Whether you want to call it by its nickname, “Venice of America,” or just by its name, Fort Lauderdale is often viewed as one of the many great destinations to move to in Florida. From famous foods to the beautiful beaches, it’s not a shock that roughly 181,700 people live in Fort Lauderdale. As more people move to Fort Lauderdale, it’s important to keep in mind that the median home sale price is $533,500 and the average rent price is $2,799.
If those numbers are out of your budget, don’t worry. To help you find the right place to buy a home, Redfin has gathered a list of the 10 best affordable Fort Lauderdale suburbs to check out. And they’re all less than 16 miles away from the city. You’ll still be close enough to Fort Lauderdale to explore all the city has to offer without the price of living there.
#1: Lauderdale Lakes
Median home price: $127,500
Average sale price per square foot: $147
Average rent for an apartment: $1,850
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 9 miles
Lauderdale Lakes, FL homes for sale
Lauderdale Lakes, FL apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $127,500, Lauderdale Lakes comes in at number one on our list of most affordable Fort Lauderdale suburbs. Just about a 9 mile drive away from Fort Lauderdale, you won’t miss out on what the city has to offer. If you’re considering moving to this area make sure to spend time outside at Vincent Torres Memorial Park along the Middle River.
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#2: Lauderhill
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Median home price: $175,000
Average sale price per square foot: $159
Average rent for an apartment: $2,150
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 6 miles
Lauderhill, FL homes for sale
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Taking the second spot on our list is Lauderhill. Only 6 miles from the city center you can spend the day at Fort Lauderdale Beach in just a quick drive. Make sure to explore Central Broward Regional Park, a large park with sports fields, a stadium, walking trails, and recreational facilities, attend performances, concerts, and cultural events at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, and shop at the Lauderhill Mall.
#3: Margate
Median home price: $253,000
Average sale price per square foot: $225
Average rent for an apartment: $2,158
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 15 miles
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Margate, FL apartments for rent
Just 15 miles away, you’ll find the suburb of Margate. From parks and outdoor recreation to supporting local businesses, there’s lots of things that make Margate a great place to live. If you find yourself moving to the third most affordable suburb, make sure to enjoy outdoor activities at Veterans Memorial Park, which includes sports facilities and open spaces, or play golf at Oriole Golf Club.
#4: Coconut Creek
Median home price: $275,000
Average sale price per square foot: $224
Average rent for an apartment: $2,516
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 15 miles
Coconut Creek, FL homes for sale
Coconut Creek, FL apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Margate is none other than Coconut Creek. With roughly 57,800 residents in this Fort Lauderdale suburb, make sure to explore Butterfly World, the largest butterfly park in the world, featuring thousands of butterflies in a lush tropical setting, or enjoy the outdoors at Fern Forest Nature Center, a natural area with walking trails.
#5: Tamarac
Median home price: $315,000
Average sale price per square foot: $228
Average rent for an apartment: $2,066
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 15 miles
Tamarac, FL homes for sale
Tamarac, FL apartments for rent
Another great suburb to consider moving to is Tamarac. With 71,900 residents, moving to this affordable suburb can keep you close enough to Fort Lauderdale, without paying the premium for a home there. Living in Tamarac, you can explore parks like Caporella Park and Waters Edge Park.
#6: Sunrise
Median home price: $330,000
Average sale price per square foot: $254
Average rent for an apartment: $2,562
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 11 miles
Sunrise, FL homes for sale
Sunrise, FL apartments for rent
Sixth on the list is another well-known Fort Lauderdale suburb, Sunrise, where the median home sale price is about $200K less than in Fort Lauderdale. Sunrise has about 97,300 residents and is a great suburb to consider living in. There’s lots of activities to do in this suburb. For example, you can visit the Dauer Museum of Classic Cars, explore the grounds and mountain bike at Markham Park, and watch a Florida Panthers game at Amerant Bank Arena.
#7: Hallandale Beach
Median home price: $338,750
Average sale price per square foot: $299
Average rent for an apartment: $2,600
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 13 miles
Hallandale Beach, FL homes for sale
Hallandale Beach, FL apartments for rent
Coming in seventh place on our list of affordable Fort Lauderdale suburbs is Hallandale Beach, which is almost a 20 minute drive into the heart of the city. With a population of roughly 41,200, Hallandale Beach is a great area to live in that’s not nearly as big as Fort Lauderdale. If you’re going to call this suburb home, plan time to watch the horse races at Gulfstream Park Racing, spend the afternoon at South City Beach Park, and visit the iconic Pegasus Statue.
#8: Lighthouse Point
Median home price: $350,000
Average sale price per square foot: $336
Average rent for an apartment: $3,775
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 16 miles
Lighthouse Point, FL homes for sale
Lighthouse Point, FL apartments for rent
If you’ve lived in the Fort Lauderdale area for some time, chances are you know of our eighth suburb – Lighthouse Point. About 10,500 people reside in Lighthouse Point, so you’ll have a fraction of Fort Lauderdale’s population while remaining close to the city and its attractions. Once living in Lighthouse Point, you can grab a bite at one of the waterfront restaurants or stop by the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse.
#9: North Lauderdale
Median home price: $355,000
Average sale price per square foot: $280
Average rent for an apartment: $2,305
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 13 miles
North Lauderdale, FL homes for sale
North Lauderdale, FL apartments for rent
Moving to North Lauderdale will give you access to downtown Fort Lauderdale in close to 20 minutes – as long as you don’t find yourself in traffic. Roughly 44,800 people live in this suburb, but there’s always somewhere new to check out in North Lauderdale. Popular things to do in North Lauderdale include visit Hampton Pines Park and grab a meal at one of the local restaurants throughout town.
#10: Plantation
Median home price: $370,000
Average sale price per square foot: $249
Average rent for an apartment: $2,530
Distance from Fort Lauderdale: 6 miles
Plantation, FL homes for sale
Plantation, FL apartments for rent
Rounding out our list of affordable Fort Lauderdale suburbs is Plantation. If you’re lucky to avoid traffic, it’ll only take about 6 miles to drive into Fort Lauderdale. This suburb has a population of 91,800 and you can explore Plantation Central Park which has swimming pools, sports courts, and trails, play a round of golf at Jacaranda Golf Club, and check out the shops at Broward Mall. There’s always 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 Fort Lauderdale and under a 16-mile drive from downtown Fort Lauderdale. Median home sale price data and average rent price from the Redfin Data Center during December 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
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