FL 21 Signs, 2012
Keystone Heights’s story
102 years in pictures
Census counts: 107 in 1930, 1,446 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1949 on.
- 1924Keystone Heights is settled
Keystone HeightsFL
A town of 1,579, settled in 1924. Public schools that outperform most of Florida.
Photo: StarkeDCD · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,579
2025 Census estimate · +10.1% since 2020
Typical home
$285K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
38.4
years
Jobs based here
400
Balanced
Is Keystone Heights a good place to live?
Keystone Heights’ best subject grade is an A− for schools; its weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 71 of Florida’s 774 towns score higher on cost of living. Keystone Heights’ average trip to work is 33 minutes, above both Florida’s towns (27 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Keystone Heights has 3 places on the National Register. Keystone Heights has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Keystone Heights stand out
Where Keystone Heights beats most towns.
How Keystone Heights grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Keystone Heights is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeC−Open →HealthUf Health Shands Hospital 20.9 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10 of 20; 2% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life2.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Keystone Heights: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Keystone Heights, and how to reach them.
PowerFPL14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKeystone Postmaster Grid water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Keystone Heights’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClay Supervisor of ElectionsClay County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP code3265632656 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Keystone Heights.
SchoolsA−
On state tests, Keystone Heights’ schools beat 79% of Florida districts
Its public schools are run by the Clay school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High, with 1,139 students.
79%of FL districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keystone Heights ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 779 | A |
| Keystone Heights Junior/Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 1,139 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
HealthC
Residents of Keystone Heights are less healthy than 71% of U.S. towns
Keystone Heights beats the Florida average on 4 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 20% of adults report frequent mental distress in Keystone Heights, against 16% in Florida’s towns and 17% across U.S. towns. 40% of Keystone Heights adults sleep under 7 hours.
29%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Keystone Heights | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 36% |
31 measures vs. Florida
4 better20 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Keystone Heights | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 12.4% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.1% | 13.9% |
| More smokers | 16.5% | 12.4% |
Uf Health Shands Hospital
20.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B+
Keystone Heights’ typical home value is about $285K
The typical Keystone Heights home is worth about $285,000, up 3.5% in a year, 24% below the Florida typical home. 81% of households own their home in Keystone Heights.
$285KZillow home value
| Keystone Heights | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,258 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Keystone Heights$285K
Florida$375K
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Keystone Heights has mild winters and hot summers
Keystone Heights has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Keystone Heights is 92°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter45–69°
Spring57–82°
Summer71–91°
Fall61–82°
Dec 24
typical first frost
Feb 8
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Keystone Heights has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Keystone Heights for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Keystone Heights has lost 192 jobs, to 400 in 2023. The top destinations are Jacksonville (19%), Green Cove Springs (7%) and Palatka (4%).
3%work in town
| Keystone Heights | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 5% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Keystone Heights3%
Jacksonville19%
Green Cove Springs7%
Palatka4%
Gainesville4%
37 mi
median commute distance
400
jobs based in Keystone Heights
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 52% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More children than Florida overall
Children under 18 are 26% of residents (20% statewide). Keystone Heights has grown 10% since 2020, to 1,579 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Keystone Heights’ median age is 38.4 years.
38.4median age · FL 42.6
| Keystone Heights | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 38.4 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
Keystone HeightsFloridaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma11%
High school25%
Some college22%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 85 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.5 points). Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Keystone Heights | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.3% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.5% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.9% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.1% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.2% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.4% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.9% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.4% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.4% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.3% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,600, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Keystone Heights, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 2.2% of Keystone Heights
0.1 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
2.2%conserved
| Keystone Heights | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.2% | 3% | 4.3% |
2.2%
conserved · 15 of 695 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. McDavid Park | — | 8 |
| 2. Keystone Beach | — | 4 |
| 3. Sesentenil Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 61 attractions →Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Keystone Heights. Close and well known come first.
21 mi Stadium & arenaBen Hill Griffin Stadium
40 mi Park & preserveGinnie Springs
23 mi State parkPaynes Prairie
37 mi Ancient siteDevil's Den
23 mi MuseumFlorida Museum of Natural History200K visitors a year
39 mi Zoo & aquariumSilver SpringsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: The original uploader was Hughs at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5 · Ginnie Springs: (WT-de) Mistoffeles, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paynes Prairie: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Devil's Den: Eric Beach, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Florida Museum of Natural History: WillMcC, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Silver Springs: NeilEvans, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Keystone Heights
18pages on Keystone Heights
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Keystone Heights; the nearest are
Academy for Five Element AcupunctureUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Gainesville19.5 miUniversity of FloridaUniversity or college · Public · Gainesville21 mi$6,381 in-state tuitionCoastal Pines Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waycross, GA100.9 mi$3,268 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Keystone Heights residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
About Keystone Heights
City in Florida, United States
Keystone Heights is a city located in southwestern Clay County, Florida, United States. It is the southwesternmost city in the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the principal city and primary economic driver of the Lake Region, a region in Florida consisting of southwestern Clay County and parts of Bradford, Putnam, and Alachua counties, known for its many lakes. The population of the city was 1,446 at the 2020 census, up from 1,350 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 141 ft
- ZIP code
- 32656
- Area code
- 352
Questions about Keystone Heights
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Keystone Heights, FL a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Florida.
Is Keystone Heights, FL expensive?
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 B+.