Taylor County, Florida


Taylor County is a county located in the Big Bend region in the northern part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,796. Its county seat 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.
WWW Official Site

History

Taylor County was created on December 23, 1856, from Madison County on the same day as Lafayette County was also split off from Madison County. It was named for Zachary Taylor, twelfth president of the United States, who served from 1849 to 1850. Taylor won most counties in northern Florida during the election of 1848 and was largely responsible for the ultimate U.S. victory in the Second Seminole War.
During the American Civil War, Taylor County was home to William Strickland and his band of deserters and Unionists called "The Royal Rangers" or the "Independent Rangers". In 1864, a Confederate colonel tasked with hunting down deserters, broke into Strickland's home and found a membership list of 35 men who "bear true allegiance to the United States of America." Despite their names being identified and homes burned to the ground, few members of the Rangers surrendered.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,796, 8,138 households, and 5,197 families. The median age was 43.7 years; 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.9% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 121.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 125.1 males.
Of those households, 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.7% were married-couple households, 21.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The racial makeup of the county was 73.6% White, 19.3% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population.
30.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 70.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 11,088 housing units, of which 26.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.9% were owner-occupied and 24.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.6%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,256 people, 7,176 households, and 5,130 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 9,646 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 77.84% White, 19.04% Black or African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population were Hispanic 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 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 for the county was $15,281. About 14.50% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, 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. 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 counties.

Communities

Town

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Politics

Taylor County was a Democratic-leaning county until 1964, when Republican Barry Goldwater carried it. Democrats only carried the county three times since then, with the last being in 1996.

Transportation

Airports

Major highways

  • is the main south-to-north route in Taylor County. It enters the county from Dixie County across a pair of bridges over the Tennille River east of Tennille, being overlapped with US 98 and Alternate US 27 until the routes encounter US 27 in Perry. From that point, US 98 turns west to run along the south coast of the Florida Panhandle and US 27 joins US 19 in an overlap through the Madison County Line.
  • runs southeast to northwest from Lafayette County and joins US 19 in Perry at the north end of the US 19/98 overlap. From there it runs north along US 19 on its way to Capps.
  • is a bannered alternate of US 27 that runs northwest and southeast from US 27 at the US 19/98 overlap in Perry to US 19/US 98 in Chiefland, where it branches off onto its own route to Williston.
  • begins as a west-to-east route in the county, but once it intersects US 19 in Perry it joins that road and becomes a north-to-south route.
  • is an auxiliary route of US 21 that runs north from Perry, and then passes through in Shady Grove just before crossing the Madison County line on its way through Greenville before heading north into Georgia.
  • begins in Steinhatchee on the Gulf of Mexico running along the west bank of the Steinhatchee River. After intersecting with US 19/98/Alt. 27 in Tennille, it crosses the Dixie County Line.

Railroads

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

Tourism links