Florida Homeowners Pay the Most in HOA Fees—and This Red-Hot Coastal Metro Is Hit Hardest

The share of for-sale homes governed by homeowners associations is climbing, as are dues, with Florida homeowners bearing the heaviest financial burden.

In 2025, 43.6% of listings were subject to an HOA fee, up from 41.9% the year before, according to the latest HOA report from Realtor.com® researchers. 

The median HOA fee rose from $125 per month in 2024 to $135 in 2025, representing an 8% year-over-year increase. 

Homeowners associations manage communities, providing shared amenities, like pools, clubhouses, security, and landscaping, and enforce rules for homeowners in the neighborhood in exchange for monthly fees. 

More than 4 in 5 condominiums and townhomes in the U.S. have HOAs, compared with just about one-third of single-family homes. Notably, both shares have been steadily rising since 2023, and HOAs are much more prevalent among newly built homes than existing ones.

While HOA-governed communities can offer significant benefits, the added costs can chip away at buyers' already constrained affordability.   

"Not only must prospective homebuyers contend with high home prices and mortgage rates over 6%, beyond principal and interest payments are homeowners insurance, property taxes, and HOA dues," says Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner. "These ancillary costs of homeownership are straining homeowners in many parts of the country."

Nevada has the highest share of listings with HOAs among the 50 states and Washington, DC, with more than 68%, driven by the state's high concentration of condominiums and new construction.

However, looking at the most expensive HOAs in the U.S. relative to home prices, Florida is the undisputed standout.

Florida metros lead the U.S. in most onerous HOA fees

To identify the markets with the most burdensome HOAs, researchers looked at the 300 largest metros and selected those that have a share of listings with HOAs exceeding the national average. Then, they calculated what percentage of the monthly principal and interest payment on the median home listing in that metro the typical HOA fee for that area represents. 

Among the top 10 metros with the most expensive HOAs relative to home prices, seven are located in the Sunshine State, with Miami in the No. 1 spot.

The owner of a median-priced $425,000 home in Miami pays about $617 per month in HOA fees—26.9% of the monthly mortgage payment.

Panama City, FL, is a close second with 22.7%, followed by Naples, FL (20.3%), Cape Coral, FL (19.6%), and Port St. Lucie, FL, rounding out the top five (18.9%). 

Ana Bozovic, a Miami-based real estate agent and founder of real estate research firm Analytics Miami, tells Realtor.com that Florida, and Miami in particular, are seeing elevated HOA burdens in part because of aging inventory.

"Many buildings are now reaching the age where deferred maintenance can no longer be postponed," she says. "The post-Surfside regulatory changes accelerated this reality by mandating structural inspections, reserve studies, and full funding of reserves."

Post-Surfside legislation is driving HOA fees higher

Following the deadly collapse of the 12-story beachfront Champlain Towers South in Surfside, FL, in 2021, a state law was adopted requiring condos over 30 years old to pass safety inspections and meet reserve requirements, adding to the shared costs of condo associations—and driving up monthly dues for owners. 

Additionally, property insurance premiums in Florida have skyrocketed due to climate risk, litigation costs, and insurance company pullbacks.

"In condo buildings, those increases are passed directly into HOA budgets," explains Bozovic. "Add rising labor, materials, and utility costs, and HOA fees have increased far faster than inflation or wage growth."

As a result of these shifts, pricing in Miami has bifurcated: newer or well-capitalized buildings with robust reserves and predictable fees are holding value much better, while older buildings with suddenly rising HOA costs are experiencing price pressure and longer time on market.

"As for buyer behavior, the big foundational change is that buyers are now asking more detailed questions about reserves, upcoming assessments, and insurance exposure before making offers," notes Bozovic.

The analyst says while it would make financial sense for budget buyers to choose non-HOA or low-HOA housing, it is extremely hard to come by in or near Miami's city center.

"The sharpest HOA fee spikes and looming special assessments are concentrated in older condo buildings, which also happen to be the most affordable segment of the condo market," points out Bozovic.