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Martin County, Florida

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

File:Roosevelt Bridge and Stuart City.jpg
Roosevelt Bridge and Stuart City

Martin County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,431.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Stuart.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Martin County is in the Port St. Lucie, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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Martin County was created in 1925 with the northern portion coming from St. Lucie County and southern portion coming from Palm Beach County. It was named for John W. Martin, Governor of Florida from 1925 to 1929.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When the county was created, the western contour followed the shore of Lake Okeechobee, as did the borders of Glades, Okeechobee, and Hendry counties. Palm Beach County had historically claimed all of the surface of the lake as part of its area, to its benefit for the distribution of state and federal highway funds. The state representative of Martin County, William Ralph Scott of Stuart, initiated a bill to divide the lake among its adjacent counties, creating a more equitable distribution of state funds for road creation and maintenance. All bordering counties confirmed the justice of this change and supported its ratification, with the exception of Palm Beach County. Representatives from Palm Beach County later presented Representative Scott with a jug of water, signifying "all the water Bill Scott left Palm Beach County." The jug is in the possession of Stuart Heritage.Template:Citation needed

Geography

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Template:Climate chartAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and (27.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the fifty-fourth largest county in Florida by land area, and fifty-third largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Environment

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Martin County Shore Protection Project

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According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Martin County Shore Protection Project includes nourishment of approximately 3.75 miles of beach extending from the St. Lucie County line south to the Stuart Public Beach Park in Martin County. Included in the project is restoration of the primary dune and a 35-foot-wide protective berm. The renourishment interval for this project is every 7 years.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>

The last renourishment of the Martin County Shore Protection Project was completed in May 2013 and included a Flood Control and Coastal Emergency component due impacts incurred with the passage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The next renourishment event is scheduled for 2019.<ref name="auto"/>

The estimated total cost of this project is $69.9 million, $32.5 million of which is to be paid for by the U.S. Federal Government. In Fiscal Year 2015, no funding was appropriated to the project by the U.S. Congress. In the Fiscal Year 2016 U.S. President's Budget Request to the U.S. Congress, no funding dollars was requested for the project.<ref name="auto"/>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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Martin County racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 117,532 119,216 80.33% 75.25%
Black or African American (NH) 7,493 7,277 5.12% 4.59%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 248 218 0.17% 0.14%
Asian (NH) 1,510 2,246 1.03% 1.42%
Pacific Islander (NH) 52 42 0.04% 0.03%
Some Other Race (NH) 139 525 0.09% 0.33%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,463 4,720 1.0% 2.98%
Hispanic or Latino 17,881 24,187 12.22% 15.27%
Total 146,318 158,431

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 158,431 people, 65,014 households, and 40,328 families residing in the county.

2000 census

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As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 126,731 people, 55,288 households, and 36,213 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 65,471 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 89.88% White, 5.27% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.72% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000 there were 55,288 households, out of which 21.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 28.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,083, and the median income for a family was $53,244. Males had a median income of $36,133 versus $27,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,584. About 5.60% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

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Airports

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Major highways

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Buses

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Martin County Public Transit (MARTY) is the fixed-route public bus service operated by the county.

Intercity rail

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Brightline officially announced that an infill station on the Treasure Coast would be built in Stuart and begin service by 2028.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Trails

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The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, a segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail, passes through Martin County.

Government

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Martin County is a non-chartered county and its form of government is prescribed by the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, as follows:

Board of County Commissioners

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File:Tabebuia caraiba.JPG
Tabebuia off Savanna Road in Jensen Beach. April 2010. Typical of such trees blooming throughout Martin county in the spring

The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body of the county and has charge of all county executive and administrative functions, except those assigned by the Constitution to independent county officers or to the independent school district. The board also has some quasi-judicial functions. Some of functions exercised by the board are county-wide, while others are applicable only in the unincorporated areas of the county, where the board has many of the functions of a municipality. The county commissioners are elected by county-wide vote, but each one represents a specific district. The board appoints the county administrator who is responsible to it for the day-to-day operations of the county government.

Constitutional officers

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The elected Constitutional officers are:

School district

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The independent Martin County School District has a board appointed superintendent of schools and an elected school board, with members listed on the Board Web site.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The school board is the legislative body of the district and also exercises quasi-judicial powers. School Board members are elected county-wide but each one represents a specific district.

Electoral politics

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Martin County is a long-standing Republican stronghold, and Template:As of, has not supported a Democrat for the White House since Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1944.

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Voter registration

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According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans make up a majority of registered voters in Martin County, followed by unaffiliated voters and Democrats.

Martin County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of August 31, 2024<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Political Party Total Voters Percentage
Template:Party color cell Republican 61,186 53.11%
Template:Party color cell No party affiliation 25,107 21.79%
Template:Party color cell Democratic 24,974 21.68%
Template:Party color cell Minor parties 3,936 3.42%
Total 115,203 100.00%

Libraries

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The Martin County Library System has 6 branches.

  • Blake Library (Stuart)
  • Elisabeth Lahti Library (Indiantown)
  • Hobe Sound Public Library (Hobe Sound)
  • Hoke Library (Jensen Beach)
  • Peter & Julie Cummings Library (Palm City)
  • Robert Morgade Library (a location adjoining Indian River State College)

Attractions

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File:Florida panther at Audubon Center, Stuart, Florida.jpg
Florida panther at Possum Long, September 1992

Historic areas

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On the National Register of Historic Places:

Other historic areas listed in 1989 by the Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects:<ref>A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, 1989, Gainesville: University of Florida Press, p. 137, Template:ISBN</ref>

  • All Saints Episcopal Church, Waveland, 2377 N.E. Patrician Street, 1898,
  • Bay Tree Lodge (Kiplinger House), 143 S. River Road (originally 104 S. Sewall's Point Road), Sewall's Point, 1909
  • Dudley-Bessey House, 110 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1909
  • Dyer Homestead, 1006 S.W. St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1904
  • Feroe Building, 73 S.W. Flagler Avenue, corner of St. Lucie, Stuart, 1913
  • France Apartments, 524 St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1927
  • Golden Gate Building, 3225 S.E. Dixie Highway in Golden Gate south of Stuart, 1925
  • Kitching House, 210 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1894
  • Stuart Feed Store, 101 S.W. Flagler Avenue, Stuart, 1905
  • Sunrise Inn, S.E. Old St. Lucie Boulevard, Port Sewall. ca. 1925 (demolished)
  • John E. Taylor House, 204 S.E. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1914

Other places listed in 2012 by the Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in its Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Communities

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File:StuartFlorida-skyline.jpg
Downtown Stuart, in the heart of the county seat

City

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Towns

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Villages

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Census-designated places

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File:HobeSoundFlorida-sunset.jpg
Sunset from the Intracoastal Waterway at Hobe Sound

Other unincorporated places

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See also

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References

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Template:Reflist

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Template:Commons category Template:Official website

Template:Martin County, Florida Template:Geography of Florida Template:Authority control Template:Coord

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