Most Americans have never been to small town Florida. However, as the Floridian who live there know, small town Florida is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Florida has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Sunshine State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 284 of Florida’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Florida where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the worst small towns in Florida for 2025:
So what is the worst small town to call home in Florida for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Lake Mack-Forest Hills is the worst small town to live in Florida.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Lake Mack-Forest Hills home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Florida or the worst places to live in Florida.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Florida For 2025
1. Lake Mack-Forest Hills
/10
Population: 2,267
Median Home Value: $120,400
Median Income: $1,000
Unemployment Rate: 31.8%
2. Homestead Base
Population: 1,334
Median Home Value: $1,000
Median Income: $9,960
Unemployment Rate: 38.7%
3. Fellsmere
/10
Population: 4,902
Median Home Value: $123,400
Median Income: $47,335
Unemployment Rate: 13.2%
4. Montura
/10
Population: 3,678
Median Home Value: $126,400
Median Income: $33,438
Unemployment Rate: 5.6%
5. Moon Lake
/10
Population: 4,572
Median Home Value: $49,400
Median Income: $36,901
Unemployment Rate: 19.8%
6. Century
/10
Population: 1,972
Median Home Value: $66,700
Median Income: $26,716
Unemployment Rate: 8.6%
7. Interlachen
/10
Population: 1,659
Median Home Value: $100,500
Median Income: $48,000
Unemployment Rate: 7.2%
8. Chattahoochee
/10
Population: 2,965
Median Home Value: $82,900
Median Income: $54,375
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%
9. Crescent City
/10
Population: 1,856
Median Home Value: $187,500
Median Income: $32,357
Unemployment Rate: 18.6%
10. Goulding
/10
Population: 3,448
Median Home Value: $86,800
Median Income: $27,299
Unemployment Rate: 21.6%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Florida is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Florida, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 284 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Florida.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Florida
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Sunshine State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Florida are Lake Mack-Forest Hills, Homestead Base, Fellsmere, Montura, Moon Lake, Century, Interlachen, Chattahoochee, Crescent City, and Goulding.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Florida, according to science:
- Bay Hill (Pop. 4,214)
- Cabana Colony (Pop. 1,930)
- Wabasso Beach (Pop. 1,966)
For more Florida reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In Florida
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Mack-Forest Hills | 2,267 | 31.8% | $120,400 | $1,000 |
| 2 | Homestead Base | 1,334 | 38.7% | $1,000 | $9,960 |
| 3 | Fellsmere | 4,902 | 13.2% | $123,400 | $47,335 |
| 4 | Montura | 3,678 | 5.6% | $126,400 | $33,438 |
| 5 | Moon Lake | 4,572 | 19.8% | $49,400 | $36,901 |
| 6 | Century | 1,972 | 8.6% | $66,700 | $26,716 |
| 7 | Interlachen | 1,659 | 7.2% | $100,500 | $48,000 |
| 8 | Chattahoochee | 2,965 | 6.5% | $82,900 | $54,375 |
| 9 | Crescent City | 1,856 | 18.6% | $187,500 | $32,357 |
| 10 | Goulding | 3,448 | 21.6% | $86,800 | $27,299 |
| 11 | Taylor Creek | 4,493 | 14.5% | $108,200 | $37,281 |
| 12 | Frostproof | 3,289 | 7.5% | $120,500 | $39,301 |
| 13 | Watertown | 2,797 | 23.9% | $112,800 | $43,164 |
| 14 | Gretna | 1,405 | 1.8% | $105,600 | $38,214 |
| 15 | Zolfo Springs | 1,825 | 5.0% | $99,000 | $53,587 |
| 16 | Lake Placid | 2,438 | 7.3% | $253,200 | $45,476 |
| 17 | Center Hill | 1,201 | 7.4% | $182,400 | $66,932 |
| 18 | South Bay | 4,828 | 8.1% | $125,000 | $51,827 |
| 19 | Moore Haven | 2,170 | 6.6% | $108,000 | $35,903 |
| 20 | Trenton | 2,085 | 6.0% | $161,600 | $48,109 |
| 21 | Dade City North | 3,049 | 6.0% | $178,500 | $50,443 |
| 22 | Bowling Green | 2,283 | 10.1% | $106,500 | $45,101 |
| 23 | Medley | 1,089 | 0.4% | $67,700 | $41,250 |
| 24 | Five Points | 1,160 | 19.7% | $124,000 | $54,808 |
| 25 | Gifford | 4,658 | 10.2% | $259,300 | $27,765 |
| 26 | Campbell | 2,247 | 17.2% | $113,300 | $40,780 |
| 27 | Fanning Springs | 1,154 | 5.9% | $148,600 | $54,167 |
| 28 | Bonifay | 2,782 | 13.2% | $116,000 | $39,630 |
| 29 | Malone | 2,275 | 4.6% | $73,600 | $41,875 |
| 30 | Eastpoint | 2,602 | 12.8% | $204,400 | $61,327 |
| 31 | Lacoochee | 1,445 | 49.3% | $101,300 | $62,321 |
| 32 | Dover | 3,157 | 2.9% | $215,500 | $42,222 |
| 33 | Wahneta | 4,464 | 3.6% | $70,900 | $51,795 |
| 34 | Palmona Park | 1,028 | 0.0% | $1,000 | $29,912 |
| 35 | Plantation Mobile Home Park | 1,115 | 26.8% | $66,500 | $71,130 |
| 36 | Woodville | 4,109 | 4.9% | $164,300 | $43,542 |
| 37 | Lake Butler | 1,842 | 7.0% | $154,200 | $43,134 |
| 38 | Madison | 2,960 | 3.2% | $84,400 | $31,025 |
| 39 | Chiefland | 2,078 | 8.4% | $150,600 | $55,125 |
| 40 | Mayo | 1,172 | 7.0% | $116,100 | $45,833 |
| 41 | Alturas | 3,866 | 6.4% | $164,500 | $68,955 |
| 42 | Pierson | 1,456 | 0.0% | $243,100 | $47,652 |
| 43 | Sneads | 1,854 | 7.2% | $98,900 | $39,353 |
| 44 | Suncoast Estates | 4,255 | 1.4% | $98,400 | $39,456 |
| 45 | Lake Panasoffkee | 4,525 | 5.4% | $133,300 | $46,002 |
| 46 | Samoset | 4,433 | 6.8% | $171,400 | $51,780 |
| 47 | Eatonville | 2,582 | 6.6% | $176,600 | $35,509 |
| 48 | Greenville | 1,549 | 0.7% | $65,100 | $58,036 |
| 49 | Manatee Road | 2,252 | 4.3% | $136,500 | $44,350 |
| 50 | Chipley | 3,678 | 3.3% | $132,800 | $34,311 |
| 51 | Crystal Springs | 1,362 | 7.8% | $152,800 | $62,194 |
| 52 | Dunnellon | 2,434 | 6.1% | $179,800 | $40,707 |
| 53 | North Brooksville | 4,082 | 6.5% | $177,500 | $64,679 |
| 54 | Combee Settlement | 4,756 | 3.7% | $177,400 | $41,366 |
| 55 | Blountstown | 3,077 | 1.9% | $147,000 | $44,013 |
| 56 | Taft | 1,867 | 2.6% | $165,900 | $40,161 |
| 57 | Inglis | 1,693 | 4.5% | $162,200 | $60,000 |
| 58 | Carrabelle | 3,145 | 6.5% | $149,600 | $57,143 |
| 59 | Fort Pierce South | 4,686 | 4.6% | $211,100 | $42,222 |
| 60 | Graceville | 2,609 | 2.6% | $106,300 | $33,068 |
| 61 | Zephyrhills North | 3,243 | 10.9% | $79,500 | $51,932 |
| 62 | Lawtey | 1,317 | 24.3% | $160,900 | $55,000 |
| 63 | Harlem | 3,050 | 14.1% | $72,000 | $44,960 |
| 64 | Hill ‘n Dale | 3,722 | 2.5% | $117,000 | $52,452 |
| 65 | Pine Manor | 3,929 | 11.8% | $270,600 | $45,610 |
| 66 | East Bronson | 2,303 | 1.5% | $119,700 | $51,405 |
| 67 | Welaka | 1,059 | 7.8% | $271,200 | $51,528 |
| 68 | Washington Park | 1,896 | 8.9% | $244,800 | $51,563 |
| 69 | Astatula | 2,542 | 7.1% | $231,300 | $64,542 |
| 70 | Webster | 1,631 | 2.5% | $251,300 | $55,000 |
| 71 | Pine Lakes | 1,394 | 23.4% | $56,400 | $75,075 |
| 72 | Deland Southwest | 1,042 | 0.0% | $262,500 | $40,670 |
| 73 | San Castle | 3,159 | 6.2% | $256,400 | $51,615 |
| 74 | South Highpoint | 4,129 | 8.8% | $204,200 | $54,364 |
| 75 | Wauchula | 4,910 | 0.2% | $131,500 | $36,324 |
| 76 | Bunnell | 3,511 | 6.7% | $247,800 | $52,564 |
| 77 | Flagler Estates | 3,934 | 4.2% | $188,000 | $73,016 |
| 78 | Point Baker | 3,757 | 12.0% | $207,600 | $61,442 |
| 79 | Watergate | 3,709 | 8.6% | $214,200 | $72,641 |
| 80 | Pine Air | 2,036 | 5.4% | $277,700 | $56,705 |
| 81 | Jasper | 4,485 | 0.8% | $100,100 | $41,759 |
| 82 | Bristol | 1,249 | 2.7% | $124,500 | $48,643 |
| 83 | Weeki Wachee Gardens | 1,070 | 28.1% | $377,900 | $60,909 |
| 84 | Wewahitchka | 1,904 | 2.2% | $185,400 | $51,296 |
| 85 | Masaryktown | 1,023 | 4.1% | $175,900 | $48,857 |
| 86 | Cross City | 2,260 | 0.6% | $95,300 | $43,958 |
| 87 | Roosevelt Gardens | 2,566 | 7.3% | $252,800 | $48,992 |
| 88 | Astor | 1,507 | 3.3% | $118,600 | $59,643 |
| 89 | Desoto Lakes | 2,193 | 5.2% | $332,700 | $72,083 |
| 90 | Oak Hill | 2,147 | 7.1% | $281,300 | $75,474 |
| 91 | Williston Highlands | 3,213 | 1.8% | $187,400 | $69,249 |
| 92 | Lake Hamilton | 1,767 | 1.4% | $195,200 | $60,000 |
| 93 | Hilliard | 2,993 | 3.2% | $216,100 | $59,949 |
| 94 | Cedar Grove | 2,911 | 2.9% | $147,400 | $44,202 |
| 95 | Crystal River | 3,443 | 11.5% | $290,900 | $52,112 |
| 96 | Panacea | 1,039 | 0.0% | $1,000 | $36,332 |
| 97 | Port Richey | 3,229 | 7.4% | $256,500 | $45,435 |
| 98 | Monticello | 2,627 | 0.7% | $192,500 | $44,920 |
| 99 | Havana | 2,340 | 3.2% | $185,800 | $54,153 |
| 100 | Grove City | 2,049 | 7.3% | $269,700 | $51,332 |
Stupid, stupid, STUPID!!!! What the article fails to mention is that there are larger nearby towns and many people purposely CHOOSE to live in small communities such as many of these… and they commute to work. Some of these small towns are great places to live! And… I say the more churches the better. Whoever wrote this article needs to find a more worthwhile subject to write about instead of tearing down and maligning smaller communities… Statistics are just numbers… and numbers don’t always tell the story…they can certainly be skewed to elaborate or degenerate a fact(s).
I know this is just their opinion but there are lots of things to do in these places. Even though these are small towns they have a lot to offer. I bet this was the opinion of some big shot up north.
Cottondale (#10) is my hometown (tho’ I was born in GA) and I LOVED living there! Everyone knew everyone and it was like the whole town was family. The school was good when I attended there. We had some excellent teachers. And, it is certainly a church-going community. If that is the 10th worst place to live now, it wasn’t when I lived there.
Ok, you will have your “bad areas” no matter. I live in Pine Lakes, am not unemployed, choose to live away from all the city rucas! By the way, we ALSO have Pine lakes Superette, and Pine Lakes grill…..if your writing is based on facts, please, get them right! Lol!
You forget about Hawthorne and Trenton
Don’t forget Holopaw. What a horrible place. Filled with sex offenders too.
you fail to understand that Cottondale is not far from larger cities, 20-30 min drive to work and there is no traffic. City folks spend more time in traffic getting to work, pay more for their homes and probably work more hours, Small town folks actually pay off their homes faster than city folks too. I live in the next town over, am 54 and have NO MORTGAGE.
Mountains in Florida?
7. Bradley Junction (wtf?)
You blew it, you just went to towns on the Florida map!
You never went to LA (Lower Alabama, the part of Florida, that Florida does not want to claim, just collect taxes from-like the UK)
We won the Worse County, City, Roads, 4-cent gas tax and the Worse wait at the most redlights that are sinked, so you catch every redlights!
We won the privilege of receiving all the refugees from the flooded 9th Ward, New Orleans. We made them feel at home, so they are still living in the FEMA trailers.
So keep keep going West until you get to eSCAMbia, talk to Jack Brown, to see how he does it, if you really want to steal the only title we feel worthy of (THE WORSE PLACE LIVE, BEST PLACE TO SEE IN YOUR REARVIEW MIRROR, IF YOU LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE).
I live in Florida. It is NOT awesome. It’s hot and full of the most hateful people in the country.