Sebastian, FL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Florida·Sebastian

Indian River County · Sebastian-Vero Beach · population 27,087

Sebastian, FL
Image: Wikipedia · Sebastian, Florida
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
65
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Sebastian stands

Rents up 6.2% in the last year.

Median home $346,633
1-year -2.0%
5-yr CAGR +5.6%
vs 5-yr peak -5.5%
Population +2.0%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-08$347k$160k$234k$308k$381k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
94/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,053/mo$1,719$1,954$2,18920242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent9511110020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 14.1
Buy

At a 14.1 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Sebastian on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 14.1 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
40 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
68 · w22%
Distance from peak
59 · w18%
Population growth
80 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
76 · w10%
Long thesis

Sebastian has held up across the cycle: home values at $346,633 with +5.6% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Sebastian is in a state where home insurance costs have doubled, climate risk repricing is still in progress, and the buyer pool is constrained by both. The bear case writes itself and is currently winning.

About Sebastian

Sebastian is a city in Indian River County, Florida, with an estimated population of 27,087. It anchors the Sebastian-Vero Beach metro area. The population grew 2.0% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Sebastian is $346,633 as of 2026-04, down 2.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.6% annual growth (-5.5% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Sebastian average $2,053 per month, up 6.2% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 65 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.6% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Net positive migration: population up 2.0% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Hot rental market: rents up 6.2% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Cooling: -2.0% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Sebastian (Wikipedia)

Sebastian is the most populous city in Indian River County, Florida. It is located at the confluence of the St. Sebastian River and the Indian River. It is the largest city in Indian River County and the biggest population center between Palm Bay and Fort Pierce. The city's economy is heavily reliant on tourism. It is located near many natural and scenic areas such as Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Indian River County right now.

NWS active alerts (FL)Florida Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Indian River County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Sebastian

1 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Roseland$342,471-3.1%

Cities like Sebastian

Eustis, FL68 · RisingDeBary, FL62 · RisingNew Smyrna Beach, FL65 · RisingPlant City, FL59 · Stable

Run the numbers for Sebastian

ToolCan I afford Sebastian?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Sebastian rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Sebastian to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolSebastian cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
70° / 51°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
90° / 73°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
233
~64% of year
Annual precip
54″ rain
0″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very high
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Very high

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Sebastian listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Sebastian-Vero Beach area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
76%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$67,900
Florida state median
Top industries (state-level)
TourismHealthcareConstruction

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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