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Jefferson County, Florida

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

Jefferson County is a county located in the Big Bend region in the northern part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,510.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Monticello.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Jefferson County is part of the Tallahassee, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area but is the 3rd most rural county in Florida.<ref name=STACK>Template:Cite web</ref> There are no traffic signals within the entire county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

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In the mid to late 18th century, a group of Native Americans from Chiaha chiefdom settled in what is now Jefferson County. This group would eventually become an element of the Mikasuki speaking Seminole.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Jefferson County was created in 1827. It was named for Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, who had died the year before the county's establishment.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Forts of Jefferson County

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  • Fort Roger Jones (1839), Aucilla (Ocilla Ferry), north of US 90.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Fort Noel (1839–1842), south of Lamont on the Aucilla River, Template:Convert 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), Template:Convert 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.

American Civil War and Emancipation

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In the two decades leading up to the American Civil War, cotton was the primary source of income in the county, with about seventeen percent of all Florida cotton being grown in Jefferson County. It was also the county with the second most large plantations (fifty-five plantations with thirty or more slaves) in Florida, behind only Leon County. In 1860, the county had a population of 9,876 with sixty-four percent being black. Following emancipation, the black population of Jefferson County continued to grow. By 1870 the population had risen to 13,968 with seventy-two percent black. To serve the relatively large black population in the county, the Freedmen's Bureau established an office in Monticello sometime around early 1866.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Geography

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File:Fla-Ga state line US 19 south01.jpg
Entering Jefferson County on US 19 from Thomas County, Georgia

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 (6.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Jefferson County is the only county in Florida which borders both the state of Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico.

Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Water Bodies

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

Jefferson County, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition
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Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 8,668 8,720 58.72% 60.10%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5,293 4,600 35.86% 31.7%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 33 36 0.22% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 49 34 0.33% 0.23%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 3 0.03% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 9 54 0.06% 0.37%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 159 405 1.08% 2.79%
Hispanic or Latino (any Race) 546 658 3.70% 4.53%
Total 14,761 14,510 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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The 2020 United States census counted 14,510 people, 5,816 households, and 3,762 families in Jefferson County, Florida.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=:0 /> The population density was 24.3 per square mile (9.4/kmTemplate:Sup). There were 6,690 housing units at an average density of 11.2 per square mile (4.3/kmTemplate:Sup).<ref name=:0>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup was 61.37% (8,905) white or European American (60.1% non-Hispanic white), 31.85% (4,621) black or African-American, 0.29% (42) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.23% (34) Asian, 0.03% (4) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 2.18% (316) from other races, and 4.05% (588) from two or more races.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hispanic or Latino of any race was 4.53% (658) of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 5,816 households, 23.6% had children under the age of 18; 46.2% were married couples living together; 29.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 30.2% of households consisted of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.7.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 18.2% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

16.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 93.7 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $49,081 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,142). The median family income was $62,571 (+/- $4,655).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Males had a median income of $36,603 (+/- $4,356) versus $31,473 (+/- $3,015) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,454 (+/- $5,086).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately, 11.8% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.8% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

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As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 14,761 people, 5,646 households, and 3,798 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,251 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 60.4% White, 36.2% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.50% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 3.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,646 households, out of which 26.9% had individuals under the age of 18 living with them, 47.30% were married couples living together, 15.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 32.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.00 males age 18 and over.

The following income information is from the 2000 census. 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 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

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Jefferson County, like most counties in the Florida Panhandle, historically voted for Democratic candidates. However, while most counties in the Panhandle started reliably voting for Republican candidates, Jefferson County has divided its support among Democratic and Republican candidates. From 2000 to 2012, while Democratic candidates for President won the county, the margin dwindled over time; in 2016, the county voted for Donald Trump, the first time that it had voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988. In 2020, Trump expanded his margin of victory. Jefferson County consistently backed Democratic candidates in statewide races, but in 2018, Ron DeSantis became the first Republican gubernatorial nominee to win Jefferson County since 1884. Donald Trump again increased his margin in 2024, winning the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican presidential candidate since Nixon in 1972.

Jefferson County Officials
Position Incumbent Next election
Template:Party shading/Republican |District 1 Commissioner Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Christopher Tuten Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Democratic |District 2 Commissioner Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|Gene Hall Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|2026
Template:Party shading/Republican |District 3 Commissioner Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|J. T. Surles Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Republican |District 4 Commissioner Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Austin Hosford Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2026
Template:Party shading/Republican |District 5 Commissioner Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Benjamin "Ben" White Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Republican |Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Kirk Reams Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Republican |Sheriff Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Mac McNeill Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Property Appraiser Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|Angela C. Gray Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Tax Collector Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|Lois Howell Hunter Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|2024
Template:Party shading/Republican |Supervisor of Elections Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|Michelle Milligan Template:Party shading/Republican align="center"|2024

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Education

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File:Jefferson Cty High School Monticello01.jpg
Former Jefferson County Middle / High School

Jefferson County Schools is the school district of the county.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> It operates public schools, including Jefferson County Middle / High School. Private Aucilla Christian Academy enrolls about half as many students as the Jefferson County public schools.

Library

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Jefferson County's library is the R.J. Bailar Public Library, a member of the Wilderness Coast Public Libraries Cooperative. It is located in the building that once housed the old Jefferson High School library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

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Railroads

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The sole existing railroad line is a CSX line once owned by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad that was used by Amtrak's Sunset Limited until 2005, when the service was truncated to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. No Amtrak trains stopped anywhere in Jefferson County.

Major highways

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Template:See also

  • Template:Jct is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and serves as the unofficial dividing line between northern and southern Jefferson County. It contains three interchanges within the county; the first being SR 59 in Lloyd (Exit 217), the second at US 19 in Drifton (Exit 225), and the third south of Aucilla at CR 257 (Exit 233). Beyond this point I-10 runs through Madison County.
  • Template:Jct is the westernmost north-south US highway in the county. It enters from southwestern Madison County as the Georgia-Florida Parkway in a concurrency with US 27, then breaks away from US 27 in Capps to run straight north through Monticello where it encounters a traffic circle with US 90 around the historic Monticello Courthouse. North of the city it runs through the State of Georgia.
  • Template:Jct is another north-south US highway in the county. It enters from Madison County in a concurrency with US 19, but unlike US 19 breaks away at Capps and runs west toward Tallahassee.
  • Template:Jct is the westernmost north–south highway in Jefferson County and is the only roadway connection between U.S. 90 (at its intersection in Leon County) to the southernmost east–west route through Jefferson County, U.S. Route 98.
  • Template:Jct was the main west-to-east highway in the county, until it was surpassed by I-10. It enters the county from Leon County twice, the second time from a causeway over the southern end of Lake Miccosukee, and eventually enters Monticello in a traffic circle with US 19. East of the city, it curves southeast through rural Jefferson County, then passes north of Aucilla before crossing the Madison County Line at a bridge over the Aucilla River.
  • Template:Jct is the southernmost east–west route running through the Conservation Areas of the Gulf of Mexico from Wakulla to Taylor Counties. The sole major intersection is with SR 59.
  • Template:Jct is the easternmost US highway in the county, running south and north through the northeastern portion of Jefferson County, including Ashville before crossing the Georgia State Line.
  • Template:Jct is a west-east two-lane road known as the Waukeenah Highway in the county that runs from the Leon County line through Wacissa and terminates at US 19 south of the Monticello city limits.

Communities

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File:Lloyd Railroad Depot02.jpg
Old Lloyd Railroad Depot, now the area's post office

City

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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See also

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References

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