Taylor County today
What this means
Taylor County gained 6.1% in value over 12 months, ahead of most of Florida.
Builders are busier: 77 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 75%.
About 27% 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.
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
| Taylor County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 21,210 | 0.1% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.7% | -11.6 pts |
| Median home value | $114,600 | 68% lower |
| Median gross rent | $988 | 41% lower |
| Median household income | $49,073 | 34% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 76% | +8.4 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 21.2% | -0.1 pts |
| Average commute | 21 min | 24% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 7.2% | -7.0 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 64% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 9.5% | +2.1 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $750 | 73% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,698 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Taylor County
35%, higher than Florida's 5.58%; lots of manufactured homes (40.1% of the stock); and home values well below the state ($114,600 vs $359,000).
Rural Big Bend county with a large water area, known as the Tree Capital of the South. Perry is the county seat, and the county dates to 1856.
Most people live in or around Perry and Steinhatchee. Perry alone has about 7,068 residents.
Perry is the hub of a county of about 1,232 square miles, roughly 15% water. Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach sit on the Gulf, and Steinhatchee is at the mouth of the Steinhatchee River. US 19, US 98, US 27 and US 221 serve the county. Idalia, Debby and Helene all came ashore on this coast in 2023 and 2024.
What anchors the area
- Economy: timber
Most people work close to home (average commute 21 minutes).
Growth and where it is heading
Population went from 21,799 in April 2020 to 21,210 in July 2025 (-2.7%; Florida 8.9%). In the latest year it lost 2.21%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 58 |
| 2 to 4 units | 0 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 58 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 2.7 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
See the Northeast and North Central investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
| Year | Hurricane | Category at landfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Hermine | 1 |
| 2023 | Idalia | 3 |
| 2024 | Debby | 1 |
| 2024 | Helene | 4 |
Landfalls and named damage since 2000, from the state record.
Budget around $2,698 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
On the coast, flood zone and elevation can matter as much as the price.
Older stock (37.8% built before 1980) means insurers will look hard at roofs, wiring and plumbing. Insurance and inspections
40.1% of homes are manufactured, so loan options depend on how the home is titled and set. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Taylor County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 2,677 (27.4%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 669 (6.9%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 23.6% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 507, $34,968,511 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Helene ($24,237,938); Hurricane Idalia ($3,592,237); Hurricane Hermine ($3,588,063) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 19 (13 hurricane, 4 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 02/01/19).
Where people work: manufacturing (28%), retail (20%), health care and social assistance (12%), out of 4,673 private jobs in Taylor County (2023). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 12% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Taylor 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 2.3 years of median household income (4.8 for the state). 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 | 140 | 62.2% | 72.2% | $178,357 |
| FHA | 52 | 23.1% | 17.8% | $196,731 |
| VA | 31 | 13.8% | 9.9% | $295,323 |
| USDA | 2 | 0.9% | 0.2% | $190,000 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 65.3% |
| Cash out refinance | 13.3% |
| Rate and term refinance | 11.1% |
| Home improvement | 4.9% |
Lending volume grew 7.1% versus 2024, when lenders made 210 loans. FHA share runs well above the state. VA lending is strong (13.8% of loans).
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 62.2% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: median price $114,600 vs limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 9.5% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: zero down for eligible rural addresses; check each one on the USDA map.
Down payment help and taxes
For assistance, start with the state programs at the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Owners paid a median $750 in property tax (0.65% of value). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Taylor County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Taylor County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 24% | -8.4 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 31.2% | -4.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 12.6% | +5.0 pts |
Vacancy is high; price rentals carefully.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 14.3% (+6.5 pts vs Florida) |
Zoning, registration and HOA rules decide if a home can rent nightly. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 51% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 1.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 40.1% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0% |
Largest cities and towns in Taylor County
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry | 7,068 | $150,500 | $986 | $40,898 |
| Steinhatchee | 756 | $296,200 | Not reported | $50,000 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County | $114,600 | $988 | -2.7% |
| Dixie County | $132,000 | $695 | 7.6% |
| Jefferson County | $232,600 | $898 | 10.3% |
| Lafayette County | $157,200 | $896 | 6.9% |
| Madison County | $116,200 | $874 | 4.4% |
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.