Best Counties in Florida — 2026 Rankings
67 of 67 counties scored across 12 dimensions
67
67 scored
45/100
composite score
62.9/100
30.3—62.9
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Florida
Florida Ranks Below the National Livability Median
Florida posts an average composite score of 45.1, trailing the national median of 50.0. While all 67 counties report full data, the state's overall ranking is weighed down by environmental factors despite strong migration trends.
Low Taxes and Competitive Incomes Lead Strengths
The Sunshine State performs best in fiscal metrics, earning a tax score of 61.0 due to its lack of state income tax. This financial advantage is bolstered by an income score of 51.4, which puts the state slightly above the midpoint for earning potential.
Environmental Risks and Rising Costs Create Hurdles
Florida's lowest metric is its risk score of 24.3, reflecting significant exposure to natural disasters and climate-related costs. Furthermore, a cost score of 34.6 indicates that affordability is a major challenge for residents compared to the national average.
Northern Rural Counties Outperform Urban Hubs
Lafayette County leads the state with a composite score of 62.8, followed closely by Calhoun at 62.1 and Gilchrist at 61.1. These counties excel by pairing the state's low tax burden with exceptional cost scores that urban centers like Miami-Dade cannot match.
Ideal for Tax-Conscious Residents in Rural Areas
Florida is a strong match for individuals seeking a tax-friendly environment and higher-than-average wages. However, families must weigh these financial perks against a high cost of living in coastal cities and persistent environmental risks.
All County Rankings in Florida
Search, sort, and filter all 67 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 67 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lafayette County | 62.9 | 69.1 | 69 | 41.2 | 97.5 | 15.7 | 54.4 | 84.1 | 86 | 22.6 | 30.9 | 16.5 | |
| 2 | Calhoun County | 62.2 | 79.9 | 92 | 9.2 | 83.2 | 21.9 | 38.9 | 55.1 | 86 | 25.4 | 28 | 23.8 | |
| 3 | Gilchrist County | 61.1 | 65.2 | 65 | 42.2 | 90.4 | 35.8 | 42 | 72.1 | 86 | 34.3 | 25 | 21.7 | |
| 4 | Bradford County | 60.2 | 78.4 | 61.6 | 38.1 | 94.1 | 30.4 | 39.3 | 63.2 | 59.6 | 19.8 | 32.5 | 18.9 | |
| 5 | Union County | 57.2 | 76.6 | 69.9 | 54.1 | 78.4 | 22.9 | 21.3 | 89.2 | 86 | 19.8 | 33.4 | 23.2 | |
| 6 | Jefferson County | 57 | 65.7 | 70.2 | 30.3 | 62.8 | 36.8 | 49.9 | 61 | 86 | 32.9 | 24.9 | 17.9 | |
| 7 | Suwannee County | 56.2 | 60.1 | 70.4 | 26.4 | 97.5 | 26 | 33.2 | 28.7 | 58.6 | 15.8 | 25.7 | 20.1 | |
| 8 | Wakulla County | 55.5 | 68.5 | 22.6 | 76 | 94.5 | 49.3 | 44.8 | 53.3 | 30.1 | 28.9 | 27.3 | 15.3 | |
| 9 | Franklin County | 55 | 72.2 | 44.4 | 47.4 | 97.5 | 30.5 | 32.3 | 53.5 | 27.4 | 34.1 | 28.5 | 23.6 | |
| 10 | Gulf County | 54.7 | 78.4 | 35 | 59.9 | 94.7 | 36.7 | 33.5 | 40.5 | 24.4 | 37.2 | 29.1 | 16.1 | |
| 11 | Glades County | 54.1 | 37.1 | 64.5 | 2.4 | 97.5 | 33.7 | 50.2 | 52 | 35.5 | 10.8 | 50.1 | 14.3 | |
| 12 | Jackson County | 53.9 | 80.8 | 70.7 | 9.9 | 74.9 | 23.8 | 36.1 | 24.3 | 46.6 | 25.4 | 22 | 23.2 | |
| 13 | Sumter County | 53.5 | 50.9 | 32 | 74.6 | 81.6 | 68.9 | 46.1 | 12.4 | 34.8 | 21.3 | 32.9 | 13.2 | |
| 14 | Washington County | 53.5 | 85.3 | 66.5 | 20.1 | 83.3 | 18.9 | 26.8 | 40.6 | 14.5 | 27.5 | 14.1 | 16.2 | |
| 15 | Liberty County | 53.4 | 47.1 | 56.9 | 22.4 | 97.5 | 24.4 | 37.8 | 87.4 | 17.3 | 31.9 | 24.8 | 21.8 | |
| 16 | Taylor County | 52.9 | 60.4 | 71 | 7.3 | 84.8 | 25.8 | 39.7 | 34.6 | 11.8 | 24.8 | 29.1 | 19.2 | |
| 17 | Walton County | 52.6 | 90.3 | 10.8 | 83 | 72 | 55.2 | 43.8 | 11.4 | 70.4 | 30.5 | 26.7 | 13.6 | |
| 18 | Okaloosa County | 52.3 | 74.6 | 9 | 82.7 | 89 | 56 | 36.3 | 7.5 | 71.3 | 35.7 | 20.4 | 18.1 | |
| 19 | Gadsden County | 51.7 | 80.3 | 65.8 | 8.3 | 92.2 | 19.5 | 6 | 27.6 | 58.1 | 32.5 | 17.8 | 18.8 | |
| 20 | Holmes County | 51.4 | 83.9 | 76.5 | 11.5 | 47.9 | 19.5 | 43.4 | 50.6 | 31.1 | 31.1 | 9 | 18.2 | |
| 21 | Dixie County | 51 | 59 | 81.9 | 10.5 | 57.8 | 20.1 | 39.2 | 64.5 | 47.1 | 26.1 | 31.7 | 18.9 | |
| 22 | St. Johns County | 50.9 | 55.4 | 4 | 96.6 | 70.5 | 85.5 | 44.3 | 12.5 | 70.1 | 27.2 | 36.4 | 26.3 | |
| 23 | Madison County | 50.4 | 47.2 | 72.4 | 11.3 | 82.6 | 13.2 | 39.6 | 52.6 | 28.1 | 28.3 | 22 | 20 | |
| 24 | Escambia County | 48.9 | 74.5 | 19.2 | 56.5 | 93.4 | 34.7 | 22.6 | 4.9 | 86 | 34.7 | 24.6 | 19.2 | |
| 25 | Nassau County | 48.6 | 59.8 | 11.4 | 91.5 | 61.9 | 68.9 | 36.7 | 40.7 | 62.6 | 35.5 | 31.2 | 29.7 |
Lafayette County
Calhoun County
Gilchrist County
Bradford County
Union County
Jefferson County
Suwannee County
Wakulla County
Franklin County
Gulf County
Glades County
Jackson County
Sumter County
Washington County
Liberty County
Taylor County
Walton County
Okaloosa County
Gadsden County
Holmes County
Dixie County
St. Johns County
Madison County
Escambia County
Nassau County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Florida
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Florida.
What is the best county in Florida?
Lafayette County is the top-ranked county in Florida with a CountyScore of 62.9/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Florida?
Florida has 67 counties in total. Of those, 67 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Florida?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Florida is 45/100. The national average is 50/100, so Florida counties score 5 points below the national average.
How does Florida compare to other states?
Florida's average county score of 45/100 is 5 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Florida counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Florida.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.