Levy County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $289,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $242,000 |
What this means
Values in Levy County are about flat (−0.7% in a year), now 3.8% below the Jul 2024 peak.
Builders are pulling back: 120 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 17%.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Levy County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 48,520 | 0.2% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 13.1% | +4.2 pts |
| Median home value | $190,600 | 47% lower |
| Median gross rent | $850 | 49% lower |
| Median household income | $56,750 | 24% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 81.4% | +13.8 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 25.1% | +3.8 pts |
| Average commute | 30 min | 9% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 12.2% | -2.0 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 34% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 10.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,201 | 56% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,698 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Levy County
Three things set apart Levy County: 42.8% of housing in manufactured homes; lower rents than Florida overall ($850 a month); and cheaper homes than most of Florida (median $190,600).
Rural North Central county of about 1,413 square miles with Gulf coastline, rivers and state forests. Bronson is the county seat, and the county dates to 1845.
The population centers are Rainbow Lakes Estates, Williston Highlands and Williston. Rainbow Lakes Estates alone has about 3,762 residents.
What anchors the area
- Known for: Manatee Springs State Park; Goethe State Forest; Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 48,520 residents as of July 2025, versus 42,912 in 2020, a 13.1% change. Year over year: +1.84%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 240 |
| 2 to 4 units | 4 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 244 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 5.0 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
More on corridors and rents: Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Idalia | 3 |
Landfalls and named damage since 2000, from the state record.
State data puts the typical homeowners policy with wind at $2,698 a year in Levy County.
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
42.8% of homes are manufactured, so loan options depend on how the home is titled and set. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Levy County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 2,650 (13.7%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 840 (4.3%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 28.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 759, $48,263,228 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Helene ($25,184,899); Hurricane Idalia ($12,929,886); Hurricane Hermine ($6,778,909) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 18 (12 hurricane, 3 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
Flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) holds Community Rating System class 9, worth 05% off federal premiums in high risk zones (map dated 01/28/22).
Where people work: retail (23%), hotels and restaurants (16%), manufacturing (14%), out of 7,282 private jobs in Levy County (2023). Hotels and restaurants hold 16% of those jobs (close to Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in Levy 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 3.4 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 | 595 | 58.5% | 72.2% | $191,756 |
| FHA | 254 | 25% | 17.8% | $221,220 |
| VA | 158 | 15.5% | 9.9% | $291,582 |
| USDA | 10 | 1% | 0.2% | $231,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 62.6% |
| Cash out refinance | 12.6% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.5% |
| Home improvement | 6.6% |
Total loans rose 7.3% from 2024 (948 to 1,017). FHA carries more weight here (25% of loans). VA lending is strong (15.5% of loans). 10 USDA loans show that parts of the county qualify.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: the default choice here (58.5% of 2025 loans).
- FHA: median price $190,600 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 10.3% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: outside the main towns, many addresses in a county of 48,520 can qualify.
Down payment help and taxes
Assistance with cash to close is offered statewide by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Property taxes run about 0.63% of value for current owners (median bill $1,201); a new buyer's bill resets to the purchase price. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Levy County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Levy County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 18.6% | -13.8 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 28.1% | -7.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 3.4% | -4.2 pts |
Rental vacancy is tight.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 4% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 7.9% (+0.1 pts vs Florida) |
Confirm zoning and HOA rules before counting on nightly rentals. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 50.3% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 2.6% |
| Manufactured homes | 42.8% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.69% |
Largest cities and towns in Levy County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Williston has the highest median value ($252,700) and Andrews the lowest ($117,700); Andrews shows the best rent to price ratio (11.34% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Lakes Estates | 3,762 | $160,400 | $1,030 | $50,429 |
| Williston Highlands | 3,666 | $228,400 | $723 | $79,662 |
| Williston | 3,154 | $252,700 | $969 | $61,111 |
| East Bronson | 2,649 | $147,500 | Not reported | $51,898 |
| Manatee Road | 2,426 | $155,400 | Not reported | $51,708 |
| Chiefland | 1,909 | $167,700 | $845 | Not reported |
| Inglis | 1,742 | $180,700 | $344 | $56,500 |
| Bronson | 1,600 | $169,900 | $869 | $61,923 |
| Andrews | 1,275 | $117,700 | $1,112 | $52,955 |
| Fanning Springs | 942 | $187,100 | $859 | $53,618 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levy County | $190,600 | $850 | 13.1% |
| Alachua County | $288,800 | $1,339 | 4.1% |
| Citrus County | $245,500 | $1,107 | 11.6% |
| Dixie County | $132,000 | $695 | 7.6% |
| Gilchrist County | $199,900 | $926 | 14.7% |
| Marion County | $243,100 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
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.