Jefferson County, Florida
Encyclopedia
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 is 12,902. 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...
2005 estimate for the county is 14,490 http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2005-01-12.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 Monticello, Florida
Monticello, Florida
Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County...
.
Jefferson County is part of the Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, Metropolitan Statistical Area
Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Tallahassee metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on Tallahassee, Florida.The Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area designated by the Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau and other agencies for statistical purposes...
.
History
Jefferson County was created in 1827. It was named for Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, third President of the United States of America, who served from 1801 to 1809. Monticello is a racially diverse town (see Demographics).
Forts of Jefferson County
- Fort Roger Jones (1839), Aucilla (Ocilla Ferry), north of US 90.
- Fort Noel (1839–1842), south of Lamont on the Aucilla River, six miles (10 km) northwest of Fort Pleasant in Taylor County. Also known as Fort Number Three (M).
- Camp Carter (1838), near Waukeenah.
- Fort Welaunee (1838), a settlers' fort on the Welaunee Plantation near Wacissa. Fort Gamble (1839–1843) was later established here.
- Fort Aucilla (1843), two miles (3 km) south-east of Fort Gamble, southwest of Lamont, between the Aucilla and Wacissa Rivers. Also spelled Ocilla.
- Fort Wacissa (1838), a settlers' fort located south of Wacissa on the Wacissa River, west of Cabbage Grove.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 636.65 square miles (1,648.9 km²), of which 597.74 square miles (1,548.1 km²) (or 93.89%) is land and 38.91 square miles (100.8 km²) (or 6.11%) is water.Jefferson County is part of the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area
Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Tallahassee metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on Tallahassee, Florida.The Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area designated by the Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau and other agencies for statistical purposes...
.
Jefferson County is the only county in Florida which borders both the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
Adjacent counties
- Thomas County, GeorgiaThomas County, GeorgiaThomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2010 Census showed a population of 44,720. The county seat is Thomasville.-History:...
- north - Brooks County, GeorgiaBrooks County, GeorgiaBrooks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 16,243. The county seat is Quitman...
- northeast - Madison County, FloridaMadison County, FloridaMadison County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 18,733. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 19,902. Its county seat is Madison, Florida. Madison County is one of Florida's five dry counties....
- east - Taylor County, FloridaTaylor County, FloridaTaylor County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 19,256. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,622 . Its county seat is Perry, Florida.- History :Taylor County was created in 1856...
- southeast - Wakulla County, FloridaWakulla County, FloridaWakulla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,863. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 28,212 people...
- southwest - Leon County, FloridaLeon County, FloridaLeon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
- west
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 12,902 people, 4,695 households, and 3,305 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 22 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 5,251 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.27% 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...
, 38.34% 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...
, 0.39% 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...
, 0.30% 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...
, 0.04% 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...
, 0.57% 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 1.09% from two or more races. 2.25% 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.
There were 4,695 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% 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, 15.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,998, and the median income for a family was $40,407. Males had a median income of $26,271 versus $25,748 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 $17,006. About 13.30% of families and 17.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.70% of those under age 18 and 17.00% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Jefferson County is one of only a handful of counties in the Florida PanhandleFlorida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
that politically favors the Democratic Party.
| 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 | 47.6% | 51.2% | 1.2% |
| 2004 | 44.1% | 55.3% | 0.6% |
| 2000 | 43.9% | 53.9% | 2.2% |
Schools
The Jefferson County School District is the only one in Florida operating under a declared financial emergency due to budget deficits. On April 23, 2009, the Florida Department of EducationFlorida Department of Education
The Florida Department of Education is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies . It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.The Florida Commissioner of Education manages the day-to-day...
took over financial oversight of the district.
Unincorporated
- Alma
- Ashville
- AucillaAucilla, FloridaAucilla is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of County Road 158 and County Road 257.-Geography:Aucilla is located at ....
- CappsCapps, FloridaCapps is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. It is located at the intersection of US 19 and US 27. During the 1940's and 50's, Capps was the headquarters of an agri-business known as Tungston Plantation, owned by Everett P. Larsh, an industrialist from Dayton,...
- Casa Blanco
- CodyCody, FloridaCody is an unincorporated community in western Jefferson County, Florida, United States. It is west of Wacissa near the Leon County/Jefferson County line.Cody was serviced by the Florida Central Railroad and had its own post office from 1912 through 1937....
- Dills
- DriftonDrifton, FloridaDrifton is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of US 19 and County Road 158.-Geography:Drifton is located at ....
- FanlewFanlew, FloridaFanlew is an unincorporated community located in southern Jefferson County, Florida, United States.-Location:Fanlew is located west of State Road 59 at Fanlew Road, and at the east end of Natural Bridge Rd., which comes out of neighboring Leon County....
- Festus
- Fincher
- Jarrott
- LamontLamont, FloridaLamont is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States.-Geography:Lamont is located at .Ted Turner's Avalon Plantation is located in Lamont....
- Limestone
- LloydLloyd, FloridaLloyd is a small unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States of America.-External links:...
- Lois
- Montivilla
- Nash
- Thomas City
- WacissaWacissa, FloridaWacissa is a small unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States of America. It is 3.86 sq. miles in size and shares its name with the Wacissa River, the headwaters of which are about one mile to the south.-Churches:...
- WaukeenahWaukeenah, FloridaWaukeenah is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of US 27/State Road 20 and County Road 259....
Government links
- Jefferson County Home Page
- Jefferson County Economic Development Council
- Jefferson County Tourist Development Council
- Chamber of Commerce
Constitutional Offices
- Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners
- Jefferson County Supervisor of Elections
- Jefferson County Property Appraiser
- Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
- Jefferson County Tax Collector
Jefferson County Schools
- Public School System
- Private School System
Judicial Branch
- Jefferson County Clerk of Courts
- Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida serving FranklinFranklin County, FloridaFranklin County is a coastal county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 11,057. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 11,177...
, GadsdenGadsden County, FloridaGadsden County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2000 census, the population was 45,087. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 46,428 . Its county seat is Quincy, Florida. Gadsden County is the only predominantly African-American...
, Jefferson, LeonLeon County, FloridaLeon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
, LibertyLiberty County, FloridaLiberty County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its population was estimated in 2005 as 7,733. Its most populous incorporated area and county seat is Bristol....
, and WakullaWakulla County, FloridaWakulla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,863. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 28,212 people...
counties - Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida