Living in Ave Maria, FL
Collier County
Ave Maria is a purpose-built town in eastern Collier County, developed from raw farmland starting in 2005 around Ave Maria University, a Catholic university founded by Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan -- there was no pre-existing town here before the planned-community build-out began. The town center is anchored by the Ave Maria Oratory and a walkable grid of new-construction neighborhoods, giving it a distinctly master-planned, family-oriented, faith-affiliated identity unlike anywhere else in this batch. Median home price runs roughly $425K, with a wide range (about $230K-$1.45M) depending on home type and neighborhood.
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Learn moreHousing
Average sale price cited alongside at $398,975, and homes span roughly $230K-$1.45M depending on neighborhood and home type. A separate June 2026 figure cited a $459K median list price, down 7% YoY -- list vs. sale price diverge meaningfully here, consistent with a market still young enough to be thin and mix-sensitive; treat as directional.
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Collier County level this session. Florida carries no income tax statewide. See the Florida hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Ave Maria-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
A genuinely new, master-planned town built around a university and a walkable town center, with newer housing stock than most of Collier County and a strong family/faith-community identity.
Cons
Far inland from Gulf beaches and Naples proper, in a market still young enough that list-price and sale-price figures diverge meaningfully; dining and amenities are still building out compared to established coastal towns.
Who this fits
Best for: Families and buyers seeking a planned, university-anchored, faith-affiliated community with newer housing stock.
Maybe not for you if: Buyers wanting an established town with a longer history, or direct coastal access, should look elsewhere in this batch -- Ave Maria is intentionally a from-scratch, inland planned community.
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