Dixie County today
What this means
Values in Dixie County are still rising: +3.5% in the past year.
Builders are busier: 84 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 115%.
About 40% of homes sit in a FEMA high risk flood zone, where a mortgage requires flood insurance. Get a flood quote before you make an offer.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Dixie County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 18,038 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 7.6% | -1.3 pts |
| Median home value | $132,000 | 63% lower |
| Median gross rent | $695 | 58% lower |
| Median household income | $50,110 | 33% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 84.7% | +17.1 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 23.9% | +2.6 pts |
| Average commute | 22 min | 20% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 6.8% | -7.4 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 8% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 8.7% | +1.3 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $813 | 70% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,748 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Dixie County
Three things set apart Dixie County: lots of manufactured homes (50.5% of the stock); lower rents than Florida overall ($695 a month); and cheaper homes than most of Florida (median $132,000).
Largely rural Big Bend county where water covers about 18 percent of its area and population density is low. County seat: Cross City. Created in 1921.
The population centers are Cross City and Horseshoe Beach. Cross City alone has about 1,955 residents.
US 19, US 98 and US 27 Alternate run together through Cross City, crossing the Suwannee River to the east and the Steinhatchee River at the Taylor County line. About 18% of the county is water, and the town of Shamrock grew up around the Putnam Lumber Company.
What anchors the area
- Known for: Suwannee River; City of Hawkinsville underwater archaeological preserve
Commutes are short, about 22 minutes on average.
Growth and where it is heading
From 16,757 residents in 2020 to 18,038 in 2025: that is 7.6%, compared with 8.9% statewide. Year over year: +0.94%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 66 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 60 |
| Total | 126 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 7.0 (close to Florida, 7.6) |
Local background
Dixie County was carved out of southern Lafayette County in 1921 and takes its name from the old nickname for the South. Of its 864 square miles, about 159 are water, so river frontage and wetlands shape where homes can go. Cross City grew around timber: the Putnam Lumber Company built Putnam Lodge there for its mill town of Shamrock. Near Old Town, the sunken steamboat City of Hawkinsville rests in the Suwannee River as one of the state underwater archaeological preserves. For buyers, that mix means flood zone checks and septic and well questions come up on most rural parcels.
Regional context lives in the Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
No direct landfalls here since 2000; inland wind and flood damage from passing storms is the main exposure.
Dixie County homeowners paid $2,748 a year on average for coverage that includes wind (state insurance regulator, March 2026).
On the coast, flood zone and elevation can matter as much as the price.
With 50.5% of homes manufactured, expect lenders to ask about the foundation, the data plate and whether the home is titled as real property. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Dixie County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 3,782 (39.5%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 556 (5.8%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 14.2% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 431, $15,759,280 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Helene ($8,947,097); Hurricane Idalia ($3,139,013); Other or unnamed flooding ($1,181,265) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 19 (12 hurricane, 4 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 01/18/19).
Dixie County counted 1,809 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were manufacturing (32%), retail (18%), hotels and restaurants (13%). Tourism signal: 13% work in hotels and restaurants, close to the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Dixie 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
Price to income: 2.6x locally, 4.8x for Florida. Monthly payments are more manageable relative to local incomes.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 107 | 51.9% | 72.2% | $166,308 |
| FHA | 62 | 30.1% | 17.8% | $190,000 |
| VA | 33 | 16% | 9.9% | $246,818 |
| USDA | 4 | 1.9% | 0.2% | $175,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 68.9% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.1% |
| Rate and term refinance | 10.7% |
| Home improvement | 3.4% |
Total loans rose 21.9% from 2024 (169 to 206). FHA share runs well above the state. VA lending is strong (16% of loans).
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 51.9% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: median price $132,000 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 8.7% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: a county of 18,038 people likely has eligible addresses; check the map.
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $813 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Dixie County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Dixie County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 15.3% | -17.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 28.3% | -6.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 10.3% | +2.7 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 3% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 19% (+11.2 pts vs Florida) |
Nightly rental rights depend on zoning, local registration and the HOA. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 44.4% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 1.2% |
| Manufactured homes | 50.5% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0% |
Largest cities and towns in Dixie County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross City | 1,955 | $97,400 | $695 | $47,903 |
| Horseshoe Beach | 78 | Not reported | Not reported | $62,768 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
1 of its 4 neighbors is cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixie County | $132,000 | $695 | 7.6% |
| Gilchrist County | $199,900 | $926 | 14.7% |
| Lafayette County | $157,200 | $896 | 6.9% |
| Levy County | $190,600 | $850 | 13.1% |
| Taylor County | $114,600 | $988 | -2.7% |
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.