UnionCIRaifordFL, 2006
Raiford’s story
129 years in pictures
Census counts: 412 in 1920, 224 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1918 on.
- 1897Raiford is settled
RaifordFL
A town of 226, settled in 1897.
Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
226
2025 Census estimate · +2.3% since 2020
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
29.8
years
Jobs based here
30
A commuter town
Is Raiford a good place to live?
Raiford has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
226 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Raiford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Raiford, and how to reach them.
PowerFPL14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFlorida State Prison water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers21% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Raiford’s 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 hereUnion Supervisor of ElectionsUnion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP code3208332083 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 Raiford.
Natural hazards
Top of a very high hazard risk in Raiford: hurricanes
The risk rating from FEMA in Raiford is 82 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 37% come from hurricanes and 30% from inland flooding. Federal aid has come to Raiford households in 6 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Raiford has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The top destinations are Jacksonville (18%), Gainesville (11%) and Lake Butler (7%). For most workers, Raiford is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. Also worth knowing: the typical journey to work for Raiford comes to 32 minutes, against 27 minutes in Florida’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. In Raiford, the income of the median household is $63,000.
1%work in town
| Raiford | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Raiford1%
Jacksonville18%
Gainesville11%
Lake Butler7%
Starke5%
32 mi
median commute distance
30
jobs based in Raiford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Raiford, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 42° and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter44–69°
Spring55–82°
Summer71–91°
Fall59–81°
Dec 1
typical first frost
Mar 8
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Raiford is
The share of adults in Raiford who have been diagnosed with depression: 23%. Among adults locally, 21% smoke cigarettes, where Florida’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 14%.
| Raiford | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 20% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Florida
0 better11 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Raiford | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29.9% | 12.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.2% | 7.2% |
| More smokers | 20.9% | 12.4% |
Lake Butler Hospital
5.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Raiford
15pages on Raiford
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Raiford; the nearest are
Florida Gateway CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Lake City21 mi$3,100 in-state tuitionCoastal Pines Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waycross, GA79.8 mi$3,268 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Raiford residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Raiford for work
Where Raiford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
30jobs based in Raiford
1%of working residents work in town
32 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Raiford
Town in the state of Florida, United States
Raiford is a town in Union County, Florida, United States. There are three correctional institutions around the town. The first Florida State Prison was established in the Raiford area. Union Correctional Institution holds the state death row for men. The town has a Masonic lodge, Raiford Lodge #82, under the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Florida. The non-prisoner population was 224 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 131 ft
- ZIP code
- 32083
- Area code
- 386
Questions about Raiford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Raiford, FL a good place to live?
Raiford has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.