Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Jasper grades D− overall, 613th of 634 graded towns in Florida, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $50K, and 34% of residents live below the poverty line. On CDC estimates, its residents' health ranks in the bottom 2% nationally. One bright spot: homes are within reach, about $189K for a typical one, or 3.8 years of the county’s $50K median household income. 34% of residents live below the poverty line in Jasper, above both the Florida town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 28 of Florida’s 776 towns score lower on walkability. Jasper's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 92% of U.S. towns.
Where Jasper beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
United Methodist Church| Widest gap | Jasper | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.3% | 8.6% |
4,546 counted in 2010 and 3,621 in 2020; an estimated 3,444 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 5% since 2020, after 20.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Jasper is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 138 in 1870, 3,621 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 3 maps from 1955 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jasper, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Jasper.
Jasper trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Florida; it also is a long drive from an emergency room.
The nearest emergency room, HCA Florida Lake City Hospital, is 25.9 miles away in a straight line.
35% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Jasper. Of the 636 Florida towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Jasper. 21% of adults report frequent mental distress in Jasper.
| Jasper | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 20% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 32% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 37% | 36% |
| What stands out | Jasper | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.5% | 9.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.3% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMJ Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–11 | Grades PK–11 | 53 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Homes are within reach (about $189K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 66 miles. Home values rose 35% in five years, to about $189K, against 19% across Florida.
Jasper’s median rent is $725 a month. Typical home values rose 6.8% in the year to September 2026. 48% of Jasper households own their home.
| Jasper | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 48% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $725 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Jobs based here fell from 1,056 in 2013 to 601. The average commute for its 842 working residents takes 15.7 minutes, against 28 across Florida.
Most working residents leave Jasper for work: only 7% work in town. The average trip to work in Jasper is 16 minutes. Since 2013, Jasper has lost 455 jobs, to 601 in 2023.
| Jasper | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Jasper since 2005.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Jasper | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Jasper City Park | — | 1 |
| 3. Buddy Parker Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Jasper weather station, 5 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 258 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 95% of Florida places with climate records. January nights average 40.2°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 94% of Florida places with climate records; July afternoons average 91.9°.
Jasper has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Among 638 Florida towns, just 10 have a lower January low than Jasper. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Jasper | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 40°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Jasper; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Jasper residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Where Jasper’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Jasper on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Jasper.
City in Florida, United States
Jasper is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,621 at the 2020 census. The Old Hamilton County Jail and the First United Methodist Church in Jasper are on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the largest industries is phosphate mining.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Jasper grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #613 of 634 in Florida. It grades D− for health and D for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
6 notable people were born here, including Lillian Smith and Alex Brown.
