Florida’s Version of the Hamptons Is Attracting a National Audience

If you hear the name “30A,” what does it bring to mind? It alludes to a stretch of highway in Florida, and the region covered by that highway is, among other things, home to an acclaimed festival of singer-songwriters that has hosted the likes of Robyn Hitchcock and John Prine over the years. But music isn’t the only thing that’s put 30A on the map; it’s also emerged in recent years as something like a Floridian answer to the Hamptons.

Not surprisingly, that’s also had an impact on real estate there. As Business Insider‘s Dan Latu reports, the once-regional draw of this region has become a national one, with homebuyers from all over the U.S. taking an interest in 30A. It’s led to something of a boom in the local economy: Business Insider cites a figure from South Walton County to the effect that tourist spending increased by $500 million from 2019 to 2023.

Florida has been an increasingly popular relocation site for many in the U.S., and Latu cites several experts to the effect that the pandemic helped drive interest to this specific region. Given the photogenic beaches and homes — this part of Florida is where The Truman Show was filmed — it isn’t hard to see why people would be drawn here. And once a destination becomes buzzy, it’s not hard to see why that process can accelerate.

How to Spend a Weekend in Panama City, Florida

Waterfront restaurants, fishing and beaches galore

The appeal of 30A can also be seen in short-term rentals. Business Insider cited data on Airbnb and Vrbo about residences charging $530 per night, with occupancy rates of 84%, both of which show plenty of growth since 2019. So far, Latu writes, the influx of money hasn’t had much of an effect on the region — but if these trends continue, we’ll see if that continues to be the case.