Flagler County, Florida

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

Flagler County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 115,378.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Bunnell, and the largest city is Palm Coast.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia Counties, it was named for Henry Flagler, who built the Florida East Coast Railway. Flagler County is included in the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area, and is also included in the Orlando–Deltona–Daytona Beach, FL Combined Statistical Area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

In 1974, Marco Polo Park, a theme park off Interstate 95 opened. It was never profitable and closed soon after.

In 1998, when two brush fires threatened to become one huge brush fire in Flagler County, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the entire county. This was the first and so far the only time a whole county was evacuated in Florida for a wildfire.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (15.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Parks and gardens

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Rivers and waterways

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Flagler County racial composition**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)Template:Efn
Race	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	72,860	84,291	76.14%	73.06%
Black or African American (NH)	10,470	10,537	10.94%	9.13%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	223	291	0.23%	0.25%
Asian (NH)	2,020	2,450	2.11%	2.12%
Pacific Islander (NH)	47	59	0.05%	0.05%
Some Other Race (NH)	290	704	0.3%	0.61%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	1,535	4,747	1.6%	4.11%
Hispanic or Latino	8,251	12,299	8.62%	10.66%
Total	95,696	115,378	100.00%	100.00%

File:2023 Racial Demographics in Flagler County by Census Tract.svg

A map of the racial demographics of Flagler County, Florida by Census tractTemplate:Collapsible list

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 115,378 people, 48,450 households, and 34,022 families in Flagler County, Florida.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=:0 /> The population density was 237.3 per square mile (91.6/kmTemplate:Sup). There were 55,565 housing units at an average density of 114.3 per square mile (44.1/kmTemplate:Sup).<ref name=:0>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup was 75.98% (87,661) white or European American (73.06% non-Hispanic white), 9.48% (10,935) black or African-American, 0.33% (385) Native American or Alaska Native, 2.18% (2,512) Asian, 0.06% (65) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 2.98% (3,436) from other races, and 9.0% (10,384) from two or more races.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hispanic or Latino of any race was 10.66% (12,299) of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 48,450 households, 21.8% had children under the age of 18; 54.8% were married couples living together; 24.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 24.0% of households consisted of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 2.9.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 19.7% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

16.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 32.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 111.6 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $57,536 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,337). The median family income was $66,778 (+/- $2,998).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Males had a median income of $34,295 (+/- $3,092) versus $26,810 (+/- $1,300) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $30,465 (+/- $1,204).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately, 7.8% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 95,696 people, 39,186 households, and 27,843 families residing in the county. The population density was 197.1 people per square mile. There were 48,595 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 82.3% White, 11.4% Black or African American. 8.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,049, and the median income for a family was $58,327.

Flagler county was ranked the fastest-growing county in the nation by the US Census Bureau from 2000 to 2005, boasting a 53.3% change, with a July 1, 2005, population estimate at 76,410. As of 2016 the largest ancestry group in the county was English-American at 18.1% of the county, followed by German-American at 12.7% and Irish-American also at 12.7%.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ Template:Nonspecific</ref>

Transportation

Airports

Flagler County Airport is the primary airport within the county. It does not provide commercial air services but does serve private, student and business aviation.

Major roads

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Template:Jct (Interstate 95)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Other

The Florida East Coast Railway provides rail freight services in the county.
The Intracoastal Waterway runs just in from the coast in eastern Flagler County and provides for freight shipping and recreational boating.

Politics

Local elected leadership

Flagler County's foremost elected body is the Board of County Commissioners, a five-seat board elected in partisan races with four-year terms. The County Commission has the following members:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District 1 - Andy Dance (Chair)
District 2 - Greg Hansen
District 3 - David Sullivan
District 4 - LeAnn Pennington (Vice Chair)
District 5 - Donald O'Brien

Commissioners O'Brien and Sullivan are set to leave office following the 2024 general election, having both opted not to seek another term. Pennington and Hansen are in office until 2026, having each been elected in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Dance's term expires in 2028, having been re-elected in the 2024 primary election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The county is also served by the Flagler School Board, who are elected in non-partisan races to four-year terms in office. The seat has only had four of five seats occupied since member Sally Hunt resigned in September 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The members are as follows:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District 1 - Vacant
District 2 - Will Furry (Chair)
District 3 - Colleen Conklin
District 4 - Christy Chong (Vice Chair)
District 5 - Cheryl Massaro

Furry and Chong are in office until 2026, having both been elected in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Conklin and Massaro are leaving office in 2024, having both opted not to seek additional terms. The county elected Janie Ruddy to the District 3 seat and Lauren Ramirez to the District 5 seat, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The District 1 seat will remain vacant until an appointment is made by the Governor of Florida.

The county is also served by five elected constitutional officers: Sheriff Rick Staly, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, Clerk of Courts Tom Bexley, Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston, and Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a plurality of registered voters in Flagler County. The last Democrat to win the county was Barack Obama in 2008, and since then it has seen a gradual increase in Republican support in every election. In 2024, Donald Trump performed better in the county than any Republican since Nixon's 1972 landslide.

Flagler County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of July 31, 2022<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Political Party		Total Voters	Percentage
Template:Party color cell	Republican	42,471	45.00%
Template:Party color cell	Democratic	26,332	27.89%
Template:Party color cell	No party affiliation	24,052	25.48%
Template:Party color cell	Minor parties	1,538	1.63%
Total		94,393	100.00%

Statewide elections

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Previous gubernatorial elections results
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2022	66.76% 39,183	32.67% 19,177	0.57% 336
2018	58.60% 30,951	40.11% 21,183	1.29% 682
2014	52.82% 19,996	42.25% 15,994	4.93% 1,868
2010	52.91% 17,711	43.11% 14,430	3.98% 1,335
2006	51.81% 15,376	45.79% 13,589	2.40% 714
2002	55.97% 14,407	43.25% 11,133	0.77% 199
1998	54.01% 9,779	45.99% 8,326
1994	47.37% 7,160	52.63% 7,954

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Education

Flagler County Public Schools enroll approximately 13,000 students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The system includes two public high schools, Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas High School. The county also has five elementary schools and two middle schools. All elementary schools will be Pre-K to 5th grade and middle schools 6th and 8th. Flagler County schools are:

Belle Terre Elementary K–5th
Bunnell Elementary K–5th
Rymfire Elementary K–5th
Old Kings Elementary K–5th
Wadsworth Elementary K–5th
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School Pre-K–8th
Buddy Taylor Middle School 6th–8th
Indian Trails Middle School 6th–8th
Matanzas High School 9th–12th
Flagler Palm Coast High School 9th–12th
Pathways Academy (alternative school)
iFlagler Virtual School K–12th
Imagine School at Town Center (charter)
Academies of Excellence's Heritage Academy (charter) (closed after the 2011–2012 school year)

In addition, Daytona State College maintains a branch campus in Palm Coast.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando operates area Catholic schools. Father Lopez Catholic High School, a private high school, is in nearby Daytona Beach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Libraries

Flagler County Library System consists of two branches with over 57,000 borrowers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Main Branch is located at 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast and the Bunnell Branch is located at 103 E Moody Blvd, Bunnell. The Flagler County Library system currently employees eighteen staff, with fourteen full-time employees and four part-time employees with an annual operating budget of $1 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Flagler County Public Library was created by the County Commission in 1987, but as early as 1937, a room of the County Courthouse in Bunnell was set aside for a small library, which was sponsored by the Colony Club. The current library director is Holly Albanese.

The Flagler County Library System offers a wide variety of services beyond traditional library services. They have an e-book collection through Overdrive and Axis360. The library system will assist patrons in filing taxes, and applying for some government programs, as well as with passport applications. Both libraries offer fax services, and the Main Branch also offers scanning services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2001, the Flagler County Library System began a local oral history project called the "Flagler County Memories Project". This project is currently being recorded and then preserved on compact discs. The project mission states, "This collection of oral life histories seeks to sample the common themes and unique stories of selected local residents."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>