About Union County
Union County is a small, rural county in north-central Florida and, by land area, the smallest county in the state according to the Census Bureau. Lake Butler is the county seat, with Worthington Springs and Raiford the other two municipalities. Boundary law names Olustee Creek, the New River and the Santa Fe River, and the Suwannee River Water Management District lists Lake Butler and Lake Palestine as named lakes in the county. Outside the three small municipalities, addresses are rural.
State institutions are a notable part of the population count. The University of Florida's 2025 estimates list a large inmate population in the county's unincorporated area and show a separate figure with inmates removed, so the county total overstates the number of people living in homes. The state's Santa Fe River plan names Union among five counties and aims to cut nitrogen reaching area springs, which makes wells and septic systems early questions on any rural purchase.
The county building department asks for specific flood paperwork. For a property in the unincorporated area it issues a Letter of Compliance and flood data, and inside Raiford, Lake Butler or Worthington Springs that municipality issues the letter. In a flood zone it also asks for the base flood elevation and an elevation certification. Hurricane Debby's damaging winds reached Union County in August 2024. USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture lists hay and other crops, cattle and vegetables among the county's larger farm sales categories.
Quick facts
- County seat
- Lake Butler
- Region
- North Central Florida
- 2026 conforming loan limit
- $832,750
- One-unit home · FHFA
- 2026 FHA loan limit
- $541,287
- One-unit home · HUD
- Geography
- Olustee Creek, New River and Santa Fe River, named in the county's boundary law
- Lake Butler and Lake Palestine, named lakes in the Suwannee River Water Management District's list
- Santa Fe River springs plan area, which names Union County
- Smallest Florida county by land area, according to the Census Bureau
- Housing types
- Manufactured homes, about as common as site-built detached houses
- Site-built single-family homes in and around the three towns
- Rural parcels on private wells and septic systems
Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.
Housing in Union County
Union County has a very large manufactured-home share: the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey shows manufactured homes about as common as detached site-built houses, with very few apartment or condominium buildings. Lake Butler, Worthington Springs and Raiford are the only municipalities, and the remainder is rural land.
Buying new or adding on is paperwork-heavy. The county's list of items required for a building or addition permit includes the Letter of Compliance and flood data, and a flood elevation certification when the site is in a flood zone, so a buyer who plans to build should ask the building department what applies to the parcel. Existing-home buyers should ask the seller for elevation paperwork, storm repair records and the septic permit history from the county health department.
Financing in Union County
Conventional loans
Because Union is among the counties in DEP's Santa Fe River plan, a lender may ask whether a rural home's septic system is permitted and working, and a buyer of vacant land should learn what the plan means for a new system before relying on construction financing. The state restricts some new systems inside plan areas to protect springs, so ask the county health department about the parcel first.
FHA loans
FHA treats a manufactured home as eligible only when the handbook's conditions are met: a HUD certification label or a label verification letter showing construction under the federal standard, a one-family design, classification as real estate, a permanent chassis and foundation, and delivery directly from the manufacturer or dealer. In Union County, where such homes are about as common as site-built houses, ask a loan officer which records the seller should have before an offer.
USDA loans
Outside its three small municipalities, Union County is rural, so some addresses may fall inside areas that USDA's property eligibility map treats as eligible. Eligibility still depends on the exact address and the borrower's situation, not the county name. Check the parcel on the map, and ask a loan officer how the program treats manufactured homes and homes on wells and septic systems.
Flood zones and flood insurance
Union's building department treats flood paperwork as part of permitting: a Letter of Compliance and flood data for unincorporated parcels, and the municipality's own letter for addresses inside Raiford, Lake Butler or Worthington Springs. In a flood zone the department also asks for the base flood elevation and an elevation certification. The county's floodplain ordinance names the county building inspector as floodplain administrator, so permit and flood questions start there.
Homeowners insurance
Hurricane Debby's damaging winds reached Union County in August 2024, so ask for storm repair records and roof dates on any older home. Insurers set their own conditions for roofs, wiring and manufactured homes, and homeowners policies generally exclude flood. Because Fla. Stat. 627.0629 requires insurers to file rate discounts or credits for verified wind-resistant features, a report documenting the roof and openings is worth having.
Homestead exemption
File with the Union County Property Appraiser by March 1, after owning the home and making it a permanent residence on January 1. A recent purchase can show the seller's exemption on the first tax bill, with reassessment arriving the next year, so budget conservatively and ask a loan officer how escrow for taxes and insurance would adjust.
Local homebuyer assistance
The Suwannee River Economic Council in Live Oak runs SHIP for Union County, and its page lists down payment and closing cost help along with repairs. When Florida Housing's listing was reviewed in October 2026, it named purchase help, owner repair, disaster repair and emergency repair and said applications were taken any time. Funding is limited and household eligibility rules apply, so call the council to ask whether purchase funds are available before relying on SHIP in a contract timeline.
Cities, towns and communities
- Lake ButlerCityCounty seatCounty seat in the north-central part of the county by Census Bureau coordinates; the city issues the Letter of Compliance for addresses inside its limits.
- Worthington SpringsTownTown in the southwestern part of the county by Census Bureau coordinates; it issues its own Letter of Compliance inside town limits.
- RaifordTownSmall town east of Lake Butler by Census Bureau coordinates and the county's smallest municipality by BEBR's 2025 estimate; it also issues the Letter of Compliance inside town limits.
Official local resources
- Union County Property Appraiser
- Union County Tax Collector
- Union County Clerk of Court (official records)
- Union County Emergency Management
- Suwannee River Economic Council (administers SHIP for Union County)
Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.
Union County: common questions
6 questions
What is the Letter of Compliance for a Union County property?
Union County's building department issues a Letter of Compliance and flood data for properties in the unincorporated area. Inside Raiford, Lake Butler or Worthington Springs, the municipality issues it. If the property is in a flood zone, the department also asks for the base flood elevation and a flood elevation certification. They are items the county asks for with a building or addition permit, so they matter most if you plan to build or add on. If you are buying an existing home, ask the seller for any elevation certificate and permit records.
Does the Santa Fe River springs plan include Union County?
Yes. DEP's Santa Fe River basin plan lists Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Gilchrist and Union counties. Florida law restricts some new septic systems inside basin plan areas for Outstanding Florida Springs. Ask the county health department or DEP about a specific lot.
Who runs SHIP for Union County, and when can I apply?
The Suwannee River Economic Council in Live Oak administers SHIP for Union County. When Florida Housing's listing was reviewed in October 2026, it said applications were taken any time and named purchase help alongside owner repair, disaster repair and emergency repair. Funds are limited and eligibility rules apply, so contact the council before a purchase contract to find out what is open and how long processing takes.
What should I know about buying a manufactured home in Union County?
Manufactured homes are about as common here as site-built houses, so lenders see them often, but each loan program has conditions. FHA's handbook, for example, requires a HUD certification label or a label verification letter, real estate classification, a permanent foundation and direct delivery from the manufacturer or dealer. Ask the seller for the label, title and installation records, and ask the building department what permits exist for the home.
Did Hurricane Debby affect Union County?
The National Hurricane Center reports that Debby's damaging winds reached Union County in August 2024. Union is inland, so wind and falling trees are the usual concerns, along with creek and river flooding in low areas. For an older home, ask the seller about storm repairs and roof age, and ask the building department about flood paperwork for the parcel.
Why does Union County's population figure include people in state institutions?
The University of Florida's April 2025 table lists an inmate population in Union County's unincorporated area, and it also shows an estimate with inmates removed for state revenue-sharing purposes. For a buyer, the practical point is that the county total includes people in state institutions, so the number of households is smaller than the headline suggests.
Loan programs to explore
- Manufactured Home LoansFHA, VA, USDA and conventional options for manufactured homes.
- USDA LoansRural Development loans for eligible areas and incomes.
- FHA LoansGovernment-insured, with flexible credit guidelines.
- Down Payment Assistance ProgramsGrants and second loans that help with funds to close.
Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.
Browse all loan programsNeighboring counties
All 67 countiesLocal information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.