Calhoun County today
What this means
Values in Calhoun County are down 5.4% over the past year, now 10.8% below the Aug 2024 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 12 homes, 46% fewer 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
| Calhoun County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 13,289 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.6% | -11.5 pts |
| Median home value | $145,300 | 60% lower |
| Median gross rent | $779 | 53% lower |
| Median household income | $50,517 | 32% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 78.8% | +11.2 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 18.6% | -2.7 pts |
| Average commute | 30 min | 7% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 13.8% | -0.4 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 96% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.6% | +1.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $734 | 73% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,122 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Calhoun County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Calhoun County has 34.3% of housing in manufactured homes; rents below the state median ($779 vs $1,669); and a median home value of $145,300, far less than the $359,000 state figure.
Rural county in the northern Panhandle, bounded on the east by the Apalachicola River and crossed by the Chipola River. County seat: Blountstown. Created in 1838.
Largest communities: Blountstown and Altha. Blountstown alone has about 3,136 residents.
No interstate or U.S. highway crosses the county; the closest interstate access is Interstate 10 at Sneads. State Road 20 runs toward Tallahassee and State Road 71 links Port St. Joe to Alabama. Blountstown is the largest town, with Altha the other incorporated town.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 13,289 residents as of July 2025, versus 13,641 in 2020, a -2.6% change. Last year alone: +0.52%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 4 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 4 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.3 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
More on corridors and rents: Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide.
Risks to price in
No direct landfalls here since 2000; inland wind and flood damage from passing storms is the main exposure.
Average homeowners premium with wind: $3,122 a year, about $260 a month (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, March 2026).
40.6% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
Manufactured homes are 34.3% of housing; foundation and title rules decide financing. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Calhoun County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 607 (9.4%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 80 (1.2%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 11.2% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 37, $619,197 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Other or unnamed flooding ($573,715); Hurricane Michael ($33,852); Hurricane Ivan ($6,080) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 19 (11 hurricane, 5 severe storm, 2 tropical storm) |
No flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) is in the federal program but has no CRS rating (map dated 11/14/25).
Calhoun County counted 1,657 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were health care and social assistance (34%), retail (20%), hotels and restaurants (13%). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 13% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Calhoun 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
The median home equals 2.9 years of median household income (4.8 for the state). Monthly payments are more manageable relative to local incomes.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 119 | 65.7% | 72.2% | $165,336 |
| FHA | 40 | 22.1% | 17.8% | $170,250 |
| VA | 17 | 9.4% | 9.9% | $266,765 |
| USDA | 5 | 2.8% | 0.2% | $231,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 52.5% |
| Cash out refinance | 18.8% |
| Rate and term refinance | 8.3% |
| Home improvement | 3.9% |
Total loans rose 25.7% from 2024 (144 to 181). FHA share runs well above the state.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 65.7% of local loans.
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 8.6% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: outside the main towns, many addresses in a county of 13,289 can qualify.
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Typical owner tax bill: $734 (0.51%). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Calhoun County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Calhoun County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 21.2% | -11.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.2% | -2.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 5.6% | -2.0 pts |
Rental vacancy is tight.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 0% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 2.6% (-5.2 pts vs Florida) |
Before you underwrite nightly income, get the zoning and HOA answer in writing. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 59.3% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 2.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 34.3% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.55% |
Largest cities and towns in Calhoun County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blountstown | 3,136 | $158,700 | Not reported | $51,762 |
| Altha | 457 | $84,500 | $900 | $29,583 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
Calhoun County has the slowest growth in its group; 2 of its 5 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | $145,300 | $779 | -2.6% |
| Bay County | $310,500 | $1,484 | 16.7% |
| Gadsden County | $174,900 | $851 | 1.1% |
| Gulf County | $250,000 | $1,187 | 12.3% |
| Jackson County | $120,800 | $865 | 4.9% |
| Liberty County | $127,300 | $943 | 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.