The Town FilesWelaka, Florida
Town in Putnam County · population 714 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,100
- Household income
- $54,830
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 53.5
Welaka is a town of 714 people in Putnam County, Florida. The median home is worth $283,100, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 98% of Florida towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 75% of Florida towns.
How Welaka 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 Welaka is worth $283,100, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $54,830, which is more affordable than 33% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,050 a month. 80.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Welaka | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,100 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,050 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $54,830 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 80.5% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.3% | — |
Who lives in Welaka
| People | Welaka | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.5 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.0% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 14.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 35.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 66.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Welaka
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 47.3°F. About 49.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 78 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welaka since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 26, 2006 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 18, 2020.
Severe weather in Putnam County since 1996
Putnam County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, freezing.
| 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 Putnam County
Putnam County had 17,320 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,592 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Welaka itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Towns near Welaka
- Pomona Park, FL4.6 mi · 784 people · home $159,600
- Crescent City, FL9.5 mi · 1,654 people · home $192,600
- Palatka, FL11.4 mi · 10,446 people · home $150,500
- East Palatka, FL12.0 mi · 1,573 people · home $246,600
- Lake Kerr, FL12.3 mi · 1,843 people · home $109,800
- Seville, FL13.5 mi · 580 people · home $418,300
- Flagler Estates, FL16.6 mi · 3,540 people · home $213,300
- Interlachen, FL16.9 mi · 1,441 people · home $152,500
Welaka questions
Is Welaka, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Welaka scores better for retirees than 75% of Florida towns and quieter than 98%. 38.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.5).
How much does a house cost in Welaka?
The median owner-occupied home in Welaka is valued at $283,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,830, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,050 a month.
What is the weather like in Welaka?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 47.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Welaka get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welaka since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 26, 2006. 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)