Rank

2303of 3,144

Marion, Florida

Score 5.77 / 10· population 409,959

Marion County is horse-farm country in north-central Florida, centered on Ocala and Interstate 75, and has the Ocala National Forest and Silver Springs State Park. Hurricane Milton dropped up to 9.42 inches of rain south of Ocala in October 2024 and cut power to all of Dunnellon; mobile homes and RVs were evacuated. The 2025 County Health Rankings put life expectancy at 74 years, four years below Florida's, and the homicide rate at 8.1 per 100,000 against 6.4 statewide.

Sources
  • Marion County is in north-central Florida; Ocala is the county seat and largest city; Interstate 75 runs north-south through Ocala whereig.com
  • Horse farms are central to Marion County's identity and economy; Ocala is called the Horse Capital of the World whereig.com
  • Marion County has the Ocala National Forest and Silver Springs State Park whereig.com
  • Hurricane Milton (October 2024): Marion County received 3 to 9 inches of rain, with 9.42 inches measured south of Ocala weather.gov
  • During Milton the entire city of Dunnellon lost power; Marion evacuations: yes, for mobile homes, RVs and modular-type homes weather.gov
  • County Health Rankings 2025: life expectancy 73.96 years in Marion County, 78.07 in Florida countyhealthrankings.org
  • County Health Rankings 2025: homicides 8.09 per 100,000 in Marion County, 6.37 in Florida countyhealthrankings.org

v4 — beta, 30 October 2026, sourced values

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Eleven factors

Government behavior

  1. Fraser Institute state ranking (state)7.6
  2. 2A (state)8.0
  3. GOP + LP vote for President6.6
  4. Sales tax3.2
  5. Property tax6.4

Environment

  1. Air quality5.3
  2. Floods / hurricanes0.2

Private behavior

  1. Homicide rate6.2
  2. Life expectancy4.3
  3. Government employees7.2
  4. Single-parent households1.8

Neighbors