Baker County, Florida
Encyclopedia
Baker County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Florida
. As of 2000, the population was 22,259. The U.S. Census Bureau
2008 estimate for the county is 26,164 http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2006-01-12.xls. Its county seat
is Macclenny, Florida
. While primarily rural
, the county is included in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area
.
, a judge and Confederate
Senator. In 1864 the Battle of Olustee
, which was the only major American Civil War
battle in Florida, was fought near Lake City, Florida
in Baker County.
and its federally protected areas
.
of 2000, there were 22,259 people, 7,043 households, and 5,599 families residing in the county. The population density
was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,592 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.04% White
, 13.92% Black
or African American
, 0.38% Native American
, 0.40% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 34.5% were of American
, 9.9% Irish
, 8.6% English
and 6.6% German ancestry according to Census 2000. Those claiming "American" ancestry are of predominantly English ancestry but most people in Baker County who are of English stock have a tendency to identify simply as Americans
. 97.2% spoke English
and 2.5% Spanish
as their first language.
There were 7,043 households out of which 41.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples
living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.50% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 110.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,035, and the median income for a family was $43,503. Males had a median income of $30,240 versus $21,279 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,164. About 11.40% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
northern Florida, Baker County votes heavily Republican in presidential and congressional races, although still occasionally supporting Conservative Democrat
s in local and state contests. In the 2004 election Baker County and Okaloosa County were the most conservative-voting counties in Florida.
September 2009 ushered in the introduction of the county's newest official political party, The Libertarian Party of Baker County.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. As of 2000, the population was 22,259. The U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
2008 estimate for the county is 26,164 http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2006-01-12.xls. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Macclenny, Florida
Macclenny, Florida
Macclenny is a city in Baker County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,459 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Baker County. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S...
. While primarily rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
, the county is included in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area
Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
The Jacksonville metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Jacksonville, Florida and including the First Coast of North Florida.The U.S...
.
History
Baker County was founded in 1861. It was named for James McNair BakerJames McNair Baker
James McNair Baker was a lawyer, politician, and Senator from Florida in the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, a judge and Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Senator. In 1864 the Battle of Olustee
Battle of Olustee
The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on 20 February 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war.-Background:In February 1864, Major General Quincy A...
, which was the only major American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
battle in Florida, was fought near Lake City, Florida
Lake City, Florida
Lake City is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, in the United States. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 12,614. In addition, it is the Principal City of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an...
in Baker County.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 588.89 square miles (1,525.2 km²), of which 585.21 square miles (1,515.7 km²) (or 99.38%) is land and 3.67 square miles (9.5 km²) (or 0.62%) is water. The extreme northern part of the county lies within the Okefenokee SwampOkefenokee Swamp
The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow, 438,000 acre , peat-filled wetland straddling the Georgia–Florida border in the United States. A majority of the swamp is in Georgia and protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Okefenokee Wilderness. The Okefenokee Swamp is considered to be...
and its federally protected areas
Protected areas of the United States
The protected areas of the United States are managed by an array of different federal, state, tribal and local level authorities and receive widely varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness, while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation. , according to...
.
Adjacent counties
- Charlton County, GeorgiaCharlton County, GeorgiaCharlton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 10,282. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,609. The county seat is Folkston.-History:...
- north - Ware County, GeorgiaWare County, GeorgiaWare County is a county located in the southeast of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 35,483. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 35,831 The county seat is Waycross....
- north - Nassau County, FloridaNassau County, FloridaNassau County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 57,663. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 69,835. Its county seat is Fernandina Beach, Florida....
- northeast - Duval County, FloridaDuval County, FloridaDuval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
- east - Clay County, FloridaClay County, FloridaClay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 190,895. Its county seat is Green Cove Springs, Florida. Clay County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area.- History :...
- southeast - Union County, FloridaUnion County, FloridaUnion County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 14,916. The county seat is Lake Butler.- History :...
- south - Bradford County, FloridaBradford County, FloridaBradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 . Its county seat is Starke, Florida. Bradford County is the home of the Florida State Prison as well as several other state...
- south - Columbia County, FloridaColumbia County, FloridaColumbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 56,513. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 64,040 . Its county seat is Lake City, Florida....
- west - Clinch County, GeorgiaClinch County, GeorgiaClinch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 14, 1850, named in honor of Duncan Lamont Clinch. As of 2000, the population is 6,878. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,992...
- northwest
National protected areas
- Okefenokee National Wildlife RefugeOkefenokee National Wildlife RefugeThe Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a 402,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge located in Charlton, Ware, and Clinch Counties of Georgia, and Baker County in Florida, United States. The refuge is administered from offices in Folkston, Georgia. The refuge was established in 1937 to protect...
(part) - Osceola National ForestOsceola National ForestOsceola National Forest is an American National Forest located in Florida.Osceola National Forest was created by President Herbert Hoover's proclamation, on July 10, 1931...
(part)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 22,259 people, 7,043 households, and 5,599 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,592 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.04% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 13.92% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.38% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.40% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 34.5% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 9.9% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 8.6% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 6.6% German ancestry according to Census 2000. Those claiming "American" ancestry are of predominantly English ancestry but most people in Baker County who are of English stock have a tendency to identify simply as Americans
American ethnicity
American ethnicity differs from United States nationality. An individual's nationality is American if he or she is a national of the United States of America. The circumstances under which a person is ethnically American are less clear....
. 97.2% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 2.5% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 7,043 households out of which 41.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.50% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 110.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,035, and the median income for a family was $43,503. Males had a median income of $30,240 versus $21,279 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,164. About 11.40% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated
- Town of Glen St. MaryGlen St. Mary, FloridaGlen St. Mary is a town in Baker County, Florida, United States. The population was 473 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 489 .-Geography:Glen St...
- City of MacclennyMacclenny, FloridaMacclenny is a city in Baker County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,459 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Baker County. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S...
Politics
Like much of ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
northern Florida, Baker County votes heavily Republican in presidential and congressional races, although still occasionally supporting Conservative Democrat
Conservative Democrat
In American politics, a conservative Democrat is a Democratic Party member with conservative political views, or with views relatively conservative with respect to those of the national party...
s in local and state contests. In the 2004 election Baker County and Okaloosa County were the most conservative-voting counties in Florida.
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Other Third party (United States) The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 78.2% | 21.0% | 0.8% |
| 2004 | 77.7% | 21.9% | 0.4% |
| 2000 | 68.8% | 29.3% | 1.8% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 34.2% | 10.2% |
| 1992 | 50.6% | 29.2% | 20.2% |
| 1988 | 71.5% | 28.3% | 0.2% |
September 2009 ushered in the introduction of the county's newest official political party, The Libertarian Party of Baker County.
Government links/Constitutional offices
- Baker County Board of County Commissioners
- Baker County Supervisor of Elections
- Baker County Property Appraiser
- Baker County Sheriff's Office
- Baker County Tax Collector
Special districts
Judicial branch
- Baker County Clerk of Courts
- Office of the State Attorney, 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving AlachuaAlachua County, FloridaAlachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...
, Baker, BradfordBradford County, FloridaBradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 . Its county seat is Starke, Florida. Bradford County is the home of the Florida State Prison as well as several other state...
, GilchristGilchrist County, FloridaGilchrist County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 14,437. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 16,402. Gilchrist County has only one traffic light in the entire county and has no road with more than one lane of traffic...
, LevyLevy County, FloridaLevy County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 34,450. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 37,998. Its county seat is Bronson, Florida. Levy is pronounced lee vee.- History :...
and UnionUnion County, FloridaUnion County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 14,916. The county seat is Lake Butler.- History :...
Counties - Circuit and County Court for the 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Community Web Pages
- BakerCountyToday.com - Baker County Today and Yesterday
- Macclenny.com - Baker County's Original Home Page
- Baker County Community Home Page - BakerCountyFL.com - Owned and Managed from Baker County
Federal
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Museum and Library Resources
- The Baker County Press, the local newspaper for Baker County, Florida fully and openly available in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library