Stuart Florida is located in Martin County, FL. Famous for shipwrecks that occurred in the 1700s, Stuart is the center of the Treasure Coast. The City of Stuart was incorporated in 1914 and became county seat of Martin County in 1925. Martin County was created when citizens of Palm Beach became frustrated with high taxes in Palm Beach County.
Today Stuart Florida remains a smaller city with a hometown feeling with a pace far slower than Palm Beach just to the south. Stuart is a waterfront community with the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the St Lucie River to the West. The economy is primarily locally owned businesses, with a noticeable focus on Boating. Marinas, boat builders, and fishing charters are a big part of the local business community.
Stuart has excellent weather with temperatures typically 10 degrees cooler than Miami. While summers can get hot hitting the 90-degree mark regularly, Stuart has five to six months each year with near perfect weather in the 60 to 70 degree range. Because of its great weather, Stuart FL has a large population of snowbirds, residents who live in the area for the winter.
Stuart is known as the Sailfish Capitol of the World. Recreational fishing plays a big role through fishing charters, boat and yacht dealers, and boat builders. Real estate in Stuart, especially waterfront real estate has risen in value dramatically since the year 2000.
Restaurants in Stuart range from family friendly to fine dinning. Whether you are looking for a great breakfast, fresh seafood, excellent barbecue, or a romantic dinning experience Stuart has a restaurant for you. There are also some great family run restaurants in the surrounding cities of Jensen Beach and Palm City.
Like many Florida cities Stuart has a historic downtown. It is located on the St Lucie River and is where you will find several shops and restaurants, public docks so you can visit downtown Stuart via boat, and city hall. Just a few blocks south of downtown at 100 East Ocean Blvd is the Martin County Courthouse.
Like much of Florida, Stuart has great beaches. The primary beach area is on Hutchinson Island, which is directly east of downtown Stuart only 10 minutes away. The most famous beach in Stuart is Bathtub Reef Beach. Bathtub Beach has been damaged in several hurricanes but restoration was completed in April of 2018 and the beach is open.
Stuart has hotels such as a Ramada, Howard Johnson, and Best Western. There are also waterfront hotels and resorts on Hutchinson Island, which has over 12 miles of beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The Marriott Hutchinson Island sits on the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean and has a variety of water sports activities.
The closest airport to Stuart is Palm Beach International, which is about 45 minutes south. Orlando and the Orlando Airport are about 2 hours north and Miami is about 2 hour south.
Real estate prices in Stuart have escalated dramatically since 2000, this includes both residential and commercial real estate. But the prices in Stuart are still reasonable when compared with larger markets such as Palm Beach, Miami, and Orlando. Martin County has an ongoing struggle to control growth and keep the small town charm of Stuart and the nearby cities. This is exacerbated by St Lucie county to the North, which has had virtually unchecked growth.
Stuart has very little manufacturing or industrial companies. The majority of businesses are locally owned, many are family owned businesses. The real estate market has resulted in a strong contingent of realtors and mortgage brokers in Stuart Florida. The medical industry is a large employer with Martin Memorial Hospital and support services dominating the market for Doctors, Nurses, and other medical professionals.
| Cape Coral | Clearwater | Coral Springs | Fort Lauderdale |
| Gainesville | Hieleah | Hollywood | Jacksonville |
| Miami | Miami Gardens | Miramar | North Miami |
| Orlando | Pembroke Pines | Plantation | Pampano Beach |
| Port St. Lucie | St. Petersburg | Sunrise | Tallahassee |
| Tampa | West Palm Beach | Stuart | Palm City |
| Jensen Beach | Port St Lucie |
