Jefferson County today
What this means
Jefferson County gained 4.4% in value over 12 months, ahead of most of Florida.
Builders are busier: 68 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 66%.
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
| Jefferson County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 16,007 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 10.3% | +1.4 pts |
| Median home value | $232,600 | 35% lower |
| Median gross rent | $898 | 46% lower |
| Median household income | $61,212 | 18% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 75.9% | +8.3 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 24.5% | +3.2 pts |
| Average commute | 29 min | 5% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 12.2% | -2.0 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 55% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 10.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,439 | 47% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,782 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Jefferson County
Three things set apart Jefferson County: 29.2% of housing in manufactured homes; rents below the state median ($898 vs $1,669); and a median home value of $232,600, far less than the $359,000 state figure.
Rural Big Bend county seated at Monticello that reaches from the Georgia line to the Gulf. County seat: Monticello. Created in 1827.
Most people live in or around Monticello, Wacissa and Aucilla. Monticello alone has about 2,659 residents.
Monticello centers on its courthouse traffic circle where US 19 and US 90 meet. Interstate 10 has exits at Lloyd, Drifton and Aucilla. It is part of the Tallahassee metro area yet one of the most rural counties in Florida, with no traffic signals anywhere in the county.
What anchors the area
- Known for: Jefferson County Courthouse in Monticello
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 16,007 residents as of July 2025, versus 14,512 in 2020, a 10.3% change. Year over year: +0.39%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 55 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 55 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 3.4 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
See the Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Helene | 4 |
Storms tied to Jefferson County by landfall or named damage since 2000.
Insurance runs about $232 a month here on average ($2,782 a year with wind, per state regulators).
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
41.4% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
Manufactured housing (29.2%) is common here; age and installation decide which loans work. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Jefferson County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 297 (4.7%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 75 (1.2%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 12.5% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 8, $7,120 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Ivan ($4,350); Tropical Storm Fay ($2,238); Other or unnamed flooding ($532) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 22 (13 hurricane, 6 severe storm, 2 tropical storm) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 8, so policies in high risk zones get 10% off. Flood map date: 04/23/25.
Jefferson County counted 1,979 private jobs in 2023; the largest sectors were retail (19%), construction (16%), hotels and restaurants (11%). Tourism signal: 11% work in hotels and restaurants, close to the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Jefferson 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: 3.8x 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 | 166 | 69.7% | 72.2% | $242,349 |
| FHA | 43 | 18.1% | 17.8% | $237,326 |
| VA | 28 | 11.8% | 9.9% | $377,500 |
| USDA | 1 | 0.4% | 0.2% | $315,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 55.9% |
| Cash out refinance | 15.5% |
| Rate and term refinance | 12.2% |
| Home improvement | 10.5% |
That is up 17.8% from 202 loans in 2024.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: the default choice here (69.7% of 2025 loans).
- FHA: median price $232,600 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 10.3% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: zero down for eligible rural addresses; check each one on the USDA map.
Down payment help and taxes
Down payment help: use the statewide programs from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Typical owner tax bill: $1,439 (0.62%). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Jefferson County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Jefferson County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 24.1% | -8.3 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 26.4% | -8.8 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 1.3% | -6.3 pts |
Rental vacancy is tight.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 3% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 3.9% (-3.9 pts vs Florida) |
Confirm zoning and HOA rules before counting on nightly rentals. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 65.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 3% |
| Manufactured homes | 29.2% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 1.26% |
Largest cities and towns in Jefferson County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monticello | 2,659 | $211,000 | $799 | $46,343 |
| Wacissa | 355 | Not reported | $1,225 | $64,534 |
| Aucilla | 203 | $174,600 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Lloyd | 187 | $170,400 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Waukeenah | 115 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Lamont | 78 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | $232,600 | $898 | 10.3% |
| Leon County | $301,800 | $1,291 | 2.3% |
| Madison County | $116,200 | $874 | 4.4% |
| Taylor County | $114,600 | $988 | -2.7% |
| Wakulla County | $258,300 | $1,108 | 12.8% |
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.