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Parker vs Starke

209 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+59% in Parker) and jobs per worker (3.4× in Starke).

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Parker, FLHomes around $239KFlorida · 4,509 people
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Starke, FLKnown for its schoolsFlorida · 5,877 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ParkerHomes around $239K
Housing$239K typical home36% below the FL typical home Outdoors#260 most walkable in FL0.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 57%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Parker →
StarkeKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 32%of FL districts Housing$236K typical home37% below the FL typical home Work3,463 jobsbased in Starke, a regional job hub All about Starke →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Rent+59%
Rent runs higher in Parker
Parker $1,338Starke $840
Jobs per worker3.4×
Starke is more of a job hub
Starke 1.64Parker 0.48
Growth since 2010+13.5 pts
Starke has grown faster since 2010
Starke +6.4%Parker -7.1%
Work in town+12.3 pts
More of Starke’s workers stay in town
Starke 16.1%Parker 3.8%
Street grid+51%
Parker has the more walkable street grid
Parker 84.5Starke 55.9
Average commute5 min
Parker has the shorter commute
Starke 28 minParker 24 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Parker places higher on 12 of 20 FL lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Florida ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CParkerSafer than 30% of U.S. towns –StarkeNot graded
Schools
B−ParkerBetter than 45% of districts in the state CStarkeBetter than 32% of districts in the state
Health
BParkerHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns DStarkeHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns
12Parker
7Starke

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 631 towns #482#59 Most activeHealth · 633 towns #269#544 HealthiestHealth · 632 towns #310#574 Shortest commuteGetting around · 635 towns #141#361 Fewest smokersHealth · 633 towns #360#572 Fastest growingGrowth · 614 towns #584#397 Highest incomeIncome · 635 towns #360#547 Best schoolsSchools · 488 towns #456#315

Left end = #1 in Florida. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Parker’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Parker$1,340/mo
Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.41% · or rent about $1,338/mo · Housing →
Starke$1,330/mo
Typical home $236K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.48% · or rent about $840/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ParkerStarke
Snow a year0″0″
January low43°F43°F
July high91°F91°F
Growing season (days)301d277d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)92nd75th
Outdoors & history
ParkerStarke
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.7%3.5%
Settled1830—
National Register places—3
Archive photos—18
Famous people born here—12
Community
ParkerStarke
Library hours a week26 hrs49 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

209 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ParkerFLStarkeFL
Parker ↔ Starke209 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ParkerStarke
People
Population 4,509Lowest 5,877Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.1%Lowest FL: +14.6% +6.4%Highest FL: +14.6%
Median age 38.4±9.4Highest 10% below FL 37±2.6Lowest 13% below FL
Parker and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.5%±5.6Lowest FL: 19.5% 25.9%±6.4Highest FL: 19.5%
Starke and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.9%±4.5Highest FL: 21.3% 13.6%±3.4Lowest FL: 21.3%
Parker and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23%Highest FL: 34.1% 18.2%Lowest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.1Lowest FL: 6.1% 5.3%±3.2Highest FL: 6.1%
Starke and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,657±$14kHighest 7% below FL $52,258±$16kLowest 30% below FL
Parker and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $224,200±$49kHighest 38% below FL $214,300±$36kLowest 40% below FL
Parker and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,338±$214Highest 20% below FL $840±$61Lowest 50% below FL
Property taxmedian, yearly $928Lowest 66% below FL $1,027Highest 62% below FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.4%±21Lowest FL: 60.1% 57.9%±17.5Highest FL: 60.1%
Starke and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.8%Lowest FL: 12.6% 28.7%Highest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 54.1%Lowest FL: 67.6% 56.3%Highest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 5 yrs older than FL 1978Lowest 10 yrs older than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 15% below FL 28 minHighest about the FL average
Work from home 7.5%±5.6Highest FL: 15.7% 7.1%±5.4Lowest FL: 15.7%
Parker and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.8%Lowest 16.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.8 miLowest 27.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.48Lowest 1.64Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Panama City (31%)Jacksonville (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StarkeFew work in Parker
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Lowest 3.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 84.5Highest 55.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #456 of 488 in FL#315 of 488 in FL
School district BAYBRADFORD
High school in town None in townBradford High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 23.8
Florida average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Parker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parker’s Town Square.

Starke neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Starke can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Parker and Starke

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Parker

+ Compare
Callaway13,496 people · $250K homes
S
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Springfield8,230 people · $189K homes

Towns like Parker

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Okeechobee5,479 people · $198K homes
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Belleview5,805 people · $210K homes
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Lake Placid2,477 people · $261K homes
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Milton10,733 people · $233K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Florida towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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