Florida comparison
Tampa or Orlando: where to buy a home
Tampa costs a little more, and homes sell at the same pace. In the three months ending September 2026, Tampa’s median sale price was $449,786 and Orlando’s $405,033, and homes in both took a median of about 60 days to sell (Redfin). Half of Tampa’s homes are detached houses, against about a third of Orlando’s (Census).
By Zoya Solovyeva, REALTOR®, Olympus Executive Realty · Updated
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
Side by side
Tampa and Orlando in numbers.
Inside each city’s limits, with the latest figures we could check on November 8, 2026. Sources are listed under the table.
| Measure | Tampa | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, three months to September 2026 | $449,786up 4.9% in a year | $405,033down 2.5% in a year |
| Median price per square foot | $296 | $236 |
| Median days on the market | 60 | 61 |
| Sale price as a share of list price | 96.7% | 96.8% |
| Detached single family homes | 50.3% | 31.6% |
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 21.4% | 25.1% |
| Homes lived in by their owner | 50.3% | 39.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1992 |
| City operating tax rate | 6.2076mills, October 2026 to September 2027 | 6.6500mills, October 2025 to September 2026 |
| Average temperature, January and July | 62.0°F, 83.8°F | 60.6°F, 82.6°F |
| Days at 90°F or hotter, a year | about 94 | about 110 |
| Rain in a year | 49.5 in | 51.5 in |
| Population, July 1, 2025 | 413,554 | 333,888 |
Sources: Redfin housing market pages for Tampa and Orlando (all home types, read November 8, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, tables B25024, B25003 and B25035 for Tampa and Orlando; City of Tampa Ordinance 2026-95 (adopted September 22, 2026); Florida Department of Revenue, Orange County levies; NOAA climate normals 1991 to 2020 for Tampa International and Orlando International airports; Census 2025 population estimates.
Prices and pace
Close in price, the same pace.
Medians describe the middle of each market, all home types together. A given street can sit far from them.
At the September 2026 medians, the typical Tampa home sold for about $45,000 more than the typical Orlando home, and the median price per square foot was $296 against $236. Over the year Tampa’s median rose 4.9% while Orlando’s fell 2.5%.
The pace is almost the same: a median 60 days to sell in Tampa and 61 in Orlando, with sale prices near 97% of the list price in both. 14.7% of Tampa homes and 8.5% of Orlando homes sold above list, and Redfin rates both markets “Somewhat Competitive” (40 and 43 out of 100).
Across the bay, St. Petersburg’s median was $424,748 with a median of 61 days on the market. These are city figures: most homes in the Orlando area are outside the City of Orlando, in places such as Winter Park or Kissimmee, and an “Orlando, FL” mailing address does not prove a home is inside city limits.
Redfin pages for Tampa, St. Petersburg and Orlando, three months ending September 2026, read November 8, 2026. Redfin does not say whether its city pages follow city limits.
Home types
More houses in Tampa, more apartments in Orlando.
Inside city limits, half of Tampa’s homes are detached houses. In Orlando it is about a third, and most homes are in buildings with two or more units.
Half of Tampa’s occupied homes are lived in by their owner, against about two in five in Orlando. Tampa’s housing is a little older: the median home was built in 1985, against 1992 in Orlando.
Buying a condo in either city? Florida’s building safety rules are the same in both: milestone inspections for condo buildings of three or more habitable stories and a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years. Ask for the latest reports before you sign (Fla. Stat. 553.899, 718.112, 718.503). The Miami or Orlando page explains them step by step.
Want a newer home near Orlando? In Davenport, southwest of Orlando near I-4, the median home was built in 2015.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, tables B25024, B25003 and B25035 for Tampa, Orlando and Davenport, read November 8, 2026.
Taxes
Property tax: check the exact parcel.
The city rate is only one part of the bill. County, school and other levies come on top and differ by address.
The City of Tampa’s operating rate is 6.2076 mills for October 2026 to September 2027, adopted on September 22, 2026. Orlando’s is 6.6500 mills for October 2025 to September 2026 (Florida Department of Revenue); Orlando’s rate for the following year was not yet confirmed in an official document on November 8. One mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. Check the exact address with the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser or the Orange County Property Appraiser.
If the home will be your permanent residence, Florida’s homestead exemption can lower its taxable value and caps how fast the assessed value can rise. Apply with the county property appraiser by March 1 (Fla. Stat. 196.011). Florida voters approved changes on November 3, 2026 that apply from 2027; the results were not yet certified on November 8.
The deed stamp tax is the same in both counties: 70 cents per $100 of the price, so $2,800 on a $400,000 home (Fla. Stat. 201.02). Who pays it is set in the contract. More in buyer closing costs.
Renting it out
Short term rentals: both cities set limits.
If you plan to rent the home for short stays, check the exact parcel and its zoning with the city before you buy.
Orlando. Inside city limits, a stay of less than 30 days is a short term rental and must be registered. Under the city’s home sharing rules the host lives on site, and renting an entire home for less than 30 days is generally not allowed (City of Orlando).
Tampa. The city code defines a dwelling unit as rented “on a weekly or longer basis,” and in 2022 a circuit court appeals panel read that as barring shorter rentals in a single family district (Super Host, LLC v. City of Tampa). As of August 27, 2026 the city had no rental registration program of its own.
Homes with an Orlando or Tampa mailing address outside city limits follow county rules, and a vacation rental also needs a state license from the Florida DBPR (Fla. Stat. 509.242).
Insurance and flood
Get insurance quotes before you offer.
Insurance depends on the exact address, the roof and the building, in either city.
“Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage,” says FloodSmart, the federal flood insurance program. Look up the flood zone of the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 for both cities (National Hurricane Center). Ask several insurers for quotes; Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the insurer the State of Florida created.
Climate
Much the same climate, a few more hot days in Orlando.
Thirty year averages from NOAA for each city’s main airport.
| Measure | Tampa | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| January, average | 62.0°F | 60.6°F |
| January nights, average low | 52.8°F | 49.5°F |
| July, average | 83.8°F | 82.6°F |
| July afternoons, average high | 91.0°F | 92.0°F |
| Days at 90°F or hotter, a year | about 94 | about 110 |
| Nights at 32°F or colder, a year | about 1 | about 2 |
| Rain in a year | 49.5 in | 51.5 in |
| Share of the rain from June to September | 61% | 57% |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020, stations Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport, read November 8, 2026. The share of rain from June to September is worked out from the monthly normals.
Getting around
About 1 hour 40 minutes on I-4.
Downtown Tampa to downtown Orlando is about 85 miles, or 1 hour 39 minutes by car without traffic. Rush hour on I-4 adds more.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is about 13 minutes from downtown Tampa without traffic, and the St. Pete and Clearwater airport (PIE) is across the bay in Pinellas County. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is inside Orlando city limits, about 27 minutes from downtown. From downtown Tampa, MCO is about 1 hour 43 minutes away.
Schools
Tampa is in Hillsborough County Public Schools; St. Petersburg and Clearwater are in Pinellas County Schools. Orlando is in Orange County Public Schools, and the OCPS Find My School tool shows the schools for an exact address. School assignment always follows the address.
Drive times: OSRM routing, free flow, Tampa to Orlando, downtown Tampa to TPA, downtown Tampa to MCO and downtown Orlando to MCO, November 8, 2026.
One more pair
Tampa or Miami?
Both are big coastal cities, and both are a drive from Orlando. By the same measures, Miami costs more, sells more slowly and has far more homes in large buildings.
| Measure | Tampa | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, three months to September 2026 | $449,786 | $649,691 |
| Median days on the market | 60 | 113 |
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 21.4% | 48.8% |
| January, average temperature | 62.0°F | 68.6°F |
| Drive to downtown Orlando, without traffic | 1 h 39 min | 4 h 23 min |
More on each: Miami or Orlando, find an agent in Tampa Bay and find an agent in Miami.
Sources: Redfin pages for Tampa and Miami; Census table B25024 for Tampa and Miami; NOAA climate normals 1991 to 2020; OSRM routing from Tampa and Miami, November 8, 2026.
If Orlando fits
Work with Zoya directly.
Zoya Solovyeva, REALTOR®, works in Orlando and Central Florida with Olympus Executive Realty, in English and Russian. She can tour homes with you, write your offer and see the purchase through to closing.
Start with the Orlando guide, Davenport on the Tampa side of Orlando, or all Central Florida areas. See also buying a home with Zoya.
If Tampa fits
Find a licensed Tampa Bay agent.
Zoya does not show homes or write offers in Tampa Bay. She can find and check a licensed agent who works there, introduce you after you agree, and stay in touch in English or Russian.
Find an agent in Tampa Bay, or read how the introduction works.
Questions
Tampa or Orlando: common questions.
Is it cheaper to buy a home in Tampa or Orlando?
A little cheaper in Orlando by these numbers. In the three months ending September 2026 the median sale price was $405,033 in Orlando and $449,786 in Tampa, and the median price per square foot was $236 against $296 (Redfin).
Which city has more single family houses?
Tampa. 50.3% of Tampa’s homes are detached single family houses, against 31.6% in Orlando (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024, city limits only).
How far is Tampa from Orlando?
About 85 miles, or 1 hour 39 minutes by car on I-4 without traffic, downtown to downtown. Rush hour adds more.
Which is hotter, Tampa or Orlando?
The averages are close. Tampa is slightly warmer in January (62.0°F against 60.6°F), and Orlando has more very hot days: about 110 a year at 90°F or more, against about 94 in Tampa (NOAA normals, 1991 to 2020).
Can I rent a home short term in Tampa or Orlando?
Both cities limit it. In Orlando, stays under 30 days must be registered and whole home rentals that short are generally not allowed under the home sharing rules; in Tampa, a 2022 court ruling read the city code as barring rentals shorter than a week in a single family district. Rules follow the exact parcel, so check with the city and county before you buy.
Can Zoya help me buy in Tampa?
Zoya works in Orlando and Central Florida. For Tampa Bay she can find and check a licensed local agent and introduce you after you agree. See find an agent in Tampa Bay.
Talk to Zoya
Leaning toward Orlando?
Tell Zoya what you are looking for, in English or Russian. For Tampa Bay, ask for an introduction to a licensed local agent instead.
- Call(609) 408-7086Olympus Executive Realty
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About referrals.
Zoya Solovyeva is a Florida licensed real estate sales associate with Olympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive[CONFIRM: , Suite 6], Montverde, FL 34756. She works with clients in Orlando and Central Florida. She has no office in Tampa Bay and does not show homes or write offers there herself. For Tampa Bay, she refers you to a licensed Florida agent who works mainly in that area, and she shares your details with that agent only after you agree. If she cannot find a suitable agent, she tells you and shares your details with no one. The partner agent works for a different brokerage, which supervises that agent’s work. If the partner agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it is paid to Olympus Executive Realty out of that brokerage’s commission, and Zoya may receive a share from Olympus Executive Realty. It is not a separate charge to you.
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Facts checked November 8, 2026. Sources are linked beside each figure: Redfin, the U.S. Census Bureau, the City of Tampa, the City of Orlando, the Florida Department of Revenue, the Florida Statutes, a Florida circuit court opinion, NOAA, FloodSmart and FEMA, the National Hurricane Center, OSRM routing and the school districts.