St. Pete Beach vs. Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Clearwater Beach and Indian Rocks Beach: Where to Live
Aktualisiert im Oktober 2026.
Most „which beach is better“ articles are written for vacations. This one is for living here or buying a second home. We compared the five largest Pinellas Gulf beach towns on what actually changes your life and your costs: home and condo prices, how fast homes sell, flood insurance, the 2024 storms and the rental rules. Then we put the most-searched matchups side by side.
The five towns at a glance
| St. Pete Beach | Treasure Island | Madeira Beach | Indian Rocks Beach | Clearwater Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median home sale price | $845,500 | $1,000,000 | $670,000 | $1,160,000 | $1,455,000 |
| Median home price per sq ft | $506 | $515 | $441 | $643 | $600 |
| Median condo sale price | $432,500 | $342,500 | $649,500 | $612,500 | $585,000 |
| Home sales, 12 months | 160 | 98 | 74 | 66 | 44 |
| Condo sales, 12 months | 154 | 82 | 90 | 46 | 249 |
| Months of supply, homes / condos | 4.7 / 5.8 | 6.7 / 11.6 | 6.6 / 7.2 | 5.3 / 10.2 | 9.8 / 7.8 |
| Median flood insurance, homes | $4,722 | $5,071 | $4,778 | $3,624 | $5,068 |
| Hurricane Helene flood claims | 2,104 | 1,765 | 1,150 | 1,184 | 1,124 |
| Rentals under 30 days | Limited to certain zones | Allowed in resort and commercial zones | Not in R-1 (6-month minimum) or R-2 (3-month) | Erlaubt mit städtischer Registrierung | Not in residential zones |
| Feel | Historic Pass-a-Grille, Corey Avenue, canal neighborhoods | Wide beach, quiet south end, boating isles | John’s Pass, marinas, canal homes | Small-town, residential, low-key | Busiest beach, high-rise condos, Pier 60 |
Prices are medians of homes that sold, so they reflect the mix of homes that changed hands, not the value of any one home. Clearwater Beach figures include Sand Key. Months of supply above about 5.5 generally favors buyers.
St. Pete Beach vs. Treasure Island
These two share a border at Blind Pass, and buyers often look at both. St. Pete Beach has more going on: Pass-a-Grille’s historic main street, Corey Avenue’s Sunday market and shops, the Don CeSar, and a mix of Gulf-front condos and bay-side canal neighborhoods. It had the most home sales of the five towns and the tightest home supply (4.7 months). Treasure Island is quieter, with one of the widest beaches on the coast and bay-side isles where many homes have docks with deep water and no fixed bridges to the Gulf.
- Homes: Treasure Island’s median was higher ($1,000,000 vs $845,500), driven by its waterfront isles.
- Condos: Treasure Island’s condo median was lower ($342,500 vs $432,500), and it had 11.6 months of condo supply, the most of the five towns, so buyers have room to negotiate.
- Rentals: Treasure Island allows short stays in its resort and commercial zones; St. Pete Beach limits stays under a month to certain zones.
Choose St. Pete Beach for walkability and things to do; choose Treasure Island for a quieter beach, boating and more condo choice.
St. Pete Beach vs. Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is the busiest beach on the coast: high-rise and resort condos around Pier 60, a nightly sunset festival and year-round visitors. It had 249 condo sales in 12 months, far more than any other town, but only 44 home sales at a median of $1,455,000, the highest of the five. St. Pete Beach is lower-key, with more single-family neighborhoods and a historic district. For a condo with resort amenities, Clearwater Beach has the most choice. For a house on a canal or a cottage near the beach, St. Pete Beach has more inventory at lower prices.
St. Pete Beach vs. Madeira Beach
Madeira Beach is built around John’s Pass Village, the marinas and canal neighborhoods with docks and quick access to the pass. Its median home price ($670,000) and price per square foot ($441) were the lowest of the five towns, while its condo median ($649,500) was higher than St. Pete Beach’s, reflecting the buildings that sold. Its residential zones require rentals of at least 3 or 6 months. St. Pete Beach has more variety and a walkable historic district; Madeira Beach suits boaters and buyers who want a lower entry price for a house.
Treasure Island vs. Madeira Beach
John’s Pass separates them. Both have bay-side canal homes and Gulf-front condos. Madeira Beach had the lower home median ($670,000 vs $1,000,000) and quick walking access to John’s Pass Village. Treasure Island had the lower condo median ($342,500 vs $649,500), more condo inventory and fewer rental restrictions in its resort zones. Flood insurance medians were close ($5,071 vs $4,778).
Indian Rocks Beach vs. Clearwater Beach
Indian Rocks Beach is the small-town choice: residential streets between the Gulf and the Intracoastal, historic cottages, low-rise condos and townhomes, and quieter beaches. Homes sold fast (63 median days on market) at a median of $1,160,000 and the highest price per square foot of the five ($643). It also had the lowest median flood insurance bill for homes ($3,624). Clearwater Beach offers resort condos, Pier 60 and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with more crowds. Choose Indian Rocks Beach for a quiet, residential beach town; Clearwater Beach for condo living near the action.
St. Pete Beach vs. Pass-a-Grille
Pass-a-Grille is part of St. Pete Beach, not a separate town. It is the historic south end of the city, with cottages, small condos, Eighth Avenue’s shops and restaurants, and its own design rules and a new home height limit. See our Pass-a-Grille guide and our guide to building in Pass-a-Grille and St. Pete Beach.
How to choose
- Walkable, things to do: Pass-a-Grille and the Corey Avenue area of St. Pete Beach, or John’s Pass in Madeira Beach.
- Boating: the Treasure Island isles and Madeira Beach canals; check bridge clearances and water depth for your boat.
- Quiet and residential: Indian Rocks Beach, Treasure Island’s Sunset Beach, and St. Pete Beach’s bay-side neighborhoods.
- Resort-style condo: Clearwater Beach and the Gulf-front towers of St. Pete Beach.
- Rental income: check zoning first; Treasure Island’s resort zones and Indian Rocks Beach’s registration system are more permissive than residential zones elsewhere. Our short-term rental rules guide has the details.
- Insurance budget: compare flood insurance costs by town and check each home’s flood history.
Still deciding? Team BeachSide is John and Nicole, licensed Florida Realtors with LoKation Real Estate, based in St. Pete Beach. We will show you two or three towns in one afternoon. Call or text (727) 955-1222.
Sources: Stellar MLS, sales October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, and active listings on October 8, 2026, in the MLS cities St Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Indian Rocks Beach and Clearwater Beach (Clearwater Beach includes Sand Key); medians and months of supply are Team BeachSide calculations; the MLS does not guarantee the accuracy of the data. Flood insurance: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP policies effective September 2025 through August 2026 (Clearwater Beach: ZIP 33767). Helene claims: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP claims (Clearwater Beach: ZIP 33767). Rental rules: city codes as summarized in our short-term rental rules guide. Pulled October 2026.
Is St. Pete Beach or Treasure Island better to live in?
It depends on what you want. St. Pete Beach has more to do, including historic Pass-a-Grille and Corey Avenue, and the tightest home supply of the beach towns. Treasure Island is quieter, with a very wide beach, boating isles and more condo inventory at a lower median price.
Which Pinellas beach town has the cheapest homes?
In the 12 months to September 30, 2026, Madeira Beach had the lowest median home sale price of the five largest beach towns, $670,000, and the lowest price per square foot, $441. Treasure Island had the lowest condo median, $342,500.
Which beach town has the lowest flood insurance?
Of the five largest towns, Indian Rocks Beach had the lowest median federal flood insurance bill for homes, $3,624 a year, in FEMA’s policy data for September 2025 through August 2026.
Gehört Pass-a-Grille zu St. Pete Beach?
Yes. Pass-a-Grille is the historic south end of the City of St. Pete Beach, with its own design rules and a height limit for new homes adopted in October 2026.
Which beach town allows short-term rentals?
Rules depend on zoning. Treasure Island allows short stays in its resort and commercial zones, and Indian Rocks Beach allows them with city registration. Madeira Beach residential zones require 3 or 6 months, Clearwater Beach residential zones at least a month, and St. Pete Beach limits stays under a month to certain zones.
