Redington Beach, Florida
The quietest mile on the Pinellas coast — and its residents prefer it that way.
AT A GLANCE
Location Pinellas County, FL — barrier island between North Redington Beach and Madeira Beach
Population Approx. 1,000 residents (U.S. Census) — one of the smallest municipalities on the Gulf Coast
Median Age 60 years
Housing Mix 93% owner-occupied / 7% renter-occupied — highest ownership rate in the corridor
Character Exclusively residential; no commercial strip; maximum quiet by design
Known For Extremely high homeownership rate; 4 town parks; 5 public beach accesses; causeway fishing
Nearest Cities Madeira Beach (~5 minutes south); North Redington Beach immediately adjacent to the north
Nearest Airport St. Pete/Clearwater International (~20 minutes); Tampa International (~35 minutes)
Market Data See current Redington Beach Market Report →
Redington Beach has roughly 1,000 residents, one square mile, no commercial strip, a 93% homeownership rate, and the particular kind of community pride that comes from knowing exactly what kind of place you are. Charles E. Redington built this town — literally — starting from a stretch of almost entirely uninhabited beachfront in 1935. The five homes he had constructed by 1940 have become a municipality of approximately 400 households. The character he apparently intended — residential, owner-occupied, quiet — has been remarkably well preserved.
The community is bordered by North Redington Beach to the north and Madeira Beach to the south. It is not, in any meaningful sense, on the way to anywhere else. The people who live here are here because they chose to be here, which produces a community dynamic that is somewhat difficult to replicate by other means. The median age of 60, a per capita income of $70,538, and a median household income of $112,250 complete the profile of a place where people arrived with a plan and executed it.
Charles Redington's Project
The community’s origin story begins in the 1920s, when Charles E. Redington — a real estate developer and investor — began acquiring beachfront property along the Pinellas barrier islands during the era of Florida’s land boom. His vision, according to contemporary accounts, was something along the lines of a Miami Beach-style resort colony. The 1929 crash and the Depression intervened.
By 1935, with most of the area still described as "one long deserted stretch of beach," Redington built his first home on the property for himself and his family. He continued building. By 1940, there were five Redington-built homes on what would become Redington Beach. The town formally incorporated in 1945 — originally under the name North Madeira Beach — before adopting the Redington name that persists today. The resort colony vision did not materialize; the residential community did, and it has remained essentially true to that character ever since.
The homes that were built out through the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s — the majority of the current housing stock, given a median home age of 55 years — reflect that era’s approach to Gulf Coast residential development: modest in scale, positioned for beach access, built to be lived in rather than rented out by the week.
What Life Here Looks Like
There is no commercial district in Redington Beach. Gulf Boulevard passes through, but it carries residents and their neighbors, not tour buses. The town operates four parks, five public beach accesses, a causeway with benches for sitting and fishing, and a community recreation area with basketball courts and a children’s playground. None of these are remarkable amenities by any objective measure. They are, however, exactly what a community of 1,000 long-term homeowners apparently wants.
The resident profile is well-educated and financially stable. Graduate and professional degree holders represent approximately 26% of the population — well above county and state averages. Professional, scientific, and technical occupations are the most common employment category, followed by healthcare and information sectors — suggesting a significant proportion of remote workers and retirees from knowledge-based careers, which is consistent with a community where 195 of roughly 555 workers commute from home.
For dining, shopping, and entertainment, residents are minutes from Madeira Beach’s John’s Pass corridor to the south and the broader commercial infrastructure of Pinellas County via the Tom Stuart Causeway. The character of Redington Beach as a residential enclave is, in this sense, deliberately parasitic on its neighbors’ commercial amenities — which is a perfectly rational arrangement.
Geography & Location
Redington Beach occupies approximately one square mile of barrier island between North Redington Beach to the north and Madeira Beach to the south. The Gulf of Mexico forms the western boundary; the Intracoastal Waterway forms the eastern boundary. Gulf Boulevard (SR 699) is the only through-road. The Tom Stuart Causeway (CR 694) provides the primary mainland connection east to the commercial corridor of Pinellas County. Average elevation is 8 feet above sea level. Average commute to work is 33 minutes, somewhat above the county average of 25 minutes.
Flood Zone & Insurance: What to Know Before You Buy
Redington Beach is a barrier island community at low elevation. At 8 feet above sea level on average, it is more elevated than some barrier island neighbors but still carries significant FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) exposure, particularly on the Gulf-front and Intracoastal-front properties. All waterfront properties and many canal-adjacent lots require flood insurance under federally backed mortgage guidelines. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums have increased across barrier island Pinellas County following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and private market alternatives have become a more common consideration. Elevation certificates are essential for accurate insurance quotes.
The current Redington Beach Market Report addresses active post-hurricane conditions, recent substantial-damage determinations, and their effect on the local transaction landscape. If you’re evaluating a specific property, always obtain a current elevation certificate and at least two insurance quotes before making an offer. This is not optional advice.
📊 Ready to go deeper? The Redington Beach Market Report covers current inventory, median pricing, buyer/seller market conditions, and hurricane-recovery context with data sourced directly from RPR and Pinellas County public records. Updated quarterly. → Read the Redington Beach Market Report