$3,386,963Average Value$1,442Average Price per Sq Ft7Homes For Sale
A manicured, master-planned community in the Florida panhandle
When “The Truman Show” — the mind-bending Jim Carrey movie from 1998 — needed a neighborhood stand-in for a slightly saccharine TV version of idealized America, they found it in Seaside, Florida. Built up from sandy nothingness as a sort of lab-grown antidote to ’80s urban sprawl, the streets radiate from a town square and amphitheater, prioritizing walkable shopping, dining and family friendliness, all within a sunny stroll of pastel-colored homes. Plus, a pristine white-sand beach awaits on the other side of the dunes; this is 30A, after all. “The Truman Show” filmed in Seaside in the ’90s, capturing the town’s manicured, manufactured living. As Ed Harris’s godlike character says: Cue the sun.
Seaside is one of 16 coastal communities located along Scenic Highway 30A.
Many cottages in Seaside are vacation rentals offering a beautiful stay steps from the beach.
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Lush life along 30A
Scenic Highway 30A stretches across 24 miles along Florida’s Gulf coast, with 16 beach towns lined up like jewels on a necklace. Each town has its own character. For Seaside, that means beautiful single-family homes, all within a five-minute walk of shopping, dining and the beach. Other luxury coastal communities like Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach are about 8 miles to the east; a complimentary shuttle for locals, guests and employees runs from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, looping into Seaside’s central square. Despite few full-time residents, the thousands of snowbirds who flock to Seaside each summer find a strong sense of community. “I hear so many stories about people that meet here and started vacationing together,” says Nate Kelly, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty.
Seaside Central Square can be found in the heart of Seaside off Highway 30A.
Many of the larger homes in Seaside offer watch towers or decks to see the sunset.
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A pillar of New Urbanism
Seaside’s streetscapes were designed with movement in mind. “You can just walk anywhere, and you don't have to get your car, so that's the kind of cool thing,” Kelly says. “Once you're here and you park in that driveway, you're done.” The town is the pinnacle of New Urbanism, a design movement that promotes walkable streets, accessible public spaces, and housing and shopping in close proximity. Streets are intentionally narrow to promote slow driving, and commercial parking is limited. Radiating, interconnected street patterns create direct pathways into the town center and encourage walking, biking and an overall slower pace of living.
Ruskin Park Place can be found behind Seaside Central Square wiht shops and art installations.
Seaside guests and residents love to head to the beach to enjoy a day by the Gulf.
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Bud & Alley's, a Seaside staple
Seaside’s charm emanates from the local restaurants and businesses that occupy Central Square, the thoughtfully designed community hub. There are no fast-food chains, big-box stores or even gas stations to be found in or around Seaside. Instead, shoppers turn to independent, family-owned stores like Sundog Books, where readers can browse through hundreds of books and get recommendations from the store’s trusty staff. Upstairs, Central Square Records carries the latest hits, all-time classics and even vinyl from local artists. Hungry shoppers can visit Airstream Row, a lineup of retro food trucks with offerings like gourmet grilled cheese from The Melt Down on 30A and classic Hawaiian shaved ice from Frost Bites, the first Airstream food truck in Seaside. Bud & Alley’s is a Seaside institution, offering fresh local seafood and cocktails for more than 25 years. The restaurant has expanded over the years to include Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar + Trattoria, which specializes in pizza and drinks, plus a taco bar. Essentials and gourmet items are available at Modica Market, a quaint family-owned specialty market, and they all scream for ice cream at It’s Heavenly. While there’s no full-service grocery store in town, there’s a Publix nearby, and the town holds a weekly farmers’ market every Saturday morning in Central Square.
The World Famous Pickles Burger and Shakes serves delicious Burgers and Shakes in Seaside.
Bud and Alleys in Seaside offers an array of food options such as Wood Fire Pizza.
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Sugar-white beaches and the Timpoochee Trail
In 2012, Travel + Leisure called Seaside the best beach on Earth for families, and it’s easy to see why. Beachgoers can access sugar-white sands and emerald waters by passing through one of the town’s nine beach pavilions. Each pavilion is a unique architectural gem that serves as both a beautiful gateway and a protective barrier for the fragile dune system. While the beach is open to the public, a chair rental is required to access the beach. Seaside is also a biker’s paradise. Hikers, bikers and joggers use the paved, 18-mile Timpoochee Trail to reach the other coastal communities on 30A.
The beaches at Seaside are private with many gated access points for residents and guests.
The Timpoochee Trail cuts right through Seaside offering great biking and walking.
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Custom homes in every color, shape and size
While homes in Seaside tend to share common traits like front porches, white picket fences and native plants, no two are the same. Many residences were designed by famous architects in styles ranging from Victorian and Neoclassical to Creole and Key West. Inventory is limited, and exclusivity comes at a price. Most homes run from $2.5 million to more than $5 million. However, most property owners don’t live in Seaside full-time; instead, most homeowners use the properties as second homes or investment properties. Some homeowners vacation at their homes in the off-season between September to April, then rent the home during the peak season of May through August. “I've sold some houses, 8- to 10-bedroom houses, that are literally only built for the purpose of renting,” Kelly says. “This is a weird thing for some people to process — that people build homes here that don't have a garage, that every bedroom is the exact same size — because their only thought is maximizing rental income.” Kelly also notes that the area is surrounded by protected forests, putting a cap on new development.
Seaside is home to the Truman Show house, offering a great picture spot.
The homes in Seaside have manicured lawns with lush landscaoing.
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Highly rated schools in the Walton County School District
Although there aren’t many full-time residents in Seaside, kids can attend schools in the Walton County School District, starting with Dune Lakes Elementary School, 9 miles away, before heading to Emerald Coast Middle School, both rated A-minus by Niche. South Walton High School, also rated A-minus, offers career and technical education courses such as culinary arts, digital design, criminal justice and wildlife management. Closer to home is Seaside Neighborhood School, the first charter school in Florida. The school serves students in grades 5-8 and has less than 50 students per grade level. There’s also Seaside Collegiate High School, a new public charter high school that serves kids in grades 9-12.
South Walton High School's mascot is the Seahawks.
Seaside School is one of the first and now the oldest operating public charter school in Florida
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Family friendly events in Central Square
Regular events are part of what makes Seaside feel like an authentic, lived-in town all year long. From acoustic musicians performing outside Modica Market to movie nights held every Friday in Central Square, there’s almost always something happening in Seaside. The Seaside Amphitheater, right in the middle of town, hosts concerts, theater performances and kids' activities like an improv boot camp. The 30A Songwriters Festival is an annual event celebrating some of the best songwriters in the business and local talent, with performances in venues across the beach resort towns of 30A. Seaside has rich holiday traditions, too. The annual Independence Day Celebration is beloved for its fireworks display over the water and bloc party in Central Square. There’s also the Turn on the Town! holiday parade and tree lighting held at the end of November to ring in the holiday season. A few blocks from the beach, the Chapel at Seaside is a nondenominational church in a magnificent minimalist building. On Sundays, beachgoing churchgoers sit on the lawn in their swimwear best, soaking in a sermon before hitting the surf.
Seaside Central Square has an amphitheater offering live music many nights.
A large plaza with an amphitheater can be found in the heart of Seaside with plenty of shops and
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jabbour Luxury Group,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Alaqua Unleashed Bark Park
Eden Gardens State Park
Fishing
Picnic Area
Trails
Park de Leonardo de Bicci
Transit
Airport
Northwest Florida Beaches International
50 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Seaside
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
1
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
2
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
1
4
Larceny
1
4
Crime Score
1
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Seaside, Santa Rosa Beach sell after 101 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Seaside, Santa Rosa Beach over the last 12 months is $3,314,700, down 16% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to 303 Ruskin Place, an extraordinary residence nestled in the heart of the picturesque community of Seaside, Florida. This stunning four-bedroom, three and a half bathroom home has been masterfully remodeled, offering a blend of modern luxury and timeless elegance. As you step through the front door, you'll be greeted by an all new open-concept living space bathed in natural light,
Seaside Perfection - Fully Refreshed Coastal Cottage Just Steps from the Town SquareThis beautifully reimagined 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath home in the heart of Seaside offers 2,294 square feet of light-filled living space and timeless architectural appeal by Scott Merrill. Recently refreshed inside and out, the home blends classic charm with modern comfort, featuring soaring ceilings, white oak floors,
One doesn't have to travel to New York City to experience the 'Upper East Side.' This lovelyversion is nestled directly across from the iconic Tupelo Street beach-access pavilion, and the Gulfviews are stunning! Location, location, location may sound cliché, but it's undeniably true with thelocation of Upper East Side. This prime spot on 30A is mere steps from the beach, and
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jabbour Luxury Group,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
296
Median Age
57
Population Density
4 ppl/acre
Population under 18
15.5%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
32.8%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$122,321
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$140,698
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
100%
College Graduates
48.7%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
26.5%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
63.6%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
61''
Average Winter Low Temperature
42°F
Average Summer High Temperature
90°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
65/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
58/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
