Santa Rosa County, Florida

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Santa Rosa County
County
Santa Rosa Court House.jpg
Santa Rosa County Courthouse
Seal of Santa Rosa County, Florida.svg
Seal
Map of Florida highlighting Santa Rosa County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida in United States.svg
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°42′N87°01′W / 30.7°N 87.02°W / 30.7; -87.02
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Florida.svg  Florida
FoundedFebruary 18, 1842
Named for Saint Rose of Viterbo
Seat Milton
Largest community Navarre
Area
 • Total
1,174 sq mi (3,040 km2)
 • Land1,012 sq mi (2,620 km2)
 • Water162 sq mi (420 km2)  13.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
188,000
 • Estimate 
(2023)
203,162 Increase2.svg
 • Density160/sq mi (62/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st
Website www.santarosa.fl.gov

Santa Rosa County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2020, the population was 188,000. The county seat is Milton, which lies in the geographic center of the county. Other major communities within Santa Rosa County are Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze. [1] Navarre is the most populated community with a population of approximately 45,000 residents. Santa Rosa County is included in the Pensacola—Ferry Pass—Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes Escambia County.

Contents

History

The first European in Santa Rosa County Florida may have been Diego Maldonado, a member of Tristan de Luna's failed expedition. Natives dominated the area until the late 1700s. A Spanish mission serving Apalachees, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad y San Luís, may have been located in Floridatown from 1718 until 1740. [2] [3]

Santa Rosa County was created in 1842, when it was divided from Escambia County. It was named after the barrier island along its southern coast, which in turn had been named for the Roman Catholic saint, Rosa de Viterbo. [4]

Santa Rosa County repealed its prohibition on alcohol in 2005. [5]

Santa Rosa County has seen unprecedented growth in population, specifically in the communities of Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze. The county is a quickly growing tourist destination because of its access to beaches and protected wilderness areas for kayaking, hiking, and camping. [6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,174 square miles (3,040 km2), of which 1,012 square miles (2,620 km2) is land and 162 square miles (420 km2) (13.8%) is water. [7]

National protected area

Regions

Santa Rosa County can be divided into three distinct sections: South Santa Rosa, Central Santa Rosa, and North Santa Rosa. The sections are centered on the main east–west roads that pass through the county.

Navarre Beach Navarre Beach Florida sand.jpg
Navarre Beach

South Santa Rosa County comprises the area from Holley and Navarre in the east to Gulf Breeze at the western end of the Fairpoint Peninsula, and along U.S. Highway 98. A section of Santa Rosa Island, containing the unincorporated community of Navarre Beach, is also part of South Santa Rosa County. Major bodies of water including Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay and East Bay strongly influence the housing and life style of citizens in the southern part of the county. This fast-growing region serves primarily as "bedroom communities" for Pensacola to the west and Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, and Eglin Air Force Base to the east.

Central Santa Rosa County is the area north of the bays and south of the extensive forests separating it from North Santa Rosa. The central section developed along the so-called Old Spanish Trail that ran from St. Augustine to New Orleans, and further points west. Today, U.S. Highway 90 closely parallels the old trail, and is the main highway that connects the region. Despite recent growth, the Central Region is best identified by its rural roots, and can be best characterized by traditional Southern culture. The Pace and Milton communities compose the Central Region, with both having populations roughly around 30,000. [8] [9] The county seat, Milton is located where the trail crossed the Blackwater River. To the west of Milton bordering the Escambia River, Pace has experienced exponential growth both residential and commercial. Interstate 10 also passes through this section of the county. The U.S. Navy presence is marked by Whiting Field and NOLF Spencer Field.

Northern Santa Rosa County is forest and farming country. The only town in the north is Jay. Most development has been along State Road 4 which runs through the northern sections of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. A large oil and natural gas field around Jay produced a great deal of oil, and made many farmers millionaires in the 1970s and 1980s, but the field has been depleted and is producing little oil today. The citizens have, for the most part, returned to farming and forestry for their livelihoods.

State Road 87 traverses the county from north to south, between U.S. Highway 98 and the border with Escambia County, Alabama near Brewton, where it connects with State Route 41. This road is a primary emergency evacuation route for the county during hurricanes.

Adjacent counties

Government

Board of County Commissioners

The Board of County Commissioners serves as the legislative and policy setting body of Santa Rosa County as established under Section 125 of the Florida Statutes. As such, the board enacts all legislation and authorizes programs and expenditures within the county. The board appoints a professionally trained county administrator who is responsible for policy and budget development and implementation.

The board comprises five members, elected countywide. Members must reside within the particular districts for which they seek election. Each year the board organizes itself, selecting a chair and vice-chair from among its members to preside at commission meetings.

Current Santa Rosa County commissioners
DistrictCommissioner
1 (Pace/Central to western region)Bobby Burkett
2 (Milton/central to northeastern region)Kerry Smith
3 (Jay/central to northwestern region)Rhett Rowell
4 (Navarre/southeastern region)Ray Eddington
5 (Gulf Breeze/southwestern region)Colton Wright

The commission meets in regular session beginning at 9:00 a.m. the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Commissioner's Board Room in the Administrative Center, 6495 Caroline Street, in Milton. Called meetings and workshops are scheduled periodically and are advertised and open to the public.

County officials

OfficeOfficeholder
Supervisor of Elections Error in Webarchive template: Empty url.Tappie A Villane
Property AppraiserGreg Brown II
SheriffBob Johnson
Tax CollectorStan Colie Nichols
Clerk of CourtsJason English

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850 2,883—
1860 5,48090.1%
1870 3,312−39.6%
1880 6,645100.6%
1890 7,96119.8%
1900 10,29329.3%
1910 14,89744.7%
1920 13,670−8.2%
1930 14,0833.0%
1940 16,08514.2%
1950 18,55415.3%
1960 29,54759.2%
1970 37,74127.7%
1980 55,98848.3%
1990 81,60845.8%
2000 117,74344.3%
2010 151,37228.6%
2020 188,00024.2%
2023 (est.)203,162 [10] 8.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [11]
1790-1960 [12] 1900-1990 [13]
1990-2000 [14] 2010-2019 [15]
Santa Rosa County, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2010 [16] Pop 2020 [17] % 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)128,726147,51885.04%78.47%
Black or African American alone (NH)7,94010,6905.25%5.69%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1,1941,1120.79%0.59%
Asian alone (NH)2,6903,8181.78%2.03%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)2003620.13%0.19%
Other race alone (NH)2188470.14%0.45%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)3,89711,7632.57%6.26%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)6,50711,8904.30%6.32%
Total151,372188,000100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 188,000 people, 65,697 households, and 47,876 families residing in the county.

As of the census [18] of 2000, there were 117,743 people, 43,793 households, and 33,326 families residing in the county. The population density was 116 inhabitants per square mile (45/km2). There were 49,119 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile (19/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.72% White, 4.25% Black or African American, 1.01% Native American, 1.30% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.98% from two or more races. 2.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 43,793 households, out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.90% were non-families. 19.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,881, and the median income for a family was $46,929. Males had a median income of $34,878 versus $22,304 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,089. About 7.90% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.

Libraries

The Santa Rosa County Library System has five branches located in the following communities: Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, and Pace.

Communities

The largest communities are Navarre and Pace.

Cities

Town

Census-designated places

Ghost Towns

Politics

United States presidential election results for Santa Rosa County, Florida [19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 84,31474.67%27,03523.94%1,5611.38%
2020 77,38572.19%27,61225.76%2,2012.05%
2016 65,33973.68%18,46420.82%4,8815.50%
2012 58,18675.51%17,76823.06%1,1061.44%
2008 55,97273.28%19,47025.49%9351.22%
2004 52,05977.35%14,65921.78%5890.88%
2000 36,33972.10%12,81825.43%1,2452.47%
1996 26,30162.02%10,93625.79%5,17312.20%
1992 17,33952.90%6,55620.00%8,88227.10%
1988 18,97377.85%5,25421.56%1430.59%
1984 21,26582.04%4,64917.94%60.02%
1980 13,80263.93%6,96432.26%8243.82%
1976 9,12252.39%8,02046.06%2701.55%
1972 12,66988.94%1,49110.47%850.60%
1968 2,56720.19%1,60012.58%8,54967.23%
1964 5,98362.63%3,57037.37%00.00%
1960 2,77735.89%4,96064.11%00.00%
1956 1,90931.54%4,14468.46%00.00%
1952 1,74428.50%4,37571.50%00.00%
1948 54915.58%2,31665.72%65918.70%
1944 86224.85%2,60775.15%00.00%
1940 65618.40%2,91081.60%00.00%
1936 74420.23%2,93479.77%00.00%
1932 31510.09%2,80689.91%00.00%
1928 1,62873.97%54124.58%321.45%
1924 22923.34%69370.64%596.01%
1920 33328.88%81370.51%70.61%
1916 11110.23%89682.58%787.19%
1912 707.84%59266.29%23125.87%
1908 21226.40%53566.63%566.97%
1904 7313.30%40373.41%7313.30%
1900 386.47%51988.42%305.11%
1896 43136.68%69459.06%504.26%
1892 00.00%45283.86%8716.14%

Transportation

Airports

Highways

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    2. ↑ Santa Rosa County Heritage Book Committee, ed. (2003). The heritage of Santa Rosa County, Florida. Clanton, AL: Heritage Pub. Consultants. ISBN   978-1-891647-69-7.
    3. ↑ Worth, John E. "Persacola Colonial Frontiers Project". Faculty Homepage: Dr. John E. Worth. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
    4. ↑ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 34.
    5. ↑ "Suwannee Votes Wet". Suwannee Democrat. August 16, 2011. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
    6. ↑ "Blackwater River State Park". Florida State Park. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
    7. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
    8. ↑ "Zip Code 32570 Profile, Map and Demographics - Updated December 2019". Zipdatamaps.com. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
    9. ↑ "Zip Code 32571 Profile, Map and Demographics - Updated December 2019". Zipdatamaps.com. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
    10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
    11. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
    12. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
    13. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
    14. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
    15. ↑ "State & County". United States Census Bureau.
    16. ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Rosa County, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
    17. ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Rosa County, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
    18. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
    19. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 15, 2018.

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