Scores by category

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

Safety41#9,186/15,637
Economy4#14,967/15,631
Housing1#14,784/14,977
Health3#15,080/15,609
Healthcare2#15,266/15,650
Environment69#4,731/15,453
Education5#14,924/15,649
Infrastructure7#14,543/15,650
Community17#12,985/15,651
Leisure & amenities11#13,893/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Palatka, Florida ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Putnam 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

Median Air Quality Index · low21
98/100Florida 422025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyPutnam County value
Comfortable days · high33.5%
91/100Florida 32.4%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationPutnam County value
Violent crime rate · low98 /100k
86/100Florida 261 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationPutnam County value
Public transit commuters · high2.3%
85/100Florida 1.2%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty
Days with unhealthy air · low0.0%
84/100Florida 0.2%2025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyPutnam County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low126 min
84/100Florida 158 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesPutnam County value

Weaknesses

Poverty rate · high37.3%
1/100Florida 12.1%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Dental care shortage · high20.0
1/100Florida 7.6United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationPutnam County value
Median household income · low$32,021
2/100Florida $77,687United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Frequent mental distress · high23.2%
2/100Florida 18.7%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Adult smoking · high24.5%
2/100Florida 14.8%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Rent-burdened households · high61.3%
3/100Florida 60.1%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

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

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
65.3% (2015-2019) → 81.3% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
2.8× (2015-2019) → 4.7× (2020-2024)
+68%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
High school diploma or higherWorsening
81.9% (2015-2019) → 77.7% (2020-2024)
−4.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Average commute timeWorsening
19.6 min (2015-2019) → 23.5 min (2020-2024)
+20%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
Median household incomeImproving
$26,881 (2015-2019) → $32,021 (2020-2024)
+19%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Child poverty rateImproving
50.3% (2015-2019) → 46.5% (2020-2024)
−3.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%

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, Palatka, Florida improved on 1 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 12 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

Broadband+16 points65.3% → 81.3%

Declined1

Price / income+1.9×2.8× → 4.7×

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Palatka, Florida between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.6 min2015-2019	23.5 min2020-2024	+3.9 min	Within the margin of error	14%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.1%2015-2019	10.7%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	24%
Broadband subscriptions	65.3%2015-2019	81.3%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	82%
Child poverty rate	50.3%2015-2019	46.5%2020-2024	−3.8 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Effective property tax rate	0.93%2015-2019	1.06%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	5%
High school diploma or higher	81.9%2015-2019	77.7%2020-2024	−4.1 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	4.7×2020-2024	+1.9×	Declined	5%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4602015-2019	0.4992020-2024	+0.039	Within the margin of error	21%
Median household income	$26,8812015-2019	$32,0212020-2024	+19%	Within the margin of error	31%
Poverty rate	35.7%2015-2019	37.3%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Rent as share of income	34.2%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Within the margin of error	61%
Rent-burdened households	62.5%2015-2019	61.3%2020-2024	−1.3 points	Within the margin of error	61%
Unemployment rate	10.4%2015-2019	9.3%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	17.7%2015-2019	16.1%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	65%

“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 Palatka, Florida five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Palatka, 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, Palatka, Florida itself moved −8.3 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

10,650 residents (±24)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (+3.5 points).

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

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

10,650 residents (±24)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

White39%4,109
Black46%4,948
Hispanic or Latino9.1%†965

Education

6,737 residents (±418)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

No high school diploma22%1,499
High school or GED37%2,482
Some college21%1,412

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

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

Household income

4,246 households (±316)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Under $25k40%1,712
$25k–50k24%1,022
$50k–75k13%565
$75k–100k11%†465
$100k–150k8.0%†339
$150k–200k1.4%†58
$200k or more2.0%†85

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (+5.7 points).

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

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

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

Owners and renters

4,246 households (±316)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Own51%2,155
Rent49%2,091

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

2,034 households (±260)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Under $75045%908
$750–1,00013%†272
$1,000–1,50028%†569

Home values

2,155 homes (±303)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Under $150k50%1,071
$150k–250k32%†698
$250k–400k8.3%†179

Age of homes

4,574 homes (±326)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

2010 or later3.3%†151
2000–200913%†588
1980–199925%1,128

Size of homes

4,574 homes (±326)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Studio6.1%†277
1 bedroom15%†674
2 bedrooms25%1,132

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

3,284 workers (±354)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Drive alone73%2,411
Carpool14%†464
Public transit2.3%†77
Walk2.0%†67
Bike0.0%0
Work from home7.9%†258
Other0.2%†7

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (+8.3 points).

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

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

3,026 workers (±377)

Palatka, Florida
Florida share

Under 15 min38%1,136
15–29 min30%†909
30–44 min14%†436

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

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 Palatka, 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 Putnam County, the county holding most of Palatka's residents.

Putnam County has 1,331 employer establishments, 175 for every 10,000 residents (0.70× the US rate of 248; 0.62× Florida's), with 13,231 paid employees at an average annual pay of $43,701. The Census Bureau also counts 5,371 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,331; 5,371 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 175; US 248 · Florida 282
Paid employees: 13,231
Average annual pay: $43,701; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	180	23.6	1.53×More than typical	828	$45,639	485
Ambulatory health care services	102	13.4	0.64×Fewer than typical	892	$59,020	362
Restaurants and other eating places	87	11.4	0.62×Fewer than typical	1,586	$18,325	21
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	61	8	2.54×More than typical	249	$39,570	92
Religious organizations	58	7.6	1.37×More than typical	285	$21,309	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	56	7.4	1.09×About typical	250	$40,212	698
Building equipment contractors	51	6.7	1.11×About typical	258	$45,302	65
Lessors of real estate	46	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	91	$34,604	337
Limited-service restaurants	43	5.6	0.70×Fewer than typical	789	$19,373	8
Landscaping services	41	5.4	1.54×More than typical	148	$38,973	266
Offices of physicians	40	5.3	0.81×About typical	246	$68,890	21
Construction of buildings	38	5	0.66×Fewer than typical	136	$40,669	191

Rank places for an industry Open Putnam County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 76,162 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 $16.5K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Palatka, Florida: $1.55 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $16.5K; −93% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1.55; US $1,994
Sole-source: 11%; US 30%
Single offer: 4.5%; 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

Top recipients

CYANO HOLDINGS, INC.$15.7K95%
FAITHWORKS TOTAL GROUND MAINTENANCE LLC$7434.5%
ST JOHNS SHIP BUILDING INC$43.020.3%
MCCOLM & COMPANY LLC$00.0%
ENVIREMEDIAL SERVICES, INC.$00.0%

Spending by fiscal year

12.9KFY2017
15.3KFY2018
10KFY2019
20.3KFY2020
8KFY2021
151.6KFY2022
167.2KFY2023
253.5KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$15.7K95%
Facilities support services · 5612$7434.5%
Ship and boat building · 3366$43.020.3%

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 Palatka, Florida, so they do not add up across cities.

Palatka, Florida's figures are part of those of Putnam County, FL ($415K in FY2026), never added to them: 4.0% of that total.

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

See federal money in Putnam 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.

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

House

Randy FineR-FL-6 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 4.6%

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.

Putnam County9100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Palatka, FL6

Other cities and towns in Putnam 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
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
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/1253875

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends