Taxes & Insurance in Marathon

Marathon sits in Monroe County, where property tax mechanics follow standard Florida rules but insurance costs run at the top end of an already-expensive state -- a direct consequence of hurricane exposure and rebuilding costs, made concrete in Marathon by Hurricane Irma's severe 2017 impact on the Middle Keys.

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Florida property tax basics and the 2026 homestead exemption

Statewide, Florida's average effective property tax rate runs about 0.79% of assessed value, with county-level rates ranging from about 0.44% to 0.99% and a statewide median annual property tax bill around $1,885 -- Monroe County's specific effective rate was not independently sourced this session, so confirm the current rate directly with the Monroe County Property Appraiser rather than treating the statewide figure as Marathon-specific. Florida's homestead exemption for 2026 is $51,411, up from $50,722 in 2025, and enrolls a primary residence in the Save Our Homes assessed-value growth cap.

Sales tax: Florida's 6% base rate applies, plus an unverified county surtax

Florida's statewide base sales tax rate is 6%; most counties add a discretionary surtax on top, but Monroe County's specific current surtax rate was not independently verified this session -- confirm the total combined rate before budgeting for a large purchase.

Homeowners and flood insurance are the real, dominant cost here

Monroe County homeowners insurance -- which covers Marathon along with the rest of the county -- has been reported running $7,000-$18,000+/year for $300,000 in dwelling coverage, with Citizens Property Insurance averaging closer to $4,380/year for its Monroe County policies. Flood insurance adds a separate cost: current average premiums run around $700/year, but the median risk-based cost is a much higher $4,697, and Keys-wide flood premiums have been reported running as high as $23,000/year for higher-risk properties. 2026 brought the county's first broad rate relief since 2019 (an average 11.3% homeowner reduction), but Marathon's canal-front housing stock -- the same product driving recent price swings -- carries real flood exposure that should be priced property by property.

Hurricane Irma (2017) is a direct, documented reason insurance costs what it does here

Hurricane Irma made landfall in September 2017 and struck the Middle Keys, including Marathon, directly and severely, causing extensive wind and flood damage across the area -- not a distant or abstract event, but a well-documented, relatively recent storm that shapes how insurers price risk in Marathon specifically today. Confirm a specific parcel's FEMA flood zone and price flood coverage regardless of that zone, since standard homeowners policies never cover flood damage.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-09-02. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.