The Town FilesKeystone Heights, Florida
City in Clay County · population 1,446 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $227,900
- Household income
- $80,217
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 38.4
Keystone Heights is a city of 1,446 people in Clay County, Florida. The median home is worth $227,900, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for families than 85% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Florida towns, quieter than 70% of Florida towns.
How Keystone Heights 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 Keystone Heights is worth $227,900, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $80,217, which is more affordable than 94% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,258 a month. 81.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Keystone Heights | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $227,900 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,258 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $80,217 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 81.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.4% | — |
Who lives in Keystone Heights
| People | Keystone Heights | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 92.4% |
Weather in Keystone Heights
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 45.3°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 15 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keystone Heights since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 27, 1984 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 24, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on March 1, 2003.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 22, 2026 | Fire | FM-5631: Railroad Complex Fire |
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 57,413 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,688 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Keystone Heights itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Keystone Heights
4 public schools with 2,900 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEYSTONE HEIGHTS JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH | 7-12 | 1,169 | 17.2 |
| KEYSTONE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 821 | 14.9 |
| MCRAE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 542 | 13.2 |
| MELROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 368 | 16.0 |
Towns near Keystone Heights
- Waldo, FL7.9 mi · 846 people · home $113,600
- Starke, FL12.3 mi · 5,796 people · home $214,300
- Hawthorne, FL13.5 mi · 1,478 people · home $177,800
- Interlachen, FL14.0 mi · 1,441 people · home $152,500
- Lawtey, FL18.5 mi · 636 people · home $167,500
- Penney Farms, FL19.2 mi · 821 people · home $230,800
- Gainesville, FL20.0 mi · 141,085 people · home $247,500
- Middleburg, FL20.1 mi · 12,881 people · home $254,600
Keystone Heights questions
Is Keystone Heights, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Keystone Heights scores better for retirees than 33% of Florida towns and quieter than 70%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Keystone Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Keystone Heights is valued at $227,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,217, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,258 a month.
What is the weather like in Keystone Heights?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 45.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Keystone Heights get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keystone Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 27, 1984. 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)