. Johns County communities are best for families?
Ponte Vedra has older trees and beach access. Nocatee has parks, pools, and a planned suburban layout. Confirm the assigned campus for the street address on the district site.
Heat, storms, insurance, and growth
Summer is long and wet
May through October is hot and humid, with afternoon storms that build almost daily and clear by early evening. Locals plan around it.
Hurricane season is real
June 1 to November 30, with the county’s highest activity risk in late August and September. Know your evacuation zone before you need it.
Insurance is the line item that surprises people
Property tax and insurance, not income tax, are where housing costs concentrate. Get a quote on the exact address before you commit.
The county is growing fast
US-1 and Nocatee Parkway carry more traffic every year, and school capacity moves with construction. Verify the zone, not the brochure.
Worth knowing this season
- September 2026
First Friday Art Walk, downtown St. Augustine
Galleries in the historic district stay open the first Friday evening of each month. It is free, walkable, and one of the easier ways to meet people if you are new.
Source: Art Galleries of St. Augustine - August 2026
Beach season and water temperatures
Ocean temperatures in Northeast Florida are comfortable from roughly May into October, and locals keep swimming well past Labor Day. Lifeguard coverage at St. Augustine Beach is seasonal — check posted hours.
Source: St. Johns County Marine Rescue - August 2026
School year cadence in St. Johns County
The district typically starts in mid-August and ends in late May, with registration windows opening well before the start date. A mid-year move should go through the school directly.
Source: St. Johns County School District - June 2026
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30
Most of the county’s activity risk sits in late August and September. New residents should know their evacuation zone and keep documents digital before the season starts.
Source: St. Johns County Emergency Management - November 2025
Nights of Lights returns each November
St. Augustine strings lights across the historic district from late November into January. It is beautiful and it is busy — downtown traffic and parking change for about two months.
Source: Florida's Historic Coast
Questions people ask first
- Is St. Johns County a good place to move from out of state?
- Yes, if you want Atlantic beaches, a historic downtown, and a public school district that out-of-state families already search by name. It is also growing quickly, so traffic, new construction, and insurance belong in the same conversation. Come in August as well as March.
- How bad is hurricane risk in St. Johns County?
- This is Atlantic Florida: hurricane season runs June through November, and storm surge and flooding matter as much as wind. Risk is not uniform. A well-built inland house west of the Intracoastal and a dune-front condo are different products that share a county name. Look at elevation, flood zone, roof age, and wind mitigation before you shop for furniture.
- Is there a state income tax in Florida?
- Florida has no state income tax. Property tax, homeowners insurance, flood insurance, and HOA or CDD fees still apply. Add those to the monthly payment along with the mortgage.
- Which airport do people use for St. Johns County?
- Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is the airport most residents use. Drive time depends on the address and the hour. Daytona Beach and Orlando are farther.
- Should we choose Nocatee or Ponte Vedra?
- Ponte Vedra has the beach and older coastal trees. Nocatee has a master-planned layout, pools, and schools inside the community. Prices, insurance, and HOA or CDD fees differ. Compare the monthly payment for a specific address.
- Are the schools in St. Johns County really that strong?
- St. Johns County School District is consistently among Florida’s highest-performing districts on state measures, which is why families hear the name before they can find the county on a map. That reputation is earned in the aggregate. Zoning still shifts with growth, so confirm the assigned campus for a specific address on the district site instead of trusting a community marketing name. We do not publish live school grades here.