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Springfield vs Starke

209 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.3× in Starke) and rent (+56% in Springfield).

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Springfield, FLHomes around $218KFlorida · 8,230 people
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Starke, FLKnown for its schoolsFlorida · 5,877 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · 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.

Springfield$1,240/mo
Typical home $218K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,307/mo · Housing →
Starke$1,330/mo
Typical home $236K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.48% · or rent about $840/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Starke and Springfield.

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.

Report cards

Springfield places higher on 10 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.

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
SpringfieldStarke
Snow a year0″0″
January low43°F43°F
July high91°F91°F
Growing season (days)301d277d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd75th
Outdoors & history
SpringfieldStarke
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.8%3.5%
Settled1935—
National Register places—3
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—12
Community
SpringfieldStarke
Library hours a week—49 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.

Springfield ↔ 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.

SpringfieldStarke
People
Population 8,230Highest 5,877Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9.3%Lowest FL: +14.6% +6.4%Highest FL: +14.6%
Median age 38±1.8Highest 11% below FL 37±2.6Lowest 13% below FL
Springfield and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20%±3.9Lowest FL: 19.5% 25.9%±6.4Highest FL: 19.5%
Starke and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.7%±3.4Highest FL: 21.3% 13.6%±3.4Lowest FL: 21.3%
Springfield and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.5%Lowest FL: 34.1% 18.2%Highest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±2.2Lowest FL: 6.1% 5.3%±3.2Highest FL: 6.1%
Starke and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,462±$13kHighest 27% below FL $52,258±$16kLowest 30% below FL
Springfield and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $188,600±$23kLowest 47% below FL $214,300±$36kHighest 40% below FL
Starke and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,307±$171Highest 22% below FL $840±$61Lowest 50% below FL
Property taxmedian, yearly $990Lowest 64% below FL $1,027Highest 62% below FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.4%±14.5Highest FL: 60.1% 57.9%±17.5Lowest FL: 60.1%
Springfield and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 22.3%Lowest FL: 12.6% 28.7%Highest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62%Highest FL: 67.6% 56.3%Lowest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1988Highest same as FL 1978Lowest 10 yrs older than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 18% below FL 28 minHighest about the FL average
Work from home 7.2%±3.9Highest FL: 15.7% 7.1%±5.4Lowest FL: 15.7%
Springfield and Starke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3%Lowest 16.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.8 miLowest 27.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.38Lowest 1.64Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Panama City (32%)Jacksonville (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StarkeFew work in Springfield
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 3.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.9 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 78.7Highest 55.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #466 of 488 in FL#315 of 488 in FL
School district BAYBRADFORD
High school in town Rutherford High SchoolBradford High School
Students per teacherat that high school 17.4Lowest 23.8Highest
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.

Springfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Springfield’s Town Square.

Starke neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Life in Starke on a Saturday

1 neighbor in Starke can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Springfield and Starke

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

Bordering Springfield

Towns like Springfield

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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