Section Image

Big Pine Key

Big Pine Key

Neighborhood in Florida

Monroe County 33043

$905,607 Average Value
$750 Average Price per Sq Ft
79 Homes For Sale

Big Pine Key is an essential habitat for the endangered Key deer

Big Pine Key residents coexist with the Key deer, one of the Florida Keys’ most protected species. The island may be the largest remaining habitat for these petite deer, whose numbers have recently dropped below 800. But on Big Pine Key, acres of protected land allow these animals the space they need while inviting nature-loving residents who crave the slower island lifestyle. “Nature owns most of the land out here, but certain people are attracted to that type of thing,” says lifetime Lower Keys resident Rose Dell, broker associate with Keller Williams Key West Compass Realty. “Whether it’s for the protection of the animals, the wildlife, the trees or plant life, these people want the quieter areas.” Big Pine is the uppermost island in the Lower Keys and one of the least developed. Its few resorts sit mainly on the island's outskirts and aren’t nearly as busy during peak tourist season as those on neighboring Keys. Waterfront developments often have private marinas, a convenient factor for the island’s many boat owners. As one of the only Lower Keys with a full-service grocery store, it’s also a destination for residents from surrounding areas.

Key Deer inhabit Big Pine Key and can be spotted roaming around the community.
Key Deer inhabit Big Pine Key and can be spotted roaming around the community.
The National Key Deer Nature center is found in Big Pine Key and open Wed-Sun.
The National Key Deer Nature center is found in Big Pine Key and open Wed-Sun.
1/2

Island trails, boating and waterside parks

A significant portion of Big Pine is dedicated to the National Key Deer Refuge, leaving large swaths of wilderness for locals and visitors to explore. From the nature center off Overseas Highway, it’s a 3-mile trip to the Blue Hole, one of the Key’s only freshwater reservoirs, where Key deer, alligator and waterfowl are often spotted. Up the road, the Manillo and Watson trails snake through sandy brush and young palm trees. Similar trails are found at Bahia Honda State Park, a 500-acre expanse about 6 miles from Big Pine. Snorkelers, beachgoers and hikers will find plenty to do here. And as one of the darkest islands in the Keys, it’s a delight for stargazing campers. For sports, locals head to Big Pine Key Park, where basketball and tennis courts surround baseball and soccer fields. There’s also a shaded playground, more than a dozen picnic tables and an official bocce ball court. “The park is used constantly. If I go out there right now, there are probably a couple of families, maybe a bocce ball league practicing,” says Diane Corliss, Realtor with Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate.

The Bahia Honda State park offers a beach as well as hiking trails for Big Pine Key residents.
The Bahia Honda State park offers a beach as well as hiking trails for Big Pine Key residents.
Boating is a center point of the Big Pine Key way of life.
Boating is a center point of the Big Pine Key way of life.
1/2

Big Pine’s streets have a small-town feel

Big Pine’s seemingly unfinished and sand-covered streets are by design. As one of the least developed Keys, it has a wild feel that locals say lends it a casual charm. “It doesn’t feel like a fancy place at all. It feels like a small town,” Dell says. Coastal vegetation surrounds stilt homes, concrete bungalows, and canal-side Key West cottages, which are Bahamian style and often called conch homes. Developments such as Pine Channel Estates and Eden Pines Colony almost exclusively offer waterside properties with private docks, the most expensive of which have direct ocean access. Inland architecture is a bit more unpredictable, Dell says. “You can have a mobile home across the street from a million-dollar house.” While modest homes generally cost between $500,000 and $800,000, larger waterfront homes and tropical estates range from $900,000 to more than $2 million.

An array of architectural styles can be found in Big Pine Key.
An array of architectural styles can be found in Big Pine Key.
Big Pine Key is a community of homes in the Florida Keys.
Big Pine Key is a community of homes in the Florida Keys.
1/2

Big Pine is big on events

The Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce, just off Overseas Highway, hosts community events throughout the year, including the Island Art Festival. This fall event also marks the beginning of Big Pine Key Flea Market season, which runs from November to April. In summer, a crowd forms at Big Pine Key Park for the annual Fourth of July celebration. “It’s right on the open water, so you can see the reflection of the fireworks,” Corliss says. July also brings the long-running Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, which is exactly as cool as it sounds. Divers and music lovers come together at Looe Key Reef for a submerged radio concert promoting responsible diving and reef protection. Many divers descend with marine-themed faux instruments, bringing the term “air guitar” to a new, watery level. Literature lovers often visit Key West for the annual Hemingway Days, celebrating the famed writer.

Shops and restaurants on Overseas Highway

The Overseas Highway is home to quaint shops like the Seven Mile Café and the Boardwalk Bar & Grill, which hosts live music. Kitschy beach signs and baubles cover the walls at Generations Seafood and Produce, a roadside shop that offers a mix of souvenirs and fresh seafood. Big Pine Rooster serves homestyle fare in a woodsy diner, and although the restaurant has changed owners and names a few times over its 20-year tenure, it’s still a local favorite. The longest-running establishment, however, is No Name Pub, which sits at the mouth of the bridge to its namesake Key. The pub opened as a bait and tackle shop in the 1930s but quickly grew to include a full-service dining area. Now, it’s one of the most uniquely decorated businesses in Big Pine, boasting a ceiling covered with dollar bills illuminated by ever-present Christmas lights. Throughout the decades, diners have added their dollars to the bunch, scribbling doodles or leaving their initials. Some estimate the total to be around $90,000, but that number constantly grows. Big Pine also stands out as one of the few lower Keys to have a Winn-Dixie grocery store.

Generations seafood and market offers freshly caught fish and crustaceans for sale.
Generations seafood and market offers freshly caught fish and crustaceans for sale.
The Big Rooster can be found off US1 in Big Pine Key.
The Big Rooster can be found off US1 in Big Pine Key.
1/2

Monroe County’s school choice program keeps options open

Big Pine Academy, a prekindergarten through fifth grade institution that scores an A-minus on Niche, offers the closest early education option. Although this tuition-free school is part of Monroe County School District, its charter designation means it lacks the bus transportation afforded to other district locations. B-minus-rated Sugarloaf School, located in neighboring Cudjoe Key, provides transportation for kindergarten through eighth grade students. The same goes for sixth through 12th graders enrolled in B-rated Marathon Middle High School, which offers a Dual Enrollment Collegiate Academy program for juniors and seniors. The district operates under a school choice model, meaning that although students are zoned to attend Sugarloaf School through eighth grade, some may instead enroll at Big Pine Academy and transfer to Marathon Middle High in sixth grade.

Big Pine Key Academy
Big Pine Key Academy
Marathon Middle High School is Home to the Dolphins.
Marathon Middle High School is Home to the Dolphins.
1/2

Cruise Highway 1 via car or the Lower Keys Shuttle

The Keys are linked by a series of bridges spanning U.S. Highway 1, known locally as Overseas Highway. This roadway leads drivers south to Key West in 30 miles and north to Marathon in 20. The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, a 90-mile linear path, extends beside the highway, offering a route for bikers. The Lower Keys Shuttle, operated by Key West Transit, is the only public transportation option in the area and makes multiple stops in Big Pine Key. Shuttlers can expect the trip to Key West to take about an hour and a half. The closest airport is Florida Keys-Marathon International, about 40 minutes away by shuttle.

The Lower Keys Shuttle offers bus stops with covered seating and runs along US1.
The Lower Keys Shuttle offers bus stops with covered seating and runs along US1.
Biking is popular around Big Pine Key and a main source of transportation.
Biking is popular around Big Pine Key and a main source of transportation.
1/2

Preparing for hurricanes and rising insurance rates

As with most of the Keys, damage from hurricanes, king tides and tropical storms is always possible, and the island has seen its fair share of devastation. So far, Big Pine has been able to rebound from each storm, but the most extensive damage is often behind the scenes. Residents in the Lower Keys pay some of the highest home insurance premiums in all of Florida, with rapidly rising flood insurance rates affecting many homeowners.

Elevated homes are a popular site around Big Pine Key.
Elevated homes are a popular site around Big Pine Key.
A community of elevated homes in the inland areas of Big Pine Key have begun to sprung up.
A community of elevated homes in the inland areas of Big Pine Key have begun to sprung up.
1/2
Hannah Rainey
Written By
Hannah Rainey
Daniele Giuseppe Del Gaudio
Photography Contributed By
Daniele Giuseppe Del Gaudio
Drew Webster
Video By
Drew Webster

Agents Specializing in this Area

See All Agents

Schools

Source:
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 Lisa Swanson, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Transit

Airport

Key West International

54 min drive

Bus

Big Pine Key - Cvs & Mm30

Bus

Big Pine Key - Lobstertail Rd

Bus

Big Pine Key - Chamber & Industrial Road

Bus

Big Pine Key

Bus

Big Pine Key - Dions

Bus

Big Pine Key - Medical Center

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Big Pine Key US
Homicide 2 4
Sexual Assault 2 4
Assault with Weapon 2 4
Robbery 2 4
Burglary 3 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 2 4
Larceny 3 4
Crime Score 2 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$699,000
Median Single Family Price
$815,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$750
Number of Homes for Sale
79
Last 12 months Home Sales
194
Months of Supply
4.90
Median List Price
$827,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-2%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
2,028
Median Year Built
1985
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,280
Significantly below the national average
1,936
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
900
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
7,405

Open Houses

  • Thursday, May 1
    12 - 2pm

    3761 Gumbo Limbo St, Big Pine Key, FL 33043

    $1,090,000

    • 2 Beds
    • 2 Baths
    • 1,280 Sq Ft
    • 3761 Gumbo Limbo St
    • New 28 days ago

    THIS IMPECCABLY RENOVATED CBS home is situated on a 7,350 sq. ft. lot with 70' concrete seawall, step-down dock and a recently added 10,000 lb. boat lift. Once inside, your eyes are drawn to the impressive new kitchen with quartz counters and the high cathedral ceiling throughout this 1,280 sq. ft. 2BD/2BA home. Numerous updates have been made since 2021, including renovations to both bathrooms,

    Patti Nickless Coldwell Banker Schmitt RE Co. Lower Keys Office

    Section Image
  • Thursday, May 1
    12 - 2pm

    3881 Joyce Rd, Big Pine Key, FL 33043

    $1,075,000

    • 3 Beds
    • 3 Baths
    • 1,428 Sq Ft
    • 3881 Joyce Rd

    Imagine living just two blocks from open water and only 20 minutes by boat to pristine sandbars, fishing and lobstering in the Content Keys. The Atlantic is also within easy reach. The boating amenities of this immaculate, updated 1428 sq. ft. home include a 70-ft. concrete dock/seawall, 10K boat lift, 10K davits with power pivot, Swinger jet ski lift, kayak launch with ladder, fish cleaning

    Patti Nickless Coldwell Banker Schmitt RE Co. Lower Keys Office

    Section Image
  • Saturday, May 3
    11am - 1pm

    29048 Iris Dr, Big Pine Key, FL 33043

    $725,000

    • 3 Beds
    • 2 Baths
    • 1,039 Sq Ft
    • 29048 Iris Dr

    SITUATED ON A 50 FT. WIDE CANAL, this updated 3 bedroom / 2 bath home offers very good boat access to Pine Channel, the Atlantic and back country. The great room is bright and airy with a cathedral ceiling, south facing picture window and French doors that lead to the covered porch overlooking the canal. Updates include impact-resistant windows and doors, new stainless steel kitchen appliances,

    Patti Nickless Coldwell Banker Schmitt RE Co. Lower Keys Office

    Section Image

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Lisa Swanson, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
4,149
Median Age
54
Population Density
1 person/acre
Population under 18
15.5%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
31.3%
Above the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$68,823
On par with the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$91,139

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
91.8%
College Graduates
28.9%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
10.1%
% Population in Labor Force
57.6%
Below the national average
65.1%

Area Factors

Bikeable

Bike Score®

57 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®

0 / 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.

Reviews

Are you familiar with the Big Pine Key neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
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.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Big Pine Key