Spring 2026 Seller's Market

New data shows supply falling behind demand across rental and for-sale markets, with shortages concentrated in major metro areas.

MAJOR CITIES in Florida are short an estimated 66,000 owner-occupied homes and more than 55,000 rental units, according to a new statewide housing supply model developed by Florida State University’s DeVoe L. Moore Institute.

created with Reason Foundation and the Florida Policy Project, analyzes housing surpluses and shortages across all 67 counties and aims to give local leaders a clearer picture of affordability pressures and potential solutions.

The analysis found:

• Florida has 10,082,356 housing units, with 8,550,911 occupied.

• Owners occupy 5,756,809 of these housing units and 2,794,102 are rental units.

• The state faces a shortage of approximately 120,800 units

Some of the most severe shortages are concentrated in Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa.

“There are a few counties in Florida that have particularly pronounced cumulative housing shortages. Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida, has the highest estimated shortage in Florida, at just over 12,700 units. Broward has the next highest shortage (10,233 units), followed by Hillsborough (8,360) and Duval (6,941),” the institute said.

Researchers point to several factors limiting new construction:

• Lengthy permitting timelines

• Zoning rules that favor low-density development

• Limited use of flexible alternatives such as accessory dwelling units and duplexes