City · Clay County, Florida

Keystone Heights, Florida

Keystone Heights is a city in Clay County, Florida, part of the Jacksonville, FL metro area. It has 1,576 residents. Keystone Heights, Florida has a quality-of-life score of 33 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,541 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Florida it ranks #517 of 780 cities and towns. It ranks best on math scores (high), reading scores (high) and comfortable days (high). It ranks worst on drought exposure (high), rent as share of income (high) and rent-burdened households (high).

33Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,541 of 15,651 cities and towns
Florida: #517 of 780 in FL
Population: 1,576 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,466.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 1236475

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety46#8,389/15,637
Economy53#7,353/15,631
Housing20#11,949/14,977
Health35#10,186/15,609
Healthcare23#12,010/15,650
Environment50#7,762/15,453
Education76#3,685/15,649
Infrastructure41#9,297/15,650
Community37#9,902/15,651
Leisure & amenities17#12,953/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Keystone Heights, Florida ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Clay County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Math scores · high3.46
95/100Florida 3.28United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Reading scores · high3.38
93/100Florida 3.17United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Comfortable days · high33.8%
92/100Florida 32.4%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationClay County value
Voter turnout · high76.1%
89/100Florida 68.0%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionClay County value
Child care cost burden · low22.5%
86/100Florida 25.9%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Florida 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value

Weaknesses

Drought exposure · high88%
7/100Florida 78%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAClay County value
Rent as share of income · high25.2%
8/100Florida 35.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Rent-burdened households · high38.5%
9/100Florida 60.1%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Public libraries · low0.2 /10k
9/100Florida 0.2 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesClay County value
Flu vaccinations · low31.0%
10/100Florida 40.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Grocery stores · low0.9 /10k
10/100Florida 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsClay County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateWorsening
7.7% (2015-2019) → 35.9% (2020-2024)
+28 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
6.5% (2015-2019) → 18.2% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Poverty rateWorsening
9.1% (2015-2019) → 18.2% (2020-2024)
+9 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$57,500 (2015-2019) → $80,217 (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
25.7% (2015-2019) → 30.3% (2020-2024)
+4.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Average commute timeWorsening
27.8 min (2015-2019) → 32.8 min (2020-2024)
+18%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Keystone Heights, Florida improved on 1 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Household income+40%$57,500 → $80,217

Declined1

Uninsured+12 points6.5% → 18.2%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Keystone Heights, Florida between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	27.8 min2015-2019	32.8 min2020-2024	+5.0 min	Within the margin of error	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	25.7%2015-2019	30.3%2020-2024	+4.6 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Broadband subscriptions	90.0%2015-2019	93.5%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Effective property tax rate	0.74%2015-2019	0.76%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	14%
High school diploma or higher	92.2%2015-2019	89.1%2020-2024	−3.1 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.4×	Within the margin of error	57%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3602015-2019	0.3722020-2024	+0.012	Within the margin of error	40%
Median household income	$57,5002015-2019	$80,2172020-2024	+40%	Improved	73%
Poverty rate	9.1%2015-2019	18.2%2020-2024	+9 points	Within the margin of error	5%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	24.9%2015-2019	25.2%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Rent-burdened households	41.2%2015-2019	38.5%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	6.5%2015-2019	18.2%2020-2024	+12 points	Declined	2%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Keystone Heights, Florida five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Keystone Heights, Florida in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Keystone Heights, Florida itself moved −6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,576 residents (±357)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

586 households (±122)

Keystone Heights, Florida
Florida share

Under $25k13%†78
$25k–50k21%†121
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

586 households (±122)

Keystone Heights, Florida
Florida share

Own81%476
Rent19%†110

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+11.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

678 workers (±171)

Keystone Heights, Florida
Florida share

Drive alone84%571
Carpool5.9%†40
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Jacksonville, FL

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Clay County, the county holding most of Keystone Heights's residents.

Clay County has 4,455 employer establishments, 191 for every 10,000 residents (0.77× the US rate of 248; 0.68× Florida's), with 48,303 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,769. The Census Bureau also counts 20,041 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 4,455; 20,041 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 191; US 248 · Florida 282
Paid employees: 48,303
Average annual pay: $45,769; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Clay County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	493	21.1	1.37×More than typical	3,089	$52,035	1,240
Ambulatory health care services	489	21	1.01×About typical	4,624	$76,546	909
Restaurants and other eating places	303	13	0.71×Fewer than typical	6,271	$22,245	74
Lessors of real estate	264	11.3	0.92×About typical	513	$49,366	1,743
Offices of physicians	193	8.3	1.28×More than typical	1,814	$104,594	156
Services to buildings and dwellings	185	7.9	1.18×About typical	1,136	$33,176	1,459
Real estate agents and brokers	149	6.4	1.31×More than typical	209	$48,364	781
Building equipment contractors	145	6.2	1.03×About typical	833	$53,389	176
Construction of buildings	145	6.2	0.82×About typical	564	$51,730	555
Limited-service restaurants	143	6.1	0.76×Fewer than typical	2,960	$19,995	24
Offices of other health practitioners	135	5.8	0.95×About typical	798	$51,424	359
Building finishing contractors	132	5.7	1.49×More than typical	463	$49,987	481

Rank places for an industry Open Clay County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 233,262 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $27.5K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Keystone Heights, Florida: $17.42 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $27.5K
Per resident: $17.42; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Navy$27.5K100%

Top recipients

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE TRAINING, INC.$27.5K100%

Spending by fiscal year

281.5FY2017
11.6KFY2018
9.4KFY2019
14.2KFY2020
13.7KFY2021
55.3KFY2022
52.2KFY2023
0FY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Other schools and instruction · 6116$27.5K100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Keystone Heights, Florida, so they do not add up across cities.

Keystone Heights, Florida's figures are part of those of Clay County, FL ($10.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.3% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Keystone Heights is mostly in Clay County.

See federal money in Clay County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Keystone Heights, Florida is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Aaron BeanR-FL-4 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 0.0%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Clay County65100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Jacksonville, FL55

Other cities and towns in Clay County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1236475

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends