PALATKA - ST. JOHNS RIVER
PUTNAM COUNTY
WELCOME TO PALATKA & ST. JOHNS RIVER, PUTNAM COUNTY
Nestled within a bend of the St. Johns River, Palatka is a historic city that proudly showcases its past. You can experience old Florida charm in Palatka while you celebrate Florida’s heritage at the Azalea Festival, St. Johns River Catfish Festival, Blue Crab Festival or the Bostwick Blueberry Festival. Palatka is located in Putnam County along the southern portion of the Lower St. Johns River basin. It is the principal city of the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area with approx. 74,000 residents. The area is well known for its local festivals, and its bass fishing tournaments. Palatka is also called the bass fishing capital of Florida. In this region the St. Johns River can be in excess of 1 mile wide and its banks offer vast stretches of gorgeous waterfront. Putnam County is ideal for all kinds of water sports activities and many other outdoor ventures. Living in this area and utilizing surrounding amenities and attractions unearths a unique combination of leisure, recreational activities, and a relaxed Floridian lifestyle.
Click on Image to magnify
RIVERSIDE LIFESTYLE
Bass fishing is very big in this unspoilt natural environment. Also canoeing and kayaking the area's eight blueway trails, or playing golf, touring historic homes built in the 1800s, hiking or bicycling, and trying the Palatka Mural Tour, featuring more than 30 artistic renderings that depict the historical, cultural and natural riches of Palatka and Putnam County, are activities enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Throughout every year Palatka hosts and sponsors several special events for all ages like the African Arts Festival, the Chalk Explosion Street Art Festival, the Azalea and Blueberry Festivals, and the famous Bleu Crab Festival, followed by the annual Mushroom Festival and Wine Stroll.
The Palatka area was of early significance in accessing the interior of the state. This significance was due to its location at the end of an expansive portion of waterway at the divide between the upper and lower St. Johns River. First established as a trading outpost, tourism followed. The decline of waterborne travel and bypassing interstate highways, the Putnam County government has adopted policies focused on facilitating Ecotourism in the region. The abundance of natural beauty to be found in this area makes it the ideal location for all nature lovers.
A RIVER TOWN WITH HISTORY
Palatka is an old town located along the southern portion of the St. Johns River basin, The area is offering a high quality of life.
A COMMUNITY WITH A HEART
A community with accommodating nature, kind character, tolerance, friendliness, welcoming to newcomers, and lot's of southern charm.
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Palatka has a subtropical climate with mild weather during winters and hot summers. The area is known for its plentiful sunshine and pleasant temperatures year-round.
REAL ESTATE INSIGHTS
Live in the Palatka - Putnam County region and experience rural living along the mighty St. Johns River. If you’re thinking of purchasing real estate in this area, your options are endless. Whether you are interested in a single-family home, a townhouse, a waterfront property, a ranch outside of town, or a luxury riverfront home with your own dock, it’s all there.
The greater Palatka real estate market offers a variety of properties for every taste and in all price ranges. Just a short distance inland towards the west and south west, the area becomes more rural and properties with multiple acres are very affordable.
LOCATION
Palatka is directly located on the banks of St. Johns River in Putnam County. A highly desirable location for nature lovers with so much to do.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT
A great location for property investments. The region has been classified as one of the best places to invest in real estate in Florida.
GETTING THERE IS EASY
Jacksonville, Daytona, and Orlando airports can be reached easily. Several municipal airports serve general aviation and private jets.
THE PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE
Residents love this community for many reasons. Housing is very affordable, and the Palatka area is a great, quiet place for families. If you are an outdoors, or water-sports person and seek mild winters, it’s the perfect place. Putnam County offers a family-friendly ambiance and lots of southern charm. If you turned back the clock a century or two, you would have arrived in Putnam County by foot, rail, or riverboat. The odd thing is, none of those methods would seem out of place today. In fact, spend a little time in Putnam County and you’ll get the sense that time here moves at a much more leisurely pace. Time seems to run in sync with the gentle flow of the St. Johns River, the magnificent waterway that brought life to Putnam County.
Living in the greater Palatka area means being part of a diversified community made up of friendly and warmhearted individuals and families from all levels of society, coexisting in perfect harmony. The area is picturesque, not too crowded and family-oriented.
FAMILY FRIENDLY & GREAT SCHOOLS
Palatka is very family-friendly. There are plenty of things to do for kids. A variety of public and private schools, and 14 colleges / universities within short driving distance provide excellent education.
WATER SPORTS & RECREATION
The Palatka area is a natural playground, offering an abundance of activities and adventures for all ages.
DINING & HOSPITALITY
Palatka offers a wide variety of dining options, from low-key to affordable chain dining. A wide variety of individual restaurants offer traditional food, especially fish and crab meat specialties.
PALATKA - ST. JOHNS RIVER AREA PHOTO GALLERY
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |
POPULATION
74,000+ in the Geater Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area
The greater Palatka area is the most populated within Putnam County. The city of Palatka has just 10,558 inhabitants, but the micropolitan statistical area is estimated to have 74,000+ residents. Population density is about 621 people per square mile (in comparison, Orlando has a density of 2,634). The Palatka area is not very crowded at all.
MEDIAN AGE
34.3 Years
The median age is 34.3. That's younger than the Florida average of 41.8.
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$ 48,371.00 in the Waterfront Communities
The average household income in Palatka is $ 23,359.00. In the area along the St. Johns River banks (mainly waterfront properties) it is $ 48,371.00. The median household income for Putnam County is $ 33,711.00. In comparison the median household income in the State of Florida is 49,426.00. This area is not a high income region.
ECONOMY
Construction, Small Manufacturing, Agriculture, Eco-Tourism, Hospitality, Retail
A progressive rural community with easy access to major metropolitan areas, a competitive business climate, and an attractive lifestyle. Palatka has nearly equal distance to Jacksonville, Ocala, Daytona, Gainesville, and Orlando. With its diverse economic base, young, energetic population, and high quality of life, the local economy is poised to grow. Major local economic drivers are the construction, small manufacturing, agriculture, eco-tourism, hospitality, and retail sectors. Many residents are commuting. They work in larger cities in neighboring counties and live in the Palatka St. Johns River area.
EMPLOYMENT & OCCUPATIONS
5.8 % Unemployment Rate
The workforce available in Putnam County is very diverse. Putnam County’s July 2017 unemployment rate of 5.8% was higher than the State average of 5.6%. (Workforce sizes not seasonally adjusted.)
SCHOOLS
Wide Variety up to Highly Rated
There are 29 public and private schools within the Greater Palatka area.
CRIME RATE
Much lower than Miami, slightly higher than National Average
The crime rate, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 100, is 49. In direct comparison, the violent crime rate in Miami is 99. Overall Putnam County has a much lower crime rate than other comparable counties, but slightly higher than the national US average. It all depends on location. Some areas within the Palatka St. Johns River region report very low crime, other areas experience higher rates.
CLIMATE
Subtropical
The average year-round temp in the Palatka area is around 70.2 degrees Fahrenheit (21.2 deg C). Golfers will be happy to know the abundant golf courses around the beach area are playable pretty much year round, as daytime temp averages during the coldest months are: December: 70 (F) high (21 deg C), 47 (F) low (8.3 deg C); January 68 (F) high (20 deg C), 44 (F) low (6.7 deg C); and February 71 (F) high (20.6 deg C), 46 (F) low (7.8 deg C). On average, there are 223 sunny days per year in Palatka, Florida. The July high is around 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33.3 deg C).
HURRICANE RISK
Very low compared to Southern Florida and the Gulf Coast
Compared to southeast Florida and the Gulf Coast, the North East Florida region (Jacksonville Metropolitan Area / First Coast) is less prone to being in the path of a hurricane. The greater Jacksonville area has suffered less damage from hurricanes than most other east coast cities. The strongest effect on Jacksonville was from Hurricane Dora (a category 2 storm) in 1964, the only recorded storm in the past 54 years to directly hit the First Coast with sustained hurricane force winds.
According to hurricane experts and forecasters there is no reason for you to cancel your plans to re-locate to Florida. By analyzing the tracks of tropical storms for the past 100 years, the experts have ranked which areas are most likely to be hit by a major hurricane and the geographical regions in Florida that are less prone to being in the path of a hurricane.
Southeast Florida (Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach), Key West and the Florida Keys, Southwest Florida (Fort Myers-Naples), West Florida (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota-Clearwater), Central Florida Atlantic coast (Melbourne-Cocoa Beach) and the Florida Panhandle (Pensacola-Panama City) are all areas with a much higher risk. The North East Florida region (First Coast) is a low risk area and this coastal region has a tremendous appeal.