Moving to Lighthouse Point, FL

A small city built on canals

Lighthouse Point covers about 2.4 square miles in northeast Broward County, between Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach, with Hillsboro Beach across the Intracoastal to the east. It was settled in the late 1940s and incorporated as a town in 1956 and as a city in 1957. Most of it was built on canals dug during the 1950s and 1960s, so a large share of houses are waterfront. The name comes from the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, which stands across the water in Hillsboro Beach.

Hillsboro Inlet gives the city's boaters a short run to the ocean, and the Bahamas are within reach for larger boats. That access is the main reason many buyers choose Lighthouse Point over larger neighboring cities.

What homes cost here

Zillow's data shows two very different markets:

• Single-family homes: about $1,234,228, up 5.1% over the past year
• Condos: about $169,198, down 8.2% over the past year
• All homes: about $774,839, up 3.3% for the year and 29.7% over five

The bedroom figures show where the jump happens. A typical two-bedroom is about $283,854, and a typical three-bedroom about $1,043,544, almost four times as much. Four-bedroom homes run about $1,821,970 and five-bedroom-plus about $3,851,711. In practice, two-bedroom homes are mostly condos, and three-bedroom and larger homes are mostly canal houses. The lower third of the market starts under about $213,845, and the upper third begins near $2,112,684.

How it compares with nearby cities

Lighthouse Point's typical home value of about $774,839 is far above its neighbors. Pompano Beach is about $350,137, Deerfield Beach about $271,903 and Fort Lauderdale about $509,743. Coral Springs, at about $521,975, and Pembroke Pines, at about $486,731, are also well below.

Buyers who want a canal house with ocean access in northeast Broward usually compare Lighthouse Point with waterfront streets in Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach, which can cost less for similar water. What Lighthouse Point adds is a small, almost entirely residential city where canals are the norm rather than a few streets.

Who lives in Lighthouse Point

With about 10,600 residents, Lighthouse Point is small. Census data shows a median age of 56.3, and 29.3% of residents are 65 or older, both much higher than the Broward cities around it. About 8.3% of homes are seasonal. Housing is 55.7% single-family detached and 30.2% in buildings of 10 or more units, and the median home was built in 1967.

That profile describes an older, mostly year-round population of established owners, with condo buildings housing many of the retirees and part-year owners. Families do live here, but the city's average age is well above the county's.

Canal homes: what to check

Because so many homes are on the water, the canal decides the value more than the house:

• Route to Hillsboro Inlet. Check the distance, the bridges on the way and their clearances, and whether you need to run the Intracoastal.
• Depth and width. Measure at low tide at the dock and through the canal.
• Seawall. Many seawalls date from the original canal construction. Get the age, condition and any repair history.
• Dock and lift permits. Confirm existing docks were permitted and check what you can add.

A wide-canal lot near the Intracoastal sells for much more than a narrow interior canal farther from the inlet.

Flood, insurance and the 1960s house

The city's elevation is low, about 7 feet, and most canal homes are in FEMA high-risk flood zones. A mortgage on a home in an A or V zone comes with mandatory flood coverage. Ask for the elevation certificate and get a flood quote during the inspection period.

With a median build year of 1967, most houses here need a 4-point inspection for insurers and a wind mitigation report. Some original ranch homes have been replaced with larger, raised houses, and newer construction usually insures for less. Condos are also mostly older; check the milestone inspection, the Structural Integrity Reserve Study and any special assessments. The 8.2% drop in condo values over the past year may partly reflect those costs.

Getting around and what newcomers overlook

US-1 runs through the city, with I-95 a short drive west. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is south. The beach is across the Intracoastal in Hillsboro Beach, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach, since Lighthouse Point itself has no ocean frontage.

Newcomers often overlook these points:

• The property tax reset after purchase. Homestead, worth up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026 for a permanent Florida residence, and the 3% cap help, but the first bill is based on your price.
• The cost of keeping a boat: lift maintenance, insurance and dockside upkeep.
• The difference between owning a condo here and owning a canal house. They are different markets with different risks.

Florida has no state income tax, which matters for many buyers relocating at this price, and the city's small size means fewer listings at any one time than in its larger neighbors. Expect to wait for the right canal and lot. If you want a list of canal homes sorted by inlet distance and seawall age, the shortlist can do that.