Jefferson County Florida   Located in North Florida

Jefferson County Cities

Land area (rank): 609 square miles (44)
Population 1993 (rank): 12,988 (57)
Population density 1993 (rank): 21 persons per square mile (60)
Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 5.5% (63)

Physical Characteristics

Jefferson County is in north Florida and is bordered by Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico and by Taylor, Leon, Wakulla, and Madison counties. The county has 4 square miles of water. The average January temperature is 53.5 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 80.5 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 57.74 inches.

History

Jefferson County was established in 1827 from Escambia County and named for Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President, who died in 1826. Before the Civil War, Jefferson County developed into a plantation agriculture society. Many houses from that era remain in Monticello, the county seat.

Population

In 1993 approximately 80% of Jefferson County's population lived in unincorporated areas. Monticello, the only incorporated place in the county, had a population of 2,733 in 1993. In 1993, 57% of Jefferson County's population was white and 43% was nonwhite. In 1990, 1.2% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, none was due to net migration. The 1992 birth rate was 14.1 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 9.6 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 29.2 per 1,000. In 1993 the leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Education

Of all 1992 high school graduates, 52.0% planned to continue their education. The 1992 high school dropout rate was 5.3%. In 1990, 64.1% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 14.7% had completed four or more years of college. Colleges and universities. Served by North Florida Junior College (Madison County).

Economy

The per capita income in Jefferson County for 1993 was $14,441 (46th highest in the state). The median household income in 1989 was $21,782. In 1989, 17.5% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 21.3% of personal income in Jefferson County was derived from transfer payments. In 1992 the greatest numbers of persons in Jefferson County were employed in the government, retail trade, and services sectors. The employers of the greatest numbers of persons in the retail trade sector were automobile dealers and service stations and food stores. In 1987 there were 297 farms in Jefferson County, totalling 118,352 acres (30% of land in the county). Jefferson County's major crops are watermelon, soybeans, and peanuts. In 1991, 2,896 pounds of fish and 80 pounds of shellfish were landed. In 1991, 9,540 thousand board feet of softwood logs, 2,163 thousand board feet of hardwood logs, 30,636 cords of softwood for pulp, and 6,974 cords of hardwood for pulp were produced.

Median value of a single-family home 1990: $43,900
Median monthly rent 1990: $199
Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 30.7
Housing starts 1992: 42
Housing starts 1993: 53

In 1992 the price level index for Jefferson County was 96.05 (22nd highest in the state).

Local Government

In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 10.000, and the total taxable value of property was $197,893,663. Taxable sales totalled $37.80 million in 1992 and $30.50 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $8,231 thousand in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Jefferson County's revenues totalled $7,389 thousand ($615.9 per capita) and its expenditures $7,020 thousand ($585.1 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 67.6% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these, 88.3% were registered Democrat and 9.6% were registered Republican. In the 1992 presidential election 48.5% of the votes were cast for Clinton, 32.2% for Bush, and 19.1% for Perot.

Events and Places of Interest

Watermelon Festival, Monticello, June; Monticello Historic District, Perkins Opera House, Monticello; Jefferson County Kennel Club, Greyhound Racing.