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Compare towns

Vernon vs Cottondale

23 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.8× in Cottondale) and growth since 2010 (+15.7 pts in Vernon).

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Vernon, FLHomes around $190KFlorida · 815 people
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Cottondale, FLHomes around $135KFlorida · 822 people
Swap order
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.

VernonHomes around $190K
Housing$190K typical home49% below the FL typical home All about Vernon →
CottondaleHomes around $135K
Housing$135K typical home64% below the FL typical home All about Cottondale →
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.

Street grid2.8×
Cottondale has the more walkable street grid
Cottondale 30.9Vernon 11.2
Growth since 2010+15.7 pts
Vernon has grown faster since 2010
Vernon +6.6%Cottondale -9.1%
Rent+34%
Rent runs higher in Cottondale
Cottondale $1,085Vernon $807
Jobs per worker2.3×
Vernon is more of a job hub
Vernon 0.65Cottondale 0.28
Property tax bill+33%
Tax bills are bigger in Vernon
Vernon $659Cottondale $496
Trails2×
Vernon has more miles of trail
Vernon 0.6 miCottondale 0.3 mi
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Vernon

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.

Vernon$1,090/mo
Typical home $190K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $807/mo · Housing →
Cottondale$780/mo
Typical home $135K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,085/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Vernon and Cottondale.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools
B−VernonBetter than 47% of districts in the state BCottondaleBetter than 56% of districts in the state
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
VernonCottondale
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F39°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)263d263d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd80th
Outdoors & history
VernonCottondale
Archive photos5—
Community
VernonCottondale
Library hours a week25 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

23 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

VernonCottondaleVernonCottondale
Vernon ↔ Cottondale23 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.

VernonCottondale
People
Population 815Lowest 822Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.6%Highest FL: +14.6% -9.1%Lowest FL: +14.6%
Median age 37.1±10.9Lowest 13% below FL 38.8±14.1Highest 9% below FL
Cottondale and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.9%±3.1Highest FL: 19.5% 20.9%±3.3Lowest FL: 19.5%
Vernon and Cottondale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.2%±6.1Lowest FL: 21.3% 22.4%±5Highest FL: 21.3%
Cottondale and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.2%Lowest FL: 34.1% 12%Highest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±2.7Lowest FL: 6.1% 8.3%±5.5Highest FL: 6.1%
Cottondale and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,194±$18kHighest 42% below FL $36,959±$16kLowest 50% below FL
Vernon and Cottondale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $115,800±$54kHighest 68% below FL $79,200±$29kLowest 78% below FL
Vernon and Cottondale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $807±$88Lowest 52% below FL $1,085±$158Highest 35% below FL
Property taxmedian, yearly $659Highest 76% below FL $496Lowest 82% below FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56.4%±22.8Lowest FL: 60.1% 56.9%±23Highest FL: 60.1%
Cottondale and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 27.9%Lowest FL: 12.6% 28.4%Highest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.8%Highest FL: 67.6% 66.9%Lowest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 7 yrs older than FL 1977Lowest 11 yrs older than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 35 minHighest 25% above FL 28 minLowest about the FL average
Work from home 9.9%±8.5Lowest FL: 15.7% 12.2%±10.5Highest FL: 15.7%
Cottondale and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 25.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Highest 0.28Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Panama City (14%)Marianna (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CottondaleFew work in Vernon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 11.2Lowest 30.9Highest
Schools
School district WASHINGTONJACKSON
High school in town Vernon High SchoolCottondale High School
Students per teacherat that high school 17.2Highest 16.1Lowest
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.

Vernon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vernon’s Town Square.

Cottondale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cottondale’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Vernon and Cottondale

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Towns like Vernon

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Pomona Park755 people · $160K homes
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Coleman705 people · $162K homes
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Lawtey897 people · $168K homes
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Lee835 people · $98K homes

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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