Clearwater's median home price sits at $390,000, 7% below the $420,000 national median. On a $58,000 median household income, that puts the price-to-income ratio at 6.7x, or 6.7 years of gross pay for the purchase price alone.
Clearwater's 0.98% property tax rate runs below the 1.1% national average. That's $319/month on the median home here, not a rounding error against the mortgage payment.
Florida is one of nine states with no state income tax. Against a $2,503/month mortgage payment here, that's real, recurring savings compared to an income-tax state at the same salary.
Beyond housing, Clearwater's cost of living index sits at 105 (national average = 100), running above the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Clearwater's median home price runs 35% lower than nearby Miami: $600,000 there versus $390,000 here.