Called by the nickname, “The Sunshine City,” St. Petersburg, FL, has become a destination for many people relocating to the Gulf Coast. There are countless things to do in the city whether you visit the Salvador Dali Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, explore the Sunken Gardens, stroll along St. Petersburg Pier, or have a beach day at St. Pete Beach. No wonder 258,200 people are living in St. Petersburg.
If you’re looking to buy a home in St. Petersburg, expect the median home sale price to be around $410,000 and the average sale price per square foot to be $311. For renters, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg is about $2,626.
If those prices don’t fit into your budget, don’t worry. We’ve rounded up a list of the 10 best affordable St. Petersburg suburbs to consider living in – and they’re all under a 40-minute drive from the city. That way you can live nearby without paying the price of living in St. Petersburg.
#1: Memphis
Median home price: $265,000
Average sale price per square foot: $187
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 25 minutes
Memphis, FL homes for sale
Memphis, FL apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $265,000, Memphis claims the first spot on our list of affordable St. Petersburg suburbs. Just about a 25-minute drive away from St. Petersburg, you won’t miss out on what the city has to offer.
#2: Lealman
Median home price: $294,500
Average sale price per square foot: $248
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 10 minutes
Lealman, FL homes for sale
Lealman, FL apartments for rent
Coming in as the second most affordable suburb in St. Petersburg is Lealman. About a 10-minute drive away from downtown St. Petersburg, you can stroll along St. Petersburg Pier in no time. Living in Lealman, you’ll want to visit Raymond H. Neri Community Park.
#3: Pinellas Park
Median home price: $300,000
Average sale price per square foot: $226
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 15 minutes
Pinellas Park, FL homes for sale
Pinellas Park, FL apartments for rent
Drive just 15 minutes outside of St. Petersburg and you’ll reach Pinellas Park, another great suburb. There’s plenty of charming and outdoorsy activities to take part in when living in Pinellas Park. If you find yourself moving to the third most affordable suburb, explore Sawgrass Lake Park, visit the Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, and play a round of golf at the Mainlands Golf Club.
#4: Kenneth City
Median home price: $314,950
Average sale price per square foot: $243
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 15 minutes
Kenneth City, FL homes for sale
Kenneth City, FL apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Pinellas Park is the suburb of Kenneth City. With a population close to 5,000, there’s still plenty to do in this St. Petersburg suburb.
#5: South Highpoint
Median home price: $318,750
Average sale price per square foot: $226
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 20 minutes
South Highpoint, FL homes for sale
South Highpoint, FL apartments for rent
20 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg is South Highpoint, another great suburb to consider moving to. With 5,000 people living in this affordable town, South Highpoint is a great option to consider when looking to stay close to St. Petersburg without paying the premium for a home in the city. In South Highpoint, you’ll have easy access to all the attractions throughout the city of St. Petersburg.
#6: Gibsonton
Median home price: $333,000
Average sale price per square foot: $199
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 40 minutes
Gibsonton, FL homes for sale
Gibsonton, FL apartments for rent
A recognizable St. Petersburg suburb is Gibsonton, where you’ll find the home prices are about $80K less than in St. Petersburg. With roughly 18,600 people calling Gibsonton home, it’s a great area to consider buying a house or renting an apartment in. Whether you visit one of the beaches or nature preserves and grab a meal at one of the waterfront restaurants, there’s many cool things to do and see in this suburb.
#7: Largo
Median home price: $347,000
Average sale price per square foot: $273
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 30 minutes
Largo, FL homes for sale
Largo, FL apartments for rent
Seventh on our list of affordable St. Petersburg suburbs is Largo, which is about a 30-minute drive into the heart of the city. With a population of roughly 82,500, Largo is a great area to live in that’s not nearly as big as St. Petersburg. If you’re going to call this area home, plan time to explore one of Largo’s many nature preserves and visit the Florida Botanical Gardens to look at the gorgeous flowers.
#8: Ruskin
Median home price: $364,500
Average sale price per square foot: $181
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 40 minutes
Ruskin, FL homes for sale
Ruskin, FL apartments for rent
If you’ve been living in St. Petersburg for some time, you might know the suburb of Ruskin. Roughly 28,600 residents call this affordable suburb home, so you’ll have a fraction of St. Petersburg’s population while remaining only 40 minutes from the city. Be sure to spend the day at Bahia Beach, visit E.G. Simmons Regional Park, or watch a movie at Ruskin Family Drive-In Theatre once you move to Ruskin.
#9: Clearwater
Median home price: $375,000
Average sale price per square foot: $259
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 35 minutes
Clearwater, FL homes for sale
Clearwater, FL apartments for rent
Without traffic, you’ll be in downtown St. Petersburg in about 35 minutes, making Clearwater a great place to live. Roughly 117,300 people live in this city, but you’ll find plenty to do in Clearwater like enjoying the views at one of the sparkling white sand beaches.
#10: Seminole
Median home price: $375,000
Average sale price per square foot: $264
Driving distance from St. Petersburg: 25 minutes
Seminole, FL homes for sale
Seminole, FL apartments for rent
Rounding out our list of affordable St. Petersburg suburbs is Seminole. If you’re lucky to avoid traffic, it’ll only take about 25 minutes to drive into St. Petersburg. This suburb has a population of 19,400 and you can explore Lake Seminole Park and take in views or spend the day Blossom Lake Park. You’ll always find something to check out while living in this charming town.
Methodology: Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s median home sale price or average sale price per square foot is less than St. Petersburg and under a 40-minute drive from downtown St. Petersburg. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during March 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com March 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
This post first appeared on Redfin.com. To see the original, click here.