The Town FilesPonce de Leon, Florida
Town in Holmes County · population 504 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,800
- Household income
- $77,798
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 28.7
Ponce de Leon is a town of 504 people in Holmes County, Florida. The median home is worth $123,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 96% of Florida towns, easier by car than 94% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Florida towns.
How Ponce de Leon 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 Ponce de Leon is worth $123,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $77,798, which is more affordable than 99% of Florida towns. 73.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ponce de Leon | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,800 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | — | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $77,798 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 73.5% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.3% | — |
Who lives in Ponce de Leon
| People | Ponce de Leon | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.7 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Ponce de Leon
July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 39.5°F. About 64.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 26 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponce de Leon since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 30, 1963 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 10, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on February 27, 1972.
Severe weather in Holmes County since 1996
Holmes County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4955: Hurricane Isaias |
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3655: Hurricane Isaias |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Holmes County
Holmes County had 3,627 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,883 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Ponce de Leon itself the ACS puts it at 14.1%.
Public schools in Ponce de Leon
2 public schools with 599 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PONCE DE LEON HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 313 | 17.4 |
| PONCE DE LEON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 286 | 14.3 |
Towns near Ponce de Leon
- DeFuniak Springs, FL10.9 mi · 5,919 people · home $201,400
- Bonifay, FL15.3 mi · 2,759 people · home $142,100
- Vernon, FL16.0 mi · 732 people · home $115,800
- Freeport, FL19.3 mi · 5,861 people · home $407,800
- Geneva, AL22.4 mi · 4,245 people · home $100,600
- Chipley, FL23.8 mi · 3,660 people · home $143,700
- Samson, AL27.6 mi · 1,874 people · home $91,100
- Paxton, FL28.1 mi · 556 people · home $171,200
Ponce de Leon questions
Is Ponce de Leon, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ponce de Leon scores better for retirees than 52% of Florida towns and quieter than 96%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.7).
How much does a house cost in Ponce de Leon?
The median owner-occupied home in Ponce de Leon is valued at $123,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,798, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ponce de Leon?
July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 39.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ponce de Leon get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponce de Leon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 30, 1963. 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)