Hillsborough County
The downtown, employment, and amenities core of Tampa Bay.
Why Hillsborough
If your move centers on work, Hillsborough is the county to start with. It holds the region’s largest concentration of jobs: the downtown Tampa central business district, the Westshore business district, the major hospital systems, the University of South Florida, and Tampa International Airport. For most relocating buyers, this is where the shortest commute lives.
The housing runs the full span. Downtown and the Channel District carry mid-rise and high-rise condos. South Tampa holds older, established neighborhoods close to the water and the highest price points in the county. East and north, suburban single-family subdivisions in Brandon and New Tampa give you more square footage for the dollar. Wesley Chapel, on the northern edge, brings newer master-planned construction.
Access is the trade you are buying here. Interstate 275, Interstate 4, the Selmon Expressway, and three bay bridges put employment centers, the airport, and the rest of the region within reach. The closer you sit to South Tampa, downtown, and the water, the more you pay; the further east and north you go, the more home you get.
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Cities in Hillsborough
Tampa
The urban core of the region. South Tampa holds established neighborhoods near the water at the county’s top price points, downtown and the Channel District offer high-rise condo living, and New Tampa to the north is newer subdivisions near USF. The Westshore district is the area’s largest office market.
Brandon
A suburban area east of Tampa reached by Interstate 75 and State Road 60, built around single-family subdivisions and a large retail core. It generally delivers more square footage per dollar than South Tampa, with a downtown Tampa commute of roughly 20 to 30 minutes.
Wesley Chapel
On the northern edge along Interstate 75, Wesley Chapel straddles the Hillsborough and Pasco county line, so addresses fall in one county or the other. It is one of the region’s heaviest new-construction and master-planned areas, anchored by the Wiregrass and Premium Outlets retail centers.
Riverview
A fast-growing suburban area southeast of Tampa along Interstate 75, dominated by new-construction single-family subdivisions. It delivers newer homes and more square footage per dollar than areas closer to downtown.
Valrico
An established suburban area east of Brandon, made up largely of single-family subdivisions on larger lots than the urban core, with a direct connection to State Road 60.
FishHawk and Lithia
A master-planned area in the Lithia community southeast of Brandon, built around newer single-family homes, trail networks, and community amenities, set apart from the denser parts of the county.
Apollo Beach
A waterfront community in south Hillsborough along Tampa Bay, known for canal homes with direct Gulf access and a mix of established and new construction.
Ruskin and Sun City Center
Two south-county areas near Interstate 75. Ruskin offers newer single-family construction at lower price points, while Sun City Center is an age-restricted, active-adult community built around golf and recreation.
Plant City
An eastern city surrounded by agricultural land, known for its strawberry farming and historic downtown. Price points run lower than the Tampa suburbs, with single-family homes and acreage available.
Temple Terrace
A small city northeast of Tampa along the Hillsborough River, next to the University of South Florida. Housing is mostly established single-family homes, some set along the golf course at the city’s core.
Carrollwood, Westchase and Town ‘n’ Country
The established northwest Tampa suburbs. Carrollwood holds mature single-family neighborhoods, Westchase is a master-planned community with newer homes and amenities, and Town ‘n’ Country offers a wide mix of single-family and condo housing close to the Westshore employment district and the airport.
What your money buys here
Hillsborough pricing follows proximity to downtown, South Tampa, and the water. Move east and north and the same budget buys noticeably more home. Here is the broad picture, current as of mid-2026 and always moving with the market.
Ranges are approximate and shift with inventory and rates. For a current read on a specific city or property type, ask me for live numbers.
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