Jefferson County, Florida
Jefferson County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2020, the population is 14,510.[1] Its county seat is Monticello, Florida.[2]
| Jefferson County, Florida | |
| |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Florida | |
 Florida's location in the U.S. | |
| Statistics | |
| Founded | January 20, 1827 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Monticello |
| Largest City | Monticello |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
637 sq mi (1,650 km²) 598 sq mi (1,549 km²) 38 sq mi (98 km²), 6.0% |
| Population - (2020) - Density |
14,510 23/sq mi (9/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.jeffersoncountyfl.gov | |
| Named for: Thomas Jefferson | |
Jefferson County is part of the Tallahassee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Jefferson County was created in 1827. It was named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, who served from 1801 to 1809. Monticello is a racially diverse town (see People).
Forts of Jefferson County
Jefferson County has many old forts that were used by early settlers and the military.
- Fort Roger Jones (1839), Aucilla (Ocilla Ferry), north of US 90.[3]
- 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.
Land
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 637 square miles (1,650 km2), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km2) is land and 38 square miles (98 km2) (6.0%) is water.[4]
Jefferson County is the only county in Florida which borders both the state of Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico.
Counties nearby
- Thomas County, Georgia - north
- Brooks County, Georgia - northeast
- Madison County, Florida - east
- Taylor County, Florida - southeast
- Wakulla County, Florida - southwest
- Leon County, Florida - west
National protected area
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Waterbodies
- Aucilla River
- Lake Miccosukee
- Wacissa River
People
At the 2020 census, 14,510 people lived in the county. There were 5,816 households and 1,013 people who did not live in households. The population density was 24.3 people per square mile (9.4/km²). The median age was 49.8 years (47.6 for males, 52.0 for females).
Of the total population, 16.9% were under 18 years old, 58.3% were 18 to 64, and 24.7% were 65 or over. Males made up 51.6% and females made up 48.4% of the people. The population was 60.1% White (non-Latino), 31.7% Black (non-Latino), 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 2.8% Two or more races (non-Latino). Less than 1% of the people were from other races.
Of the 5,816 households, 3,762 (64.7%) were families, 1,370 (23.6%) had children under 18, 2,686 (46.2%) had a married couple, and 1,754 (30.2%) had one person living alone. The average household size was 2.3 people. There were 6,690 housing units, and 86.9% had people living in them all year. Of these households, 77.2% were owner-occupied, while 22.8% were renters.[5][6]
As of 2022, the median (middle) yearly income for a household was about $51,573, and the median income for a family was about $69,690.[7] The per capita income was about $29,189.[8] About 12.4% of families[9] and 18.3% of all people in Jefferson County lived below the poverty line. This includes 31.0% of children under 18 years old and 12.5% of people over 65 years old.[10]
Government and politics
Jefferson County was one of only a handful of counties in the Florida Panhandle that politically favored the Democratic Party. However, Republican Donald Trump won the county in 2016 and 2020.
Schools
The Jefferson County School District operates one public K-12 school, south of Monticello.
The number of students decreased in the 2000s, so a separate middle school shut down in 2005. The district declared a financial emergency because of budget deficits.[12] On April 23, 2009, the Florida Department of Education took over financial oversight of the district.[13] The schools were also doing poorly by educational measures. In 2015, the state of Florida took control of the district. They moved the elementary school to the middle and high school campus, and changed them into a charter school. Jefferson County was the first school district in Florida that was run entirely as charter schools. In 2022, the county took control of the school again. [14]
There is one private school, Aucilla Christian Academy.
Cities and towns
Incorporated
- City of Monticello
Unincorporated
Jefferson County, Florida Media
A map of racial demographics in Jefferson County, Florida by Census tract.Template:Collapsible list*
References
- ↑ "QuickFacts: Jefferson County, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "IRC Library:Fort Roger Jones". Archived from the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "S1901: Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "S1902: Mean Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "S1702: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months of Families". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "S1701: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ↑ Tallahassee Democrat: State to take over Jefferson County School District's weak finances
- ↑ Tallahassee Democrat: Parents and teachers react to Jefferson County Schools' dire finances
- ↑ Brown, Alaijah (February 15, 2024). "How a Jefferson County, Florida school escaped from state control". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
Other websites
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Government websites
Constitutional Offices
Jefferson County Schools
- Public School System
- Private School System
Judicial Branch
- Jefferson County Clerk of Courts Archived 2009-08-30 at the Wayback Machine
- Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida Archived 2004-12-09 at the Wayback Machine serving Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties
- Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida