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City · 10,650 residents · Putnam County, Florida

Palatka , Florida

In Palatka, a typical home is worth $150,500 and typical rent is $901 a month. Compared with all of Putnam County, typical household income is 33% lower, the typical home value is 6% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 25 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $150,500

    6% below the county

    58% below Florida

    • Palatka
    • Putnam
    • Florida

  • Typical rent

    $901a month

    About the same as the county

    46% below Florida

    • Palatka
    • Putnam
    • Florida

  • Typical household income

    $32,021a year

    33% below the county

    57% below Florida

    • Palatka
    • Putnam
    • Florida

  • Households that own their home

    51%

    25 points below the county

    17 points below Florida

    • Palatka
    • Putnam
    • Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$208,626
1.2% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,371 a month
4.8% less than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Palatka is in Putnam County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Putnam County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Palatka apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Palatka has the lowest typical household income of the 480 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people: $32,021.

  2. Palatka has the 6th lowest typical rent of the 471 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people ($901).

  3. 51% of households in Palatka own their home, against 75% in Putnam County.

  4. Palatka has the 13th lowest typical home value of the 480 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people ($150,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Palatka

What homes there are in Palatka, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 63% of homes here, against 49% in Putnam County.

Year built

The typical home in Palatka was built in 1974, 11 years before the typical one in Putnam County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Putnam County is $1,040: about 60% of rents in Palatka are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,180 a month

Putnam County: $1,306 a month

Without a mortgage

$345 a month

Putnam County: $352 a month

Owners with a mortgage

46%

Putnam County: 40%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Palatka is $1,180 a month, less than in Putnam County ($1,306); without one, $345.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Palatka gained value faster than in Putnam County: 100% against 80%.

The typical rent in Palatka stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasurePalatkaPutnam CountyFloridaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate7.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.4%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.0%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.352.352.512.53
Drive alone 73%77%70%69%
Carpool 14%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate10%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Palatka look like those in Putnam County: 2.35 people on average.

More people carpool to work in Palatka than in Putnam County: 14% against 10%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Palatka?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Palatka, worth $150,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 47% of the typical household income in Palatka, which is $32,021 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $53,550 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Putnam County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Palatka. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,268 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,250

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$147,774
Total interest
$212,611
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,542 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $747 a month

  • Tight

    $747 to $961 a month

  • Hard

    more than $961 a month

    Your payment · 47%

Compared with the typical household income in Palatka ($32,021 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,250
Principal & interest$1,001
Property tax$119
Home insurance$63
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$67

You need at least $5,268 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Palatka and Putnam County

Palatka is in Putnam County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Palatka's own numbers

Typical home value
$150,500
Typical monthly rent
$901
Typical yearly household income
$32,021
Households that own their home
51%
Effective property tax rate
0.95%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Putnam County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,040
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+67%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
11%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Putnam County.

Everything about Putnam County

Buying

Buying a home in Palatka

A typical home in Palatka is worth $150,500: 6% below the county and 58% below Florida. With the typical household income in Palatka ($32,021 a year), a typical home costs 4.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Palatka 4.7 years
  • Putnam 3.3 years
  • Florida 4.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Putnam County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Putnam County rose 156% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Putnam County.

Period County Florida U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.3% −0.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +67% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +156% +127% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Palatka next to Putnam County, Florida and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Palatka $150,500
  • Putnam $160,300
  • Florida $359,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Palatka $901
  • Putnam $906
  • Florida $1,669
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Palatka $32,021
  • Putnam $47,934
  • Florida $74,568
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Palatka next to Putnam County and Florida
Measure Palatka Putnam County Florida U.S.
Typical home value $150,500 $160,300 $359,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $901 $906 $1,669 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $32,021 $47,934 $74,568 $80,734
Households that own their home 51% 75% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,431 $1,249 $2,730 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.95% 0.78% 0.76% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 61% 55% 60% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Putnam County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Palatka

For a typical $150,500 home in Palatka, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Palatka's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,249a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,268
    Cash to close
    $9,783
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $67

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,222a month

    Down payment
    $7,525
    Cash to close
    $12,040
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $71

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $997a month

    Down payment
    $30,100
    Cash to close
    $34,615
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,137a month

    Down payment
    $22,575
    Cash to close
    $27,090
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Palatka and for Putnam County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Palatka

0.95%of the home’s value each year

$1,431 a year for the typical owner in Palatka.

  • Palatka 0.95%
  • Putnam 0.78%
  • Florida 0.76%

What Florida publishes Homestead exemption (Florida Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Florida

Flood risk in Putnam County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Putnam County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
11%
4,247
Of those, with NFIP insurance
20%
County Florida U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 11% 13% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 20% 67% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Palatka

Typical rent in Palatka is $901 a month: about the same as the county. In Palatka, 61% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Putnam County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,040 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.00 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Putnam County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $787 $15.13 $31,480
1 bedroom $792 $15.23 $31,680
2 bedrooms $1,040 $20.00 $41,600
3 bedrooms $1,307 $25.13 $52,280
4 bedrooms $1,377 $26.48 $55,080

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Palatka

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Palatka is in ZIP code 32177.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,090: $50 more than the fair market rent for Putnam County ($1,040).

  • 32177 $1,090$1,410

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Palatka when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Palatka

HUD lists 16 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Palatka. These are the largest.

  • Holly Ridge Senior 6401 Saint Johns Ave, Palatka 32177 120 low-income homes · 1 bd: 60 · 2 bd: 60 · In service since 2001 · For older adults, families
  • Woodland Point 6710 Saint Johns Ave, Palatka 32177 120 low-income homes · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 56 · 4 bd: 8 · In service since 2004 · For families
  • Northside 802 N 14th St, Palatka 32177 116 low-income homes · Run by Palatka Housing Authority · Average payment: $450 a month · Average wait: 65 months · Homes at several sites (386) 329-0132
  • James A. Long 2100 Bronson St, Palatka 32177 100 low-income homes · Run by Palatka Housing Authority · Average payment: $352 a month · Average wait: 74 months (386) 329-0132
  • College Arms Apartments I 2305 Husson Ave, Palatka 32177 94 low-income homes · For families (386) 328-4767

See all 18 buildings in Putnam County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Palatka

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Putnam County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A man smiles on a bench outside his apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Palatka

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Palatka or Putnam County. The ones below are statewide in Florida: they work in Palatka the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Florida

Housing counselors near Palatka

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Palatka, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. - Palatka Office

    605 Saint Johns Ave, Palatka · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    (386) 255-6573

  • ST. Johns County Board of County Commissioners

    200 San Sebastian Vw, St Augustine · 28 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (904) 209-6062

  • Neighborhood Housing & Development Corporation

    633 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville · 40 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (352) 380-9119

Every agency in Putnam County All counseling agencies in Florida

Help in Spanish near Palatka

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Palatka

HUD’s record names them for Palatka or Putnam County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Palatka Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (386) 329-0132

All housing agencies in Florida Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Palatka, with the typical home value.

Everything about Putnam County Housing in Florida

Neighboring counties

If Putnam County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Palatka.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Palatka

Short answers with the numbers for Palatka and all of Putnam County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Palatka?

The typical home value in Palatka is $150,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Putnam County it is $160,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Palatka?

Typical rent in Palatka is $901 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Putnam County is $1,040.

What is the FHA loan limit in Palatka?

Palatka uses the FHA limit for all of Putnam County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Palatka?

The typical homeowner in Palatka pays $1,431 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.95% of the home’s value; in Putnam County, the rate is 0.78%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Palatka?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Putnam County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).