Dixie County, Florida Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Dixie County is located in Florida with a total population of 17,058. It is the 58th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dixie County is 46.4 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 42.6 years. 10.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dixie County is $50,110. This is 33% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.9%. This is 66% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $132,000. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $359,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Dixie County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dixie County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 6.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (83.0% vs 50.4%). The Black or African American population (6.0%) is well below the state average of 14.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.6%) is well below the state average of 27.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

10.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 69% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dixie County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.