Real Estate Investing in Fort Pierce, Florida (34946)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Saint Lucie County • Population: 6,588 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 34946 (Fort Pierce, FL)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 21.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Lower household income: $37,511 median — tenant affordability is tighter.

What’s happening in Fort Pierce, FL (34946)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $249,197
Avg Monthly Rent $1,800
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $37,511
% Renters 40.4%

Market Analysis: 34946 Fort Pierce

ZIP 34946 in Fort Pierce, FL carries a resilient set of headwinds. Home values near $249K and rents of $1,800/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 34946 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

ZIP 34946's metrics run below Saint Lucie County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

The 34946 ZIP's population of 6,588 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that reflects the need for careful underwriting.

New investors are better served looking at Fort Pierce's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 34946. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Fort Pierce:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,800/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
95 days
Average time to sell
Slow
7.2%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Port St. Lucie, FL metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 34946

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
6.0% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+10.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$70,938/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $190,084 $1,470 5.6% +8.6% $95,042
3BR $245,734 $2,040 6.0% +9.7% $81,911
4BR $283,754 $2,220 5.6% +10.3% $70,938

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$272K$222K$173K$124K$74K$25KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

No data available

📊 How Does 34946 Compare?

Metric 34946 Fort Pierce Port St. Lucie, FL Florida
Home Value $249,197 $308,526 N/A $374,697
5-Year CAGR 7.2% 5.4% N/A 7.4%
Avg Rent $1,800 $1,930 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.6% 5.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 34946? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 40% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 34946 (Fort Pierce, FL). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 34946 (Fort Pierce, FL)?

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.6%
Fair
5yr Growth
+7.2%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Port St. Lucie, FL metro

4/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
74%
Days Pending
2/2
95 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $249,197
Monthly Rent $1,800
Price-to-Rent 11.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.7%
Cap Rate 5.6%
5-Year IRR 12.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +12.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.6%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
21.0%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 34946

Population: 6,588

💰 Median Household Income
$37,511
This area
$37,511
State
$70,737
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
40.4%
This area
40.4%
State
29.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.0%
This area
3.0%
State
-18.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
11.2%
This area
11.2%
State
4.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
40.9 years
This area
40.9 years
State
16.0 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
21.0%
This area
21.0%
State
17.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 39.0%
Black/African American 36.1%
Other/Mixed 24.1%
Hispanic/Latino 17.5%
Asian 0.8%
👶 Under 18
14.0%
This area
14.0%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.8%
This area
21.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
18.2%
This area
18.2%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

5 Nearby 3,874 Off-Campus Students
C
Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and Technology
314 students · 1.3 mi
C+
Indian River State College
15,104 students · 5.6 mi
C+
Fort Pierce Beauty Academy
30 students · 6.8 mi
B
Treasure Coast Technical College
87 students · 12.4 mi
D
Fortis Institute-Port Saint Lucie
472 students · 14.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 3,874 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Pierce, FL better for rentals, flips, or BRRRR?

The best-fit strategy in Fort Pierce, FL is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

What do landlords charge for rent in Fort Pierce, FL?

Investors in Fort Pierce, FL typically see rents near $1,800/mo per month against $249K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Fort Pierce, FL?

Tenant quality in Fort Pierce, FL ranks as solid. Landlords generally report measured occupancy at market rents of $1,800/mo.

Is Fort Pierce, FL a good place for real estate investing?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Fort Pierce, FL ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $249K and rents of $1,800/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Are homes affordable in Fort Pierce, FL?

Typical homes in Fort Pierce, FL go for around $249K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% consistent price movement.

You know 34946 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 34946 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 34946 ranks in Port St. Lucie, FL

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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