The Town FilesStarke, Florida
City in Bradford County · population 5,796 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,300
- Household income
- $52,258
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 37.0
Starke is a city of 5,796 people in Bradford County, Florida. The median home is worth $214,300, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for cycling than 86% of Florida towns.
How Starke 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 Starke is worth $214,300, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $52,258, which is more affordable than 65% of Florida towns. Median rent is $840 a month. 56.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Starke | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,300 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $840 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $52,258 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 56.3% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Starke
| People | Starke | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Starke
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 45.3°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 15 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Starke since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 7, 1971 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 4, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on March 1, 2003.
Severe weather in Bradford County since 1996
Bradford County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| 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 Bradford County
Bradford County had 6,314 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,898 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Starke itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Starke
7 public schools with 2,603 students, about 19.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRADFORD HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 812 | 30.1 |
| BRADFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 729 | 20.8 |
| STARKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 630 | 18.0 |
| BRADFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 410 | 15.8 |
| FLORIDA YOUTH CHALLENGE ACADEMY | 9-12 | 22 | 4.4 |
| RAINBOW CENTER | PK-PK | — | — |
| NORTH FLORIDA TECHNICAL COLLEGE | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Starke
- Middleburg, FL14.5 mi · 12,881 people · home $254,600
- Asbury Lake, FL20.7 mi · 11,036 people · home $329,600
- Oakleaf Plantation, FL22.8 mi · 31,034 people · home $351,200
- Macclenny, FL23.0 mi · 7,304 people · home $261,800
- Gainesville, FL23.2 mi · 141,085 people · home $247,500
- Lakeside, FL24.4 mi · 31,275 people · home $273,900
- Alachua, FL25.1 mi · 10,574 people · home $299,200
- Green Cove Springs, FL26.0 mi · 9,786 people · home $371,000
Starke questions
Is Starke, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Starke scores better for retirees than 37% of Florida towns and quieter than 38%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Starke?
The median owner-occupied home in Starke is valued at $214,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,258, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $840 a month.
What is the weather like in Starke?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 45.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Starke get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Starke since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 7, 1971. 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)