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Florida · Nature Coast · North Central Florida
Dixie County, Florida
Florida's Nature Coast wilderness county — from Horseshoe Beach's primitive Gulf Coast fishing village to the Suwannee River's dark tea-water journey to the Gulf, the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge's coastal wilderness, and one of Florida's least populated and most wild counties. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Dixie County residents.
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Office: Dixie County Emergency Management – (352) 498-1240 | dixiecounty.org
Alert System: Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Dixie County High School; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Big Bend Florida coastal county; Cross City is county seat; hurricane risk (Gulf Coast exposure – significant storm surge vulnerability; Idalia 2023 made landfall just north in Taylor County; Hermine 2016); flooding (Suwannee River; coastal marshes; Big Bend area flooding); severe thunderstorms; wildfire risk (pine flatwoods); very rural and remote; one of Florida’s least developed counties; the Big Bend coast (where the Florida Panhandle meets the Peninsula) is one of Florida’s most wild and remote coastlines
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Dixie County Roads – (352) 498-1240
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; very remote
Notes: US-19/SR-55 (north-south through Cross City); SR-349 (connects to I-75 via Gilchrist County); US-129 (connects to Suwannee County); Gainesville is about 55 miles east via US-129/SR-349; the county has no interstate; Cross City is a very small town; the Big Bend coast is accessible via SR-361 (a remote scenic coastal route)
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Dixie County Building – (352) 498-1240
Services: Very basic county permits; Cross City, Old Town, Horseshoe Beach small communities
Notes: Very limited development; fishing camp and Gulf access cabin development; agricultural and forestry structures; Suwannee River recreational cabin development; limited overall activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Dixie County Veterans Services – (352) 498-1240
VA Medical: Malcom Randall VAMC (Gainesville – about 55 miles east); telehealth important
Services: Benefits claims; Gainesville VAMC accessible; small rural veteran population
Notes: Gainesville VA accessible; remote county with small veteran community; telehealth critical
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Dixie County Public Library – (352) 498-1218 | nls.lib.fl.us
Address: Cross City
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Big Bend coast heritage; Suwannee River heritage; commercial fishing heritage
Notes: Single library serving one of Florida’s most remote counties; critical internet access point; the Big Bend’s commercial fishing and hunting heritage in local collections
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Suwannee River (the lower Suwannee River as it approaches the Gulf; excellent fishing and canoeing; the Suwannee passes through eastern Dixie County and flows to the Gulf in adjacent Gilchrist and Levy Counties; Stephen Foster’s “Old Folks at Home” connection); Steinhatchee (southern Dixie County – small fishing community and diving destination; Steinhatchee Falls is Florida’s only significant waterfall – not impressive by most standards but Florida’s most notable); Big Bend Wildlife Management Area (FDACS – one of Florida’s largest wildlife management areas; coastal marsh; fishing; hunting; remote Big Bend coast access); Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail (a water trail along the remarkably wild Big Bend coast – scalloping is a major summer activity here; the Big Bend’s sea grass beds support enormous scallop populations)
Notes: Dixie County’s Big Bend coast is Florida’s most remote and wild coastline – the absence of barrier islands and the deep coastal marshes mean the Big Bend coast looks almost exactly as it did before European settlement; scalloping in the Big Bend (July-September) is one of Florida’s most beloved summer activities – families wade in shallow sea grass beds collecting bay scallops in snorkel gear; the scallop populations here are among Florida’s finest; Steinhatchee’s commercial fishing community is one of Florida’s more authentic remaining fishing villages; the “waterfall” (actually a river shoal over limestone) is Florida’s most significant drop – modest by any other state’s standards
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Florida DEP; SUWRWMD; Big Bend Wildlife Management Area maps; Big Bend Paddling Trail maps
Notes: Minimal county GIS; FDEP and SRWMD maintain primary maps; Big Bend WMA hunting unit maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Dixie County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Rural coastal county; cattle; commercial fishing; sea turtles (Gulf nesting beaches); manatees (the Big Bend sea grass beds are important manatee feeding grounds); black bears; Florida sandhill cranes; wading birds (the Big Bend marshes support extraordinary wading bird populations)
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Very limited; Dixie County transfer stations
Environmental: Florida DEP; Suwannee River Water Management District; USFWS (Lower Suwannee NWR – adjacent Levy County); Big Bend coastal marshes; sea grass bed protection; manatee habitat
Notes: Dixie County’s Big Bend coastal sea grass beds are among the most significant remaining sea grass ecosystems in the Southeast – the clear, shallow waters and minimal nutrient pollution support extensive sea grass growth that is critical habitat for scallops, manatees, sea turtles, and Gulf fisheries; the region’s remoteness has protected these ecosystems; development pressure is increasing as fishermen and nature tourists discover the Big Bend; the Lower Suwannee NWR (adjacent in Levy County) provides additional habitat protection; scallop population management requires monitoring to prevent overharvesting
About Dixie County
Heritage | Cross City is one of Florida’s smallest county seats; Dixie County is one of Florida’s most rural and sparsely populated counties; significant commercial fishing heritage on the Gulf Outdoors | Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge (outstanding birding and fishing); Suwannee River; Gulf Coast fishing; Manatee Springs State Park (adjacent Gilchrist County) Notable | Dixie County has one of the lowest population densities in Florida; the Gulf coast provides some of the best inshore saltwater fishing in the state Library | Dixie County Public Library — (352) 498-1219
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
214 NE 351st Hwy., Cross City, FL 32628
(352) 498-1200
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dixie County Clerk of Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Dixie County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Dixie County Clerk of Court, Probate Division Dixie County Courthouse, P.O. Box 1206, 214 NE 351 Hwy, Suite M, Cross City, FL 32628 (352) 498-1200 / (352) 498-1206 Dixie County sits in Florida’s 3rd Judicial Circuit.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
16195 SE Hwy. 19, Cross City, FL 32628
(352) 498-1230
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
214 NE 351st Hwy., Cross City, FL 32628
(352) 498-1216
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Dixie
704 NE 255th St., Cross City, FL 32628
(352) 498-1360
FL DCF — Dixie
(352) 498-0555
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Dixie County – (352) 498-7600 | dixie.floridahealth.gov
Services: Basic health department; immunizations; vital records; limited services
Hospital: Shands Hospital at Cross City (UF Health – small critical access clinic/hospital); Gainesville hospitals for all significant care
Notes: Very limited local healthcare; Gainesville for most care; extremely remote community health challenges; behavioral health limited; commercial fishing community health
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