What Is the Treasure Coast? Port St. Lucie and Hobe Sound vs. Palm Beach County

If you are wondering what is the Treasure Coast, the short answer is this: it is the stretch of Florida's Atlantic coast made up of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties, just north of Palm Beach County. For buyers moving to South Florida, it often comes up as the lower-cost option to the north. This guide explains the counties, the main towns, current home prices, how commutes to Palm Beach County jobs work, growth and airports, with a close look at Port St. Lucie and Hobe Sound.

Key takeaways

• In everyday use, the Treasure Coast means Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council also includes Palm Beach County.
• The name comes from a Spanish treasure fleet lost in a 1715 hurricane. Local newspaper staff coined the term after salvagers began recovering treasure offshore in 1961.
• In August 2026, the single-family median was $402,500 in St. Lucie County, $656,900 in Martin County and $650,000 in Palm Beach County.
• Port St. Lucie is the region's largest city, with 204,851 residents at the 2020 census. Hobe Sound is a small unincorporated community in Martin County with 13,163.
• Most residents fly out of Palm Beach International Airport, and I-95 and Florida's Turnpike carry most commuters south.

What is the Treasure Coast, county by county

Most people use the term for three counties on Florida's east coast. From north to south, they are Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin. Brevard County, home to Cape Canaveral, sits to the north and is called the Space Coast instead. To the south, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties make up the Gold Coast.

However, you will sometimes see a four-county map. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, a state planning agency, serves Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Together, it says, those four counties cover 3,588 square miles, with more than 2.1 million people and 110 miles of Atlantic shoreline. So a news story or a government report may count Palm Beach County as part of the Treasure Coast region, while locals usually do not.

What the Treasure Coast name means

In 1715, a Spanish fleet carrying treasure from the Americas wrecked in a hurricane off this coast. Centuries later, in 1961, salvagers began recovering coins and other items from the wrecks. Soon after, staff at the Vero Beach Press Journal coined the name. In part, residents liked it because it set their area apart from the Gold Coast to the south.

What towns are on the Treasure Coast

Each county has its own feel, and prices vary a lot between them. Here is a quick guide to the places buyers ask about most.

• Indian River County: the northern end, with Vero Beach and Sebastian. Read our look at whether Vero Beach is a good place to live for more.
• St. Lucie County: home to Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce. It has the region's largest population and much of its new construction.
• Martin County: includes Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City and Hobe Sound. It borders Palm Beach County to the south.

Our guide to towns near Stuart, Florida covers Martin County's smaller communities in more depth.

Port St. Lucie: the Treasure Coast's largest city

Port St. Lucie is the biggest city on the Treasure Coast by a wide margin. At the 2020 census it had 204,851 residents, and it is the only city in the region with more than 100,000 people. Its housing is mostly single-family homes, along with newer master-planned communities.

For buyers, the main draw is price. According to Miami Realtors, the St. Lucie County single-family median was $402,500 in August 2026, up less than 1% from a year earlier. Homes took a median of 54 days to go under contract, and the county had 4.9 months of supply. Condos and townhouses had a median of $320,000.

That gives buyers more room to negotiate than in Palm Beach County, where single-family supply was 3.5 months. See current listings on our Port St. Lucie page.

Hobe Sound: a small Treasure Coast community

Hobe Sound is a census-designated place in southern Martin County, not an incorporated city. It had 13,163 residents in 2020, up from 11,521 in 2010. It sits between Port Salerno to the north and Jonathan Dickinson State Park to the south. Across the Intracoastal Waterway lies Jupiter Island, where Hobe Sound Public Beach is one of Martin County's guarded beaches.

Because the community is small, inventory is limited at any given time. Buyers should expect fewer choices and should move quickly when the right home appears. Martin County as a whole had a single-family median of $656,900 in August 2026, up 12.8% from a year earlier, with 3.4 months of supply. Browse homes on our Hobe Sound page.

What homes cost on the Treasure Coast vs. Palm Beach County

Price is the most common reason buyers look north. Here is how the three counties compared in August 2026, based on Miami Realtors reports.

• Palm Beach County: single-family median $650,000, 40 days to contract, 3.5 months of supply. Condo median $300,000.
• Martin County: single-family median $656,900, 56 days to contract, 3.4 months of supply. Condo median $277,500.
• St. Lucie County: single-family median $402,500, 54 days to contract, 4.9 months of supply. Condo median $320,000.

In other words, the Treasure Coast is not cheap across the board. Martin County single-family prices were in line with Palm Beach County. The clear savings for houses showed up in St. Lucie County.

Commuting from the Treasure Coast to Palm Beach County jobs

Many Treasure Coast residents work in northern Palm Beach County, in places like Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach. Two highways carry most of that traffic: I-95 and Florida's Turnpike. Both run north and south through all three counties.

Your drive depends on where you live and when you leave. For example, Hobe Sound sits just north of Jupiter, so trips into northern Palm Beach County are short. By contrast, a commute from western Port St. Lucie to West Palm Beach is much longer. So test the drive at rush hour before you buy.

Rail is a future option to watch. In 2024, Brightline announced Stuart as the site of a planned Treasure Coast station. Check the current status before you count on it for a daily commute.

Jupiter as a middle ground

Jupiter sits in Palm Beach County near the Martin County line. Some buyers choose it to stay close to Palm Beach County jobs while living near the Treasure Coast. Prices are higher, though. Learn more on our Jupiter page.

What airports serve the Treasure Coast

The Treasure Coast has smaller airports, including Treasure Coast International Airport in Fort Pierce. Still, most residents in Martin and St. Lucie counties fly commercial out of Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. If you travel often, factor drive time to PBI into your choice of town.

Growth and new construction on the Treasure Coast

Growth is a big part of the answer when people ask what is the Treasure Coast today. The region has added residents quickly, and much of that growth has landed in St. Lucie County. Hobe Sound alone grew from 11,521 people in 2010 to 13,163 in 2020, even as a small unincorporated community.

New supply has not kept pace everywhere, though. Miami Realtors reported that Martin County's single-family inventory fell 21.75% from a year earlier in August 2026, which it said points to a seller's market. In St. Lucie County, single-family inventory fell 3.45% over the same period, and condo inventory dropped 15.18%.

For buyers, that means two things. First, Martin County's limited listings can push prices up and leave less room to bargain. Second, St. Lucie County's newer communities give buyers more choice, including new construction. If you are weighing a new build, ask about HOA and community development district fees, since they add to your monthly cost.

Is the Treasure Coast a good fit for you?

The region suits buyers who want more space for the money, a slower pace or easier access to beaches, rivers and parks. Port St. Lucie works well for buyers seeking a newer single-family home at a lower price. Meanwhile, Hobe Sound and other Martin County towns appeal to buyers who want a quieter coastal setting and can pay closer to Palm Beach County prices.

On the other hand, if you need a short daily commute to Boca Raton or Delray Beach, the Treasure Coast may stretch your drive too far.

Before you choose, try a simple test run. Spend a weekday in the town you like, drive your future commute at rush hour, and visit on a weekend too. Then get insurance quotes on two or three real listings, since costs can differ from one county to the next. Finally, compare the full monthly cost, including taxes and HOA fees, with what you pay now.

Frequently asked questions

What counties are on the Treasure Coast?

Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council adds Palm Beach County for planning purposes.

Is Palm Beach County part of the Treasure Coast?

Not in everyday use. Locals usually place it on the Gold Coast, but the regional planning council includes it in the Treasure Coast region.

Why is it called the Treasure Coast?

The name refers to a Spanish treasure fleet lost in a 1715 hurricane. Newspaper staff in Vero Beach coined the term in the 1960s, after salvage work began.

What does a home cost on the Treasure Coast?

Partly. In August 2026, St. Lucie County's single-family median was $402,500, far below Palm Beach County's $650,000. Martin County's median was slightly higher than Palm Beach County's.

What is the biggest city on the Treasure Coast?

Port St. Lucie, with 204,851 residents at the 2020 census. It is the only Treasure Coast city with more than 100,000 people.

Sources

• Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
• Wikipedia, Treasure Coast
• Wikipedia, Port St. Lucie, Florida
• Wikipedia, Hobe Sound, Florida
• Miami Realtors, St. Lucie County August 2026 market report
• Miami Realtors, Martin County August 2026 market report
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report
• WPTV, Brightline announces Stuart station

Selling in Palm Beach County to move north? Start with a free home value report so you know your budget for the Treasure Coast. Buyers can also request a free relocation consultation with a local agent. Contact Pure Equity.