The short answer
Choose St. Augustine if you love history and walkable streets and are happy to share downtown with millions of visitors a year, pay a bit more in taxes and, in the historic districts, get approval for exterior changes. Choose Palm Coast if you want a newer home, more space for the money and quieter day-to-day life, 35 to 40 minutes south. Both school districts are rated A, and St. Augustine is closer to the Jacksonville airport while Palm Coast is closer to Daytona's.
Palm Coast and St. Augustine side by side
| Topic | Palm Coast | St. Augustine |
|---|---|---|
| County | Flagler | St. Johns |
| Population (2025 Census estimate) | About 109,900 | About 16,100 inside city limits |
| Typical home | Single-family (91%), median year built 2003 | One in four homes built before 1940; a third in multi-unit buildings; median year built 1980 |
| Median home value (Census, owner-reported) | About $351,000 | About $440,000 |
| County median list price (Sept. 2026) | Flagler County: about $400,000 | St. Johns County: about $529,000 |
| Total property tax rate inside city limits (2025) | 18.1746 mills (about $1,817 per $100,000 of taxable value) | 19.5552 mills (about $1,956 per $100,000) |
| Historic review | No citywide historic district; many HOAs have architectural review | Five historic preservation districts; most exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness |
| Visitors | Mostly a residential city | About 2.8 million visitors to St. Johns County in 2025 |
| Schools | Flagler Schools (A district, 2025-26) | St. Johns County School District (A district, 2025-26) |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Daytona Beach (about 32 miles) | Jacksonville (about 52 miles) |
Market numbers: Stellar MLS; they refresh live when you open this page. Single-family homes, condos and townhomes.
Old city, new city
St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States. A quarter of its homes were built before 1940, and its five historic preservation districts protect that character: most exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and tearing down any building 50 years or older needs a Certificate of Demolition. Palm Coast is the opposite. It incorporated in 1999, most homes were built after 2000, and the review you'll deal with comes from your HOA, if you have one.
Living with the visitors
St. Johns County drew about 2.8 million visitors in 2025, and much of that traffic lands in a small downtown, especially during Nights of Lights from mid-November into January. The city helps residents with discounted parking at the downtown garage for registered St. Johns County residents and permit-only parking on some residential streets. Many people who love St. Augustine live outside the historic core, on Anastasia Island, at Vilano or in the county, and come into town when they want to. Keep in mind many St. Augustine mailing addresses are outside city limits, so city taxes, historic rules and utilities may not apply.
Prices and taxes
Palm Coast is generally less expensive. The Census puts the typical owner-occupied home at about $351,000 in Palm Coast against about $440,000 in St. Augustine, and the September 2026 median list price was about $400,000 across Flagler County against $529,000 in St. Johns County. Inside city limits, St. Augustine's 2025 tax rate was 19.5552 mills against 18.1746 in Palm Coast. Outside city limits in unincorporated St. Johns County the rate drops to about 13.5 mills, though home prices there are higher.
Flooding
The City of St. Augustine says most of the city is in a flood plain, and some low streets flood at high tide. After Matthew, Irma and Dorian, the city started flood walls, pump stations and shoreline projects. Palm Coast was largely spared flooding in Matthew but saw canal and street flooding in Ian and Milton. In both places, flood risk changes street by street, so I pull the flood zone and the elevation certificate for every home, and for historic coquina homes in St. Augustine I add a specialist inspection.
Getting around
The two are about 26 miles apart, 35 to 40 minutes by I-95 or US 1, so it's easy to live in one and enjoy the other. St. Augustine is closer to Jacksonville International (about 52 miles); Palm Coast is closer to Daytona Beach International (about 32 miles). Read how far Palm Coast is from the airports and cities.
My take
Plenty of my Palm Coast buyers first looked in St. Augustine. They loved the city and still go up for dinner, but wanted a newer home with room for family visits at a price that made sense. If history and walkability are what you're buying, St. Augustine is special. If you want a quieter home base with St. Augustine 35 minutes away, Palm Coast gives you both.
David Stanley, Broker Associate, CENTURY 21 Fine Homes & Estates Realty Exchange. 23 years in North Florida, over $60 million in closed sales.
See for yourself:Palm Coast homes for saleSt. Augustine homes for sale
More questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Palm Coast than St. Augustine?
Is St. Augustine too touristy to live in?
How far is Palm Coast from St. Augustine?
Can you renovate an old house in St. Augustine?
Does St. Augustine flood?
Which has better schools, St. Johns or Flagler?
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: city population estimates, 2020-2025
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 housing tables (via Census Reporter)
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 St. Johns County taxing authority rates
- City of St. Augustine: historic preservation and Certificates of Appropriateness
- City of St. Augustine: coastal vulnerability
- City of St. Augustine: resident parking discount
- St. Johns County Tourist Development Council: 2025 visitor study (April 2026 agenda)
- National Park Service: St. Augustine town plan historic district
- Realtor.com Research: monthly housing inventory by county (September 2026)
Facts checked against these sources on November 3, 2026. Rules, rates and fees change; confirm anything you'll rely on before you buy.
