Bradford County today
What this means
Values in Bradford County are still rising: +4.2% in the past year.
Permits January to September 2026: 70 homes, 25% more than 2025.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Bradford County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 28,307 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 0% | -8.9 pts |
| Median home value | $212,500 | 41% lower |
| Median gross rent | $863 | 48% lower |
| Median household income | $63,050 | 15% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 73.3% | +5.7 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 18.2% | -3.1 pts |
| Average commute | 32 min | 16% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 9.6% | -4.6 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 70% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.3% | +0.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,164 | 57% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,623 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Bradford County
What stands out about Bradford County: a high share of manufactured homes (30%); rents below the state median ($863 vs $1,669); and home values well below the state ($212,500 vs $359,000).
Largely rural north central Florida county; about 71 percent of residents live outside urban areas. Starke is the county seat, and the county dates to 1858.
Most people live in or around Starke, Lawtey and Hampton. Starke alone has about 5,877 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: agriculture (historically strawberries); state corrections facilities
- Known for: Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail
Many residents work elsewhere; the average commute is 32 minutes.
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 28,300 in April 2020 to 28,307 in July 2025 (0%; Florida 8.9%). The 2024 to 2025 change was +0.54%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 66 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 66 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 2.3 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
Regional context lives in the Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
Bradford County has had no hurricane landfall since 2000, though passing storms still bring wind and flooding.
Insurance runs about $219 a month here on average ($2,623 a year with wind, per state regulators).
40.5% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
Manufactured homes are 30% of housing; foundation and title rules decide financing. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Bradford County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 1,317 (12.1%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 436 (4%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 26.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 151, $4,037,107 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Irma ($3,022,087); Tropical Storm Debby ($441,519); Other or unnamed flooding ($304,354) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 15 (10 hurricane, 2 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
No flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) is in the federal program but has no CRS rating (map dated 11/02/18).
Where people work: retail (23%), health care and social assistance (17%), transportation and warehousing (12%), out of 4,826 private jobs in Bradford County (2023). Tourism signal: 11% work in hotels and restaurants, close to the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Bradford County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Homes cost 3.4 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide. That makes ownership easier to reach than in most of the state.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 274 | 54.8% | 72.2% | $188,175 |
| FHA | 116 | 23.2% | 17.8% | $226,293 |
| VA | 103 | 20.6% | 9.9% | $323,641 |
| USDA | 7 | 1.4% | 0.2% | $246,429 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 63.4% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.2% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.8% |
| Home improvement | 6% |
Total loans rose 14.4% from 2024 (437 to 500). FHA carries more weight here (23.2% of loans). VA loans are unusually common here.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 54.8% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: the $541,287 limit covers the typical $212,500 home.
- VA: veterans are 8.3% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: outside the main towns, many addresses in a county of 28,307 can qualify.
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $1,164 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Bradford County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Bradford County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 26.7% | -5.7 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32.1% | -3.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 0.9% | -6.7 pts |
Few rentals sit empty.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 4% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 4.1% (-3.7 pts vs Florida) |
A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 61.2% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 6.2% |
| Manufactured homes | 30% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.2% |
Largest cities and towns in Bradford County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starke | 5,877 | $214,300 | $840 | $52,258 |
| Lawtey | 897 | $167,500 | $723 | $51,944 |
| Hampton | 499 | $94,300 | $796 | $42,344 |
| Brooker | 223 | $198,200 | $1,025 | $71,875 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford County | $212,500 | $863 | 0% |
| Alachua County | $288,800 | $1,339 | 4.1% |
| Baker County | $256,700 | $1,302 | 5.2% |
| Clay County | $312,500 | $1,551 | 9.8% |
| Putnam County | $160,300 | $906 | 6% |
| Union County | $169,500 | $894 | 0.7% |
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.