Taylor County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
Big Bend region in the
northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
part of the
U.S. state of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 21,796. Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
is
Perry.
The county hosts the annual Florida Forest Festival and has been long known as the "Tree Capital of the
South" since a 1965 designation from then-Governor
W. Haydon Burns.
History
Taylor County was created in 1856. It was named for
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
, twelfth
President of the United States of America, who served from 1849 to 1850. Taylor won most counties in northern Florida during the election of 1848. He was largely responsible for the ultimate U.S. victory in the Second Seminole War. He also served in the War of 1812 and the Blackhawk War, and he was one of America's main heroes in the Mexican-American War.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (15.3%) is water.
Adjacent counties
*
Jefferson County, Florida - northwest
*
Madison County, Florida - north
*
Lafayette County, Florida - east
*
Dixie County, Florida - southeast
National protected area
*
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Demographics
2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, there were 21,796 people, 7,405 households, and 5,197 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 19,256 people, 7,176 households, and 5,130 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 18 people per square mile (7/km
2). There were 9,646 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.84%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 19.04%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.98%
Native American, 0.44%
Asian, 0.02%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.32% from
other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race.
There were 7,176 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,032, and the median income for a family was $35,061. Males had a median income of $27,967 versus $19,054 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $15,281. About 14.50% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.
In March 2016, the county's unemployment rate was 5.6%.
Education
Students are served by the
Taylor County School System
Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to:
People
* Taylor (surname)
**List of people with surname Taylor
* Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah
* Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron
* Justice Taylor (disambiguation)
Plac ...
. For the 2006 - 2007 school year the Florida Department of Education gave the District a "B" grade with three of its schools earning an "A" and one school earning a "B" grade.
Taylor County High School also has an Army JROTC unit which has been an Honor Unit with Distinction for 27 consecutive years.
Library
The Taylor County Public Library is part of the Three Rivers Library System, which also serves
Gilchrist,
Lafayette, and
Dixie
Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cove ...
counties.
Communities
Town
*
Perry
Census-designated place
*
Steinhatchee
Other unincorporated communities
*
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of v ...
*
Bucell Junction
*
Clara (shared with
Dixie County)
*
Dekle Beach
*
Eridu
*
Fenholloway
* Fish Creek
*
Foley
*
Hampton Springs
*
Iddo
*
Keaton Beach
*
Lake Bird
*
Pinland
*
Salem
*
Shady Grove
*
Tennille
Politics
Transportation
Airports
*
Perry–Foley Airport
Major highways
*
U.S. Highway 19
*
U.S. Highway 27
U.S. Route 27 (US 27) is a north–south United States Highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 (I-69) in Fort Wayne, Indiana ...
*
*
U.S. Highway 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
*
U.S. Highway 221
*
State Road 51
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Taylor County, Florida
References
External links
Government links/Constitutional offices
Taylor County Board of County CommissionersTaylor County Supervisor of ElectionsTaylor County Property AppraiserTaylor County Sheriff's OfficeTaylor County Tax CollectorTaylor County Public Library
Special districts
Taylor County Schools DistrictSuwannee River Water Management District
Judicial branch
Taylor County Clerk of Courts Public Defender, 3rd Judicial Circuit of Floridaserving
Columbia
Columbia may refer to:
* Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America
Places North America Natural features
* Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...
,
Dixie
Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cove ...
,
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilto ...
,
Lafayette,
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
,
Suwannee, and Taylor Counties
Office of the State Attorney, 3rd Judicial Circuit of Florida
Tourism links
Taylor County Tourism Development Council
{{authority control
Florida counties
1856 establishments in Florida
North Florida
Populated places established in 1856