Santa Rosa County, Florida
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Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population is 117,743. Its county seat is Milton, Florida6.
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History
Santa Rosa County was created in 1842. It was named for Rosa de Viterbo, Roman Catholic saint.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,040 km² (1,174 mi²). 2,634 km² (1,017 mi²) of it is land and 406 km² (157 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 13.35% water.
Santa Rosa County can be divided into three distinct sections: South Santa Rosa, Central Santa Rosa, and North Santa Rosa. The sections are centered around the main east/west roads that pass through the county.
South Santa Rosa County comprises the area from Holley in the east to Gulf Breeze, Florida at the western end of the Gulf Breeze Peninsula, and along US Highway 98. A section of Santa Rosa Island, Navarre, is also part of South Santa Rosa County. The Santa Rosa sound and Pensacola and East bays strongly influence the housing and life style for citizens in the southern part of the county. This fast growing region serves, primarily, as "bed room communities" for Pensacola to the west and Fort Walton Beach 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 Old Spanish Trail" that ran from St. Augustine on the Atlantic Ocean all the way to New Orleans, and further points west. Today, US Highway 90, closely parallels the old trail. The county seat, Milton, Florida is located where the trail crossed the Blackwater river. To the west of Milton, the fast growing communities of Pea Ridge (http://www.pearidgefl.com/) and Pace, Florida have turned the west central part of the county into one large "bed room community" for people who work in the industries here and in Escambia County, to the west. Interstate Highway 10 also passes through this section fo the county.
Northern Santa Rosa County is forest and farming country. The only town in the north is Jay, Florida. Most development has been along Florida Road 4 which runs through the northern sections of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and other counties of the Florida Panhandle. A large oil and natural gas field around Jay produced a great deal of oil, and made many farmers millioniares, 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 livelyhoods.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 117,743 people, 43,793 households, and 33,326 families residing in the county. The population density is 45/km² (116/mi²). There are 49,119 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (48/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 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 are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 43,793 households out of which 36.50% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% are married couples living together, 10.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 23.90% are non-families. 19.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.60% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.63 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the county the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $41,881, and the median income for a family is $46,929. Males have a median income of $34,878 versus $22,304 for females. The per capita income for the county is $20,089. 9.80% of the population and 7.90% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.60% of those under the age of 18 and 7.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
Incorporated
- Town of Gulf Breeze
- Town of Jay
- City of Milton
Unincorporated
External links
Government links/Constitutional offices
- Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners (http://www.co.santa-rosa.fl.us/)
- Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections (http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/santa_rosa/elections/index.html)
- Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser (http://www.srcpa.org)
- Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office (http://www.santarosasheriff.org/)
- Santa Rosa County Tax Collector (http://www.robertmcclure.com)
Special districts
- Santa Rosa County School District (http://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/)
- Northwest Florida Water Management District (http://sun6.dms.state.fl.us/nwfwmd/)
Judicial branch
- Santa Rosa County Clerk of Courts (http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/santa_rosa/clerk/index.html)
- Public Defender, 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida (http://www.pdo1.org/) serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties
- Office of the State Attorney, 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida (http://sao1.co.escambia.fl.us/pensacola.htm)
- Circuit and County Court for the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida (http://www.firstjudicialcircuit.org/PageView.asp?PageType=R&edit_id=1)
Tourism links
- Santa Rosa Tourist Development Council (http://www.beaches-rivers.com/)