Taylor County Florida   Located in North West Florida

Taylor County Cities

Land area (rank): 1,058 square miles (12)
Population 1993 (rank): 17,374 (53)
Population density 1993 (rank): 16 persons per square mile (64)
Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 3.5% (64)

Physical Characteristics

Taylor County is in the curve of the Panhandle and is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and by Jefferson, Madison, Lafayette, and Dixie counties. The county has 1 square mile of water. The average January temperature is 55.8 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 81.4 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 58.24 inches.

History

Taylor County was established from a portion of Madison County in 1856 and named for Zachary Taylor, Commander of Federal forces during the Second Seminole War and 12th president of the U.S.

Population

In 1993, 59% of Taylor County's population was in unincorporated areas. Nearly 90% of the land in the county is devoted to commercial forests. The largest incorporated place is Perry, with a 1993 population of 7,198. Perry has been referred to as the "Forest Capital of the World." In 1993, 79% of Taylor County's population was white, and 21% was nonwhite. In 1990, 1.0% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, none was due to net migration. The 1992 birth rate was 14.8 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 11.5 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1982 the infant mortality rate was 11.7 per 1,000. The leading causes of death in 1993 were cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Education

Of all 1992 high school graduates, 62.3% planned to continue their education. The 1992 high school dropout rate was 4.6%. In 1990, 62.1% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 9.8% 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 Taylor County for 1993 was $15,300 (39th highest in the state). The median household income was $21,380 in 1989. In 1989, 16.1% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 21.0% of personal income in Taylor County was derived from transfer payments. In 1992 the greatest numbers of persons in Taylor County were employed in the manufacturing, retail trade, and government sectors. Lumber and wood products and fabricated metal products firms accounted for the greatest employment in the manufacturing sector. In the retail trade sector employers of the greatest numbers of persons were eating and drinking establishments and food stores. In 1992 there were 125 farms in Taylor County. Taylor County leads the state in forestry products: in 1991, 51,101 board feet of softwood logs (2nd highest in the state), 451,281 cords of softwood for pulp (highest in state), 2,115 thousand board feet of hardwood logs (3rd highest in the state), and 57,988 cords of hardwood for pulp (highest in the state) were produced. In 1991, 445,930 pounds of fish and 36,538 pounds of shellfish were landed.

Median value of a single-family home 1990: $43,600
Median monthly rent 1990: $188
Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 32.7
Housing starts 1992: 33
Housing starts 1993: 32

In 1992 the price level index for Taylor County was 91.67 (55th highest in the state).

Local Government

In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 8.0760, and the total taxable value of property was $574,192,523. Taxable sales totalled $108.70 million in 1992 and $110.20 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $2,402 thousand in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Taylor County's revenues totalled $11,039 thousand ($636.3 per capita) and its expenditures $14,139 thousand ($814.9 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 71.5% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these, 91.3% were registered Democrat and 8.1% were registered Republican. In the 1992 presidential election 37.3% of the votes were cast for Bush, 35.6% for Clinton, and 26.7% for Perot.

Events and Places of Interest

Florida Forest Festival, Perry, October; Forest Museum, Perry.