The Town FilesFort White, Florida
Town in Columbia County · population 618 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $220,800
- Household income
- $53,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.5
Fort White is a town of 618 people in Columbia County, Florida. The median home is worth $220,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 88% of Florida towns, better for families than 74% of Florida towns, better for a vacation home than 70% of Florida towns.
How Fort White ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fort White is worth $220,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $53,750, which is more affordable than 65% of Florida towns. Median rent is $943 a month. 74.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort White | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,800 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $943 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $53,750 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 74.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fort White
| People | Fort White | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 14.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Fort White
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 39.8°F. About 51.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort White since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 23, 1983 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 11, 2023.
Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996
Columbia County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3655: Hurricane Isaias |
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
Jobs and pay in Columbia County
Columbia County had 24,644 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,261 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Fort White itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Fort White
2 public schools with 1,763 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORT WHITE HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 1,117 | 17.2 |
| FORT WHITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 646 | 16.6 |
Towns near Fort White
- High Springs, FL11.2 mi · 6,215 people · home $320,700
- Branford, FL13.0 mi · 711 people · home $157,100
- Bell, FL14.5 mi · 518 people · home $171,800
- Alachua, FL16.9 mi · 10,574 people · home $299,200
- Lake City, FL18.9 mi · 12,329 people · home $184,900
- Watertown, FL19.4 mi · 3,018 people · home $114,100
- Newberry, FL20.4 mi · 7,342 people · home $288,100
- Five Points, FL21.0 mi · 1,076 people · home —
Fort White questions
Is Fort White, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort White scores better for retirees than 62% of Florida towns and quieter than 88%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Fort White?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort White is valued at $220,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,750, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $943 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort White?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 39.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Fort White get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort White since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 23, 1983. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)