Perry is the seat of Taylor County and, according to the City of Perry, the only incorporated city in the county. It was incorporated in 1903. The U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates put the city at 7,330 residents on July 1, 2025, up 6.9% from its April 2020 estimates base, while Taylor County as a whole slipped 2.7% to 21,210 over the same period.
This is a timber town. The city calls itself the Tree Capital of the South, the Florida Forest Festival fills the fourth Saturday of October, and for nearly seven decades the pulp mill at Foley, just outside town, was the county's largest employer. Georgia-Pacific closed that mill in 2023, and the town is still adjusting to what comes next.
This guide covers Perry's history, housing data, schools, city services, taxes and storm record, with the practical questions worth asking before you buy. Gulf of America Realty compiled it from public records and named government sources, checked in September 2026. Where a figure is a sample estimate, the guide says so.
A short history of Perry
The settlement was first called Rosehead. In 1875 the name was changed to Perrytown, after Madison Starke Perry, Florida's governor from 1857 to 1861, and the "town" was later dropped. Taylor County itself was created from Madison County on December 23, 1856, and named for Zachary Taylor, the 12th president, according to a Florida Department of State historical marker in Perry. The same marker notes that the former county jail, built in 1912, is the oldest surviving public building in the county.
Railroads and timber drove the early growth. A few miles from town, the Hampton Springs Hotel opened in 1908 around sulphur springs said to have healing powers, with a golf course, a casino, a railroad depot and its own bottling plant. From the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s it housed military personnel testing aircraft at Perry-Foley Airport. It burned in 1954, and a 2007 Florida Heritage Site marker stands at the ruins. Downtown, the city points to its restored steam-era train station.
The Foley mill and the economy after it
The cellulose mill at Foley was built by Procter & Gamble in 1954, later became Buckeye Technologies, and was bought by Georgia-Pacific in 2013. On September 18, 2023, Georgia-Pacific announced it would permanently close the mill, affecting about 525 jobs, and said the decision was made before Hurricane Idalia. Production ended that fall. The company later said it would not sell the site for use as a cellulose mill, and local reporting in December 2025 described demolition as under way.
West Fraser's Perry sawmill also closed in 2024. As of September 2026, the sources checked for this guide did not show a confirmed new use for the Foley mill site. For buyers, that means the largest private payroll in the county is gone. It's worth asking how local employment, rentals and resale demand have moved since 2023 instead of relying on older assumptions.
Homes and housing data
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 five-year estimate puts Perry's median value of owner-occupied homes at $150,500, with a margin of error of plus or minus $27,620, so treat it as a broad range. The countywide figure is $114,600. The same survey estimates the median year built for Perry's housing at 1978, give or take six years, and a median gross rent of $986.
Much of the housing is 40 or more years old, and many homes were repaired after Idalia in 2023 and Helene in 2024. Ask for permit records on roofs, electrical and structural repairs. Inside city limits, the City of Perry's Planning & Zoning department handles building permits, zoning and land-use changes. The Florida Building Code applies.
Schools
Perry is served by the Taylor County School District. Federal NCES directory data for 2025–26 lists these public schools in town:
- Taylor County Pre-K and Taylor County Primary School (K–2), 1000 Howard St.
- Taylor County Elementary School (3–5), 1600 E. Green St.
- Taylor County Middle School (6–8), 601 E. Lafayette St.
- Taylor County High School (9–12), 900 N. Johnson Stripling Rd.
- Big Bend Technical College, the district's technical college
- Private: Point of Grace Christian (PK–12) and Next Generation (K–12), per the NCES private school survey for 2023–24
Getting around
US 19, US 27 and US 98 all pass through Perry, and US 221 heads north toward Greenville and the Georgia line. Driving distances are about 50 miles to Tallahassee, about 60 miles to Tallahassee International Airport (the closest airline service), about 60 miles to Valdosta, Georgia, and about 90 miles to Gainesville. The coast is close: Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach are each about 20 miles away and Steinhatchee is about 40. The ACS puts the average commute for Perry residents at 16.2 minutes.
Utilities, healthcare and services
The City of Perry provides natural gas, water, sewer and garbage service. That's an advantage over much of the county, where homes rely on wells and septic systems. Electric service depends on the address. Duke Energy Florida and Tri-County Electric Cooperative both serve parts of Taylor County, so confirm the provider for a specific property. The ACS estimates that 84.2% of Perry households have a broadband subscription.
Doctors' Memorial Hospital, a Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare affiliate at 333 N. Byron Butler Parkway, offers emergency, imaging, laboratory, surgical and rehabilitation services. The Florida Department of Health in Taylor County is at 1215 N. Peacock Ave.
Parks, festivals and the outdoors
Forest Capital Museum State Park, at 204 Forest Park Drive, covers Florida's longleaf pine industry and has a 19th-century Cracker homestead. There's no park entry fee, the museum costs $2, and it closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Taylor County lists the Florida Forest Festival on the fourth Saturday of October, with a King Tree parade and logging competitions, and the city promotes its World's Largest Free Fish Fry. The Florida State Bluegrass Festival runs the first weekend in April.
Econfina River State Park, about 30 miles away, has 14.8 miles of trails, a boat ramp and a blackwater river that reaches the Gulf. The five units of the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), run along the Taylor and Dixie county coast from the mouth of the Aucilla River to just past Horseshoe Beach.
Hurricanes and flooding
Perry sits inland, but it hasn't escaped recent storms. According to National Hurricane Center reports, Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach on August 30, 2023, as a Category 3, with a measured gust of 85 mph in Perry. Hurricane Debby came ashore just west of Steinhatchee on August 5, 2024, as a Category 1. Hurricane Helene made landfall about 10 nautical miles southwest of Perry late on September 26, 2024, as a Category 4. It was the strongest landfalling hurricane in the Big Bend since reliable records began around 1900.
During Helene, a 99-mph gust in Perry tied for the highest measured in Florida. The report notes extensive wind damage in Perry and neighboring cities, with most structures damaged according to county emergency managers. Before you buy, check the FEMA flood zone, ask for an elevation certificate if one exists, and get insurance quotes early.
Taxes
Florida has no state personal income tax. The sales tax in Taylor County is 7%: the 6% state rate plus a 1% county surtax, according to the Florida Department of Revenue and the state's 2026 surtax table. Property tax rates are set each year by the county, city, school board and other taxing authorities, so don't estimate your bill from the seller's. A sale resets the assessed value, and a new owner must apply for any homestead exemption by March 1 with the Taylor County Property Appraiser.
Before you buy in Perry
- Confirm the property is inside Perry city limits if you're counting on city water, sewer and natural gas.
- Ask which electric utility serves the address. Duke Energy Florida and Tri-County Electric Cooperative both serve parts of the county.
- Pull permit history from the City of Perry for roof, electrical and structural work done after Idalia (2023) and Helene (2024).
- Check the FEMA flood zone and ask whether an elevation certificate exists.
- Get homeowners and flood insurance quotes before your inspection period ends.
- Don't budget from the seller's tax bill. The assessed value resets after a sale.
- File for homestead exemption with the Taylor County Property Appraiser by March 1 if the home will be your primary residence.
- Ask what is planned for land near the former Foley mill and West Fraser sawmill sites if the property is close by.
Buying a home in Florida: the basics
The same state rules apply in every town on this site. These are the ones buyers ask about most, with the laws behind them.
- Homestead exemption
- A home that is the owner's permanent residence on January 1 can qualify for a $25,000 exemption from all property taxes plus a second, inflation-indexed exemption of about $25,000 that does not apply to school taxes; apply to the county property appraiser by March 1. A larger exemption is on the November 3, 2026 ballot (CS/HJR 1F) and would start in 2027 if voters approve it.
- Save Our Homes cap
- Once a homestead exemption is granted, the home's assessed value can rise no more than 3% a year or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. The cap resets after a sale, but up to $500,000 of the built-up savings can be carried to a new Florida homestead set up within three years.
- Property tax bills
- A sale resets the assessment to market value the following January, so the seller's current tax bill is not a guide to the buyer's. Bills go out in November, earn a 4% discount if paid that month (stepping down to 1% in February), and become delinquent April 1.
- No state income tax
- Florida's constitution bars a state tax on the personal income of residents. Property, sales and other taxes still apply.
- Documentary stamp tax
- The state charges 70 cents per $100 of the sale price on the deed, which the seller customarily pays in most of Florida. A financed purchase adds 35 cents per $100 of the loan plus a 0.2% intangible tax on the mortgage, usually paid by the buyer.
- Flood disclosure
- Sellers of residential property must give buyers a written flood disclosure at or before signing the contract. Since October 2025 it covers any flood damage the seller knows of during their ownership, any flood insurance claim, and any flood assistance received, such as FEMA aid.
- Flood insurance
- Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood. Citizens Property Insurance already requires separate flood coverage for homes in FEMA high-risk flood zones and homes with a replacement cost of $400,000 or more, and extends the requirement to most of its remaining homeowner policies on January 1, 2027.
- Insurance inspections
- Florida insurers must offer premium discounts for wind-resistant features, which are documented on the state's uniform mitigation verification inspection form (OIR-B1-1802). Many insurers also ask for a four-point inspection on older homes; that is insurer practice, not state law.
- Septic systems
- Septic systems are regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, with permits still handled through county health department offices. State law does not require a septic inspection when a home sells, though a buyer can order one.
- Building near the water
- In a FEMA flood zone, repairs or improvements costing 50% or more of a building's market value generally trigger current flood-elevation rules under the county's floodplain ordinance. Docks and other structures over state-owned submerged lands need state authorization, usually through the Florida DEP.
Sources: Florida Constitution Art. VII §5; Florida Statutes §§193.155, 196.011, 196.031, 197.162, 197.333, 199.133, 201.02, 201.08, 253.77, 381.0065, 627.0629, 627.351(6)(aa) and 689.302 (2026 Florida Statutes); Fla. Admin. Code R. 69O-170.0155 (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation form OIR-B1-1802); FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, 44 CFR 59.1 and 60.3; CS/HJR 1F (2026 Special Session F); Florida DEP Onsite Sewage Program. Checked September 2026.
Thinking about Perry?
Gulf of America Realty can tell you what is for sale in Perry right now, what comparable property has sold for, and what to check on the ones you like. No obligation.
Buying in Perry: what people ask.
What is the population of Perry, FL?
The Census Bureau estimates 7,330 residents as of July 1, 2025 (Vintage 2025). The 2020 Census counted 6,898.
Is Perry the only city in Taylor County?
Yes. The City of Perry describes itself as the only incorporated city in Taylor County. Steinhatchee is a Census-designated place, and communities like Salem and Shady Grove are unincorporated.
Is the Foley paper mill still open?
No. Georgia-Pacific announced the permanent closure of its Foley Cellulose mill on September 18, 2023, and production ended that year. The company said it would not sell the site as a cellulose mill, and demolition was reported under way in December 2025.
Who provides water and gas in Perry?
The City of Perry provides natural gas, water, sewer and garbage service to its customers. Electricity comes from Duke Energy Florida or Tri-County Electric Cooperative depending on location, so confirm by address.
What schools serve Perry?
The Taylor County School District runs Taylor County Primary (K–2), Taylor County Elementary (3–5), Taylor County Middle (6–8) and Taylor County High (9–12), all in Perry, plus a Pre-K program and Big Bend Technical College.
What is the sales tax rate in Perry, FL?
7%: Florida's 6% state sales tax plus Taylor County's 1% discretionary surtax, per the Florida Department of Revenue and the state's 2026 surtax table.
How far is Perry from Tallahassee and the coast?
About 50 miles to Tallahassee, about 20 miles to Keaton Beach or Dekle Beach, and about 40 miles to Steinhatchee.
Did Hurricane Helene hit Perry?
Yes. The National Hurricane Center places Helene's Category 4 landfall about 10 nautical miles southwest of Perry on the night of September 26, 2024. A 99-mph gust was measured in Perry, and the report notes extensive wind damage in the city.
How old are homes in Perry?
The Census ACS 2020–2024 estimate puts the median year built at 1978, give or take six years, so many homes are more than 40 years old. Check permits and inspection findings carefully.
Also near Perry.
- Rural Taylor County Timberland, hunting tracts and small communities outside Perry Read the guide →
- Keaton Beach Big Bend fishing village rebuilding after Idalia and Helene Read the guide →
- Dekle Beach Canal community with a hard storm history, rebuilding again Read the guide →
- Steinhatchee River town on the Big Bend coast: boats, scallops and elevated homes Read the guide →
Gulf of America Realty is an independent, Broker-owned brokerage in Perry, working all of Taylor County and the Big Bend coast. Its Broker, Sandra "Dandy" Osnos, has been Licensed in Florida since 1988 and a Broker since 1993. She relocated to Taylor County in 2022 and established Gulf of America Realty here after that. Whatever you are buying or selling, it is priced on what has actually closed nearby.
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Gulf of America Realty · Perry, Florida