Manatee County
Buying a home in Palmetto
The highest tax rate of any town we cover. Manatee County's down payment loan reaches Palmetto, but it's closed for now.
Median sale, all homes
$305,000
Median house
$352,500
House $/sq ft
$258
That house, a month
$3,218
99 sales, Apr 2026 to Sep 2026, county property appraiser records. Monthly cost: 3.5% down at 7.24%, with Palmetto taxes and insurance.
Buying a first home in Palmetto, FL: tax rate, down payment help, title costs and recent prices, each checked against official sources.
Prices by home type
- Houses$352,500 · 50 sold
- Condos$335,000 · 23 sold
- Townhomes$345,000 · 4 sold
- Villas$515,000 · 1 sold
- Manufactured$155,000 · 21 sold
What buyers should know
Property tax rate
19.17 mills
The highest of the towns we cover. On a $400,000 home with homestead, about $6,850 a year. Just outside the city (13.31), about $4,800.
2025 tax year · Manatee Property Appraiser, Fla. Dept. of Revenue, Homestead amount (Fla. DOR)
Down payment help
Closed for now
Palmetto and unincorporated Manatee are the only areas the county's loan covers. But Manatee County confirmed on Oct 19, 2026 that its SHIP loan has no money left this year, and 2026-27 funding hasn't been decided. We'll check again by Nov 16, 2026.
Confirmed by phone with the county · Manatee County funding notice, Manatee County SHIP guidelines
Recent median sale
$305,000
City of Palmetto, 99 recorded sales, all home types: houses $352,500, condos $335,000. The Census puts the typical owner's home value at $313,400 (2020-24). With so few sales, compare recent sales on the street. Manatee's records don't mark non-market sales, so sales under $50,000 are left out.
Apr-Sep 2026 · Manatee County parcel records, U.S. Census
Title insurance
Seller usually pays
In Manatee County the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy and usually picks the title company. It's custom, not law: Florida gives you the right to choose your own title agent, and who pays can be negotiated.
Local custom · Fla. Dept. of Financial Services, Barnes Walker
Public schools
Manatee County: B
The School District of Manatee kept its B grade; check the zoned schools for a specific address.
2025-26 school year · Fla. Dept. of Education, Tampa Bay Beacons
Worth knowing before you offer
- Inside Palmetto city limits, property tax on a typical $305K home runs about $125 a month more than just outside the city. Its 19.2 mills is the highest rate in the area. Manatee County Property Appraiser
- Palmetto qualifies for Manatee County's down payment loan: 0% interest, forgiven after 20 years, for homes up to $400,000 through a county-certified lender. Manatee County
Down payment help that can apply in Palmetto
- Florida Hometown Heroes: 5% of your loan, $10,000 to $35,000
- FL Assist: Up to $10,000
- FL HLP second mortgage: $12,500
- HFA Preferred PLUS: 3%, 4% or 5% of your loan
- Manatee County HFA Home Ownership Program: Up to $15,000, plus a yearly tax credit
Facts last checked Oct 23, 2026.