Located in the eastern end of the Florida Panhandle, Liberty County has been recorded to be the least populated county in Florida in the 2010 US census. It’s unlikely to change once the 2020 census counts are in, either, because according to the Census Bureau, from 2010 to 2018, Liberty County has had a net loss of residents, going from 8,365 to 8,354.
Half of the county belongs to the Apalachicola National Forest, which stretches over neighboring counties, Wakulla, Leon, and Franklin, as well. As the only national forest in the Flordia Panhandle, it is the biggest tourism draw in the region, as many enjoy off-roading and hiking through the forest trails as well as swimming, boating, and fishing on the lakes.
Living in Liberty
Liberty County has a relatively low median household income of $37,363, which is roughly two-thirds the national median. Fortunately, the county has a relatively low cost-of-living to match, and the median home value in Liberty County is $80,898.
The vast majority of residents live in Bristol, the county seat, which is home to over 75 percent of the county population. Another 22 percent live in Hosford, leaving most of the county with a very low population density.
Home Insurance Premiums in Liberty County
Despite the county’s overall low cost-of-living, home insurance premiums are comparatively high for the median home value, which makes it especially important that homeowners do what they can to get a more affordable quote.
As the chart from Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation shows, having a home with wind mitigation for a $150,000 value home built before 2001 can reduce the average premium by almost 30%. Although the county is landlocked, several areas are still vulnerable each hurricane season, so having protective features in the home means insurance companies will quote you a lower premium.
Average Homeowners Premiums in Liberty County
| Construction Type | Home Value | Average Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2001 (No Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $1,807.04 |
| Pre-2001 (With Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $1,279.33 |
| New Construction | $300,000 | $2,084.15 |
| Overall Average | $1,723.51 |
As noted above, the overall insurance premium average is $1,723.51 for Liberty County homeowners. Another way that you can save money on your home insurance bill is to shop around before committing to a policy. Different companies can vary greatly in what they’re willing to quote. Listed below you can see which insurance companies are offering the lowest average premiums in Liberty County.
Based on these numbers, for homeowners with a pre-2001 home with wind mitigation, purchasing a policy with Universal saved them almost $500, so make sure to do your research when comparison shopping to maximize your own savings.
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 without wind mitigation, the average premium is $1,807.
The companies listed below offer lower-than-average rates:
- First Protective – $1,142
- Florida Peninsula – $1,183
- Security First – $1,198
- Citizens – $1,199
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction Without Wind Mitigation Rate in Liberty County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| First Protective | $1,142 |
| Florida Peninsula | $1,183 |
| Security First | $1,198 |
| Citizens | $1,199 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $1,360 |
| Universal | $1,361 |
| Southern Fidelity | $1,468 |
| Stillwater | $1,547 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $1,550 |
| Family Security | $1,676 |
| People's Trust | $1,691 |
| First Community | $1,711 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $1,716 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $1,749 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,813 |
| American Integrity | $1,829 |
| American Traditions | $1,855 |
| Tower Hill Select | $1,909 |
| Castle Key | $1,918 |
| ASI | $1,977 |
| St. Johns | $2,031 |
| FedNat | $2,300 |
| Southern Oak | $2,384 |
| Florida Family | $2,416 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $2,421 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,574 |
| Universal | $2,812 |
| Average | $1,807.04 |
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 with wind mitigation, the average premium is $1,279.
The companies listed below offer lower-than-average rates:
- Universal – $797
- Citizens – $857
- Tower Hill Prime – $950
- Security First – $1,066
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction With Wind Mitigation Rate in Liberty County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Universal | $797 |
| First Protective | $834 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $839 |
| Citizens | $857 |
| Florida Peninsula | $931 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $950 |
| Security First | $1,066 |
| Stillwater | $1,087 |
| St. Johns | $1,132 |
| Southern Fidelity | $1,152 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $1,182 |
| FedNat | $1,189 |
| People's Trust | $1,194 |
| Family Security | $1,310 |
| Tower Hill Select | $1,312 |
| First Community | $1,341 |
| American Traditions | $1,351 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $1,368 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,372 |
| American Integrity | $1,391 |
| Southern Oak | $1,506 |
| Universal | $1,529 |
| ASI | $1,566 |
| Castle Key | $1,575 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $1,744 |
| Florida Family | $1,756 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,211 |
| Average | $1,279.33 |
For $300,000 Homes with new construction, the average premium is $2,084.
The companies listed below offer lower-than-average rates:
- Stillwater – $1,407
- Security First – $1,408
- People’s Trust – $1,761
- St. Johns – $1,813
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $300,000, New Construction in Liberty County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Stillwater | $1,407 |
| Security First | $1,408 |
| First Protective | $1,442 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $1,463 |
| Universal | $1,476 |
| Florida Peninsula | $1,489 |
| Citizens | $1,697 |
| People's Trust | $1,761 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $1,783 |
| St. Johns | $1,813 |
| American Traditions | $1,857 |
| Family Security | $1,915 |
| Southern Oak | $1,978 |
| American Integrity | $1,988 |
| Tower Hill Select | $2,060 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $2,063 |
| First Community | $2,089 |
| Southern Fidelity | $2,246 |
| Castle Key | $2,284 |
| FedNat | $2,363 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $2,483 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $2,486 |
| ASI | $2,542 |
| Universal | $2,592 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,786 |
| Florida Family | $3,089 |
| State Farm Florida | $3,712 |
| Average | $2,084.15 |
Flood Insurance Liberty
On top of your homeowners insurance in Florida, you’ll need to purchase an additional flood insurance policy. Standard home insurance policy will specifically name and exclude damage from flooding that can be common in Liberty County from coverage.
To get a fair rate, make sure to get a policy from the federal National Flood Insurance Program, which is designed to make flood insurance policies affordable for those living in high-risk areas. Regional companies like First Protective, which is one of the options listed above, underwrite these policies and can make it easy to bundle them with your normal policy.
