There are 67countiesin theU.S. stateofFlorida,which became aterritory of the U.S.in 1821 with two counties complementing the provincial divisions retained as a Spanish territory,Escambiato the west andSt. Johnsto the east. The two counties were divided by theSuwannee River.All of the other counties were created later from these two original counties. Florida became the 27th U.S. state in 1845, and its last county was created in 1925 with the formation ofGilchrist Countyfrom a segment ofAlachua County.[1]Florida's counties are subdivisions of thestate government.Florida's most populous county isMiami-Dade County,the seventh most populous county in the nation, with a population of 2,701,767 as of the2020 census.[2]
| Counties of Florida | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | State of Florida |
| Number | 67 |
| Populations | 7,706 (Liberty) – 2,686,867 (Miami-Dade) |
| Areas | 240 square miles (620 km2) (Union) – 2,034 square miles (5,270 km2) (Palm Beach) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions |
|
0–49,999
50,000–99,999
100,000–199,999
200,000–299,999
300,000–499,999
500,000–749,999
750,000–999,999
1,000,000–1,499,999
1,500,000–1,999,999
2,000,000+
In 1968, counties gained the power to develop their owncharters.[3]All but two of Florida'scounty seatsareincorporated municipalities:the exceptions areCrawfordville,county seat of ruralWakulla County,[4]andEast Naples,located outsideNaplescity limits inCollier County.
The names of Florida's counties reflect its cultural heritage. Some are named forConfederate political leadersandSpanish explorers,marking the influence ofSpanish sovereignty,while others are named for Christian saints, Native American sites, as well as political leaders of the United States. Natural features of the region, including rivers, lakes and flora, are also commonly used for county names. Florida has counties named for participants on both sides of theSecond Seminole War:Miami-Dade Countyis partially named forFrancis L. Dade,a major in the U.S. Army at the time;Osceola Countyis named for the war's nativeMuscogee-Seminoleresistance leaderOsceola.[5]
Population figures are based on the 2023 vintageCensuspopulation estimates. The population of Florida is 22,610,726, an increase of 5.0% from 2020. The average population of Florida's counties is 337,474;Miami-Dade Countyis the most populous (2,686,867) andLiberty Countyis the least (7,706). The average land area is 805 sq mi (2,085 km2). The largest county is Collier County as per 2020 Census bureau of 1,998.32 sq mi.[1]
TheFederal Information Processing Standard(FIPS) is used by the U.S. government to uniquely identify counties and is provided for each entry. These codes link to the United States Census Bureau's "quick facts" for each county. Florida's FIPS code of 12 is used to distinguish from counties in other states. For example, Alachua County's unique nationwide identifier is 12001.[6]
Counties
edit| County |
FIPScode[6] | County seat[7] | Est.[5] | Formed from[8] | Etymology[5] | Density |
Population[9] | Area[10][7] | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua County | 001 | Gainesville | 1824 | DuvalandSt. Johns | From a Seminole-Creek word meaning "jug", apparently in reference to the sinkholes common in the area[11] | 327.22 | 285,994 | 874sq mi (2,264km2) |
|
| Baker County | 003 | Macclenny | 1861 | New River | James McNair Baker(1821–1892), aConfederatesenatorand later ajudgein the fourth judicial district | 48.49 | 28,368 | 585sq mi (1,515km2) |
|
| Bay County | 005 | Panama City | 1913 | CalhounandWashington | St. Andrew's Bay,the central geographic feature of the county | 249.70 | 190,769 | 764sq mi (1,979km2) |
|
| Bradford County | 007 | Starke | 1858 | Columbia named New River until 1861 |
Richard Bradford, the first officer from Florida to die in theCivil War;he was killed during theBattle of Santa Rosa Island | 95.08 | 27,858 | 293sq mi (759km2) |
|
| Brevard County | 009 | Titusville | 1844 | HillsboroughandMosquito namedSt. Lucieuntil 1855[12] |
Theodore Washington Brevard,early settler and laterstate comptrollerfrom 1853 to 1861[12] | 632.59 | 643,979 | 1,018sq mi (2,637km2) |
|
| Broward County | 011 | Fort Lauderdale | 1915 | Miami-DadeandPalm Beach | Napoleon Bonaparte Broward(1857–1910),19th governor of Floridafrom 1905 to 1909 | 1623.27 | 1,962,531 | 1,209sq mi (3,131km2) |
|
| Calhoun County | 013 | Blountstown | 1838 | Franklin,Jackson,andWashington | John C. Calhoun(1782–1850) leadingSouthernpolitician fromSouth Carolina | 23.76 | 13,470 | 567sq mi (1,469km2) |
|
| Charlotte County | 015 | Punta Gorda | 1921 | DeSoto | Probably a corruption of the name of theCalusa,a group of Native Americans from the area | 297.02 | 206,134 | 694sq mi (1,797km2) |
|
| Citrus County | 017 | Inverness | 1887 | Hernando | The county'scitrustrees | 285.44 | 166,696 | 584sq mi (1,513km2) |
|
| Clay County | 019 | Green Cove Springs | 1858 | Duval | Henry Clay(1777–1852),Secretary of Statefrom 1825 to 1829 underJohn Quincy Adams | 386.75 | 232,439 | 601sq mi (1,557km2) |
|
| Collier County | 021 | East Naples | 1923 | Lee | Barron Collier(1873–1939), anadvertisingentrepreneurwho developed much of the land in southern Florida | 199.56 | 404,310 | 2,026sq mi (5,247km2) |
|
| Columbia County | 023 | Lake City | 1832 | Alachua | Christopher Columbus(c. 1451–1506),explorerof theAmericas | 91.67 | 73,063 | 797sq mi (2,064km2) |
|
| DeSoto County | 027 | Arcadia | 1887 | Manatee | Hernando de Soto(c. 1496/1497–1542), aSpanishexplorer andconquistador | 56.48 | 35,979 | 637sq mi (1,650km2) |
|
| Dixie County | 029 | Cross City | 1921 | Lafayette | Dixie,the common nickname for theSouthern United States | 24.81 | 17,465 | 704sq mi (1,823km2) |
|
| Duval County | 031 | Jacksonville | 1822 | St. Johns | William Pope Duval(1784–1854), the first governor of theFlorida Territory | 1331.81 | 1,030,822 | 774sq mi (2,005km2) |
|
| Escambia County | 033 | Pensacola | 1821 | One of the two original counties | Disputed origin; possibly from theCreekorChoctawwordShambia,meaning "clear water", or from Spanish word "cambiar", meaning to barter | 492.36 | 326,928 | 664sq mi (1,720km2) |
|
| Flagler County | 035 | Bunnell | 1917 | St. JohnsandVolusia | Henry Morrison Flagler(1830–1913), founder of theFlorida East Coast Railway | 271.01 | 131,439 | 485sq mi (1,256km2) |
|
| Franklin County | 037 | Apalachicola | 1832 | GadsdenandWashington | Benjamin Franklin(1706–1790), one of theFounding Fathersof theUnited States of America | 23.58 | 12,594 | 534sq mi (1,383km2) |
|
| Gadsden County | 039 | Quincy | 1823 | Jackson | James Gadsden(1788–1858), American diplomat and namesake of theGadsden Purchase | 84.95 | 43,833 | 516sq mi (1,336km2) |
|
| Gilchrist County | 041 | Trenton | 1925 | Alachua | Albert W. Gilchrist(1858–1926), the20th governor of Florida | 56.12 | 19,587 | 349sq mi (904km2) |
|
| Glades County | 043 | Moore Haven | 1921 | DeSoto | TheFlorida Everglades | 16.52 | 12,786 | 774sq mi (2,005km2) |
|
| Gulf County | 045 | Port St. Joe | 1925 | Calhoun | TheGulf of Mexico | 27.78 | 15,693 | 565sq mi (1,463km2) |
|
| Hamilton County | 047 | Jasper | 1827 | Jefferson | Alexander Hamilton(1757–1804), the firstUnited States Secretary of the Treasuryand aFounding Father | 26.16 | 13,471 | 515sq mi (1,334km2) |
|
| Hardee County | 049 | Wauchula | 1921 | DeSoto | Cary A. Hardee(1876–1957), governor of Florida at the time of creation of Hardee County | 40.44 | 25,760 | 637sq mi (1,650km2) |
|
| Hendry County | 051 | LaBelle | 1923 | Lee | Francis A. Hendry(1833–1917), early Floridian pioneer and politician | 37.58 | 43,333 | 1,153sq mi (2,986km2) |
|
| Hernando County | 053 | Brooksville | 1843 | AlachuaandHillsborough named Benton from 1844 to 1850 |
Hernando de Soto(c. 1496/1497–1542), aSpanishexplorer andconquistador | 445.20 | 212,807 | 478sq mi (1,238km2) |
|
| Highlands County | 055 | Sebring | 1921 | DeSoto | Named for the county's hilly terrain | 104.68 | 107,614 | 1,028sq mi (2,663km2) |
|
| Hillsborough County | 057 | Tampa | 1834 | Alachua | Wills Hill,Earl of Hillsborough(1718–1793), formerSecretary of State for the Colonies | 1461.05 | 1,535,564 | 1,051sq mi (2,722km2) |
|
| Holmes County | 059 | Bonifay | 1848 | JacksonandWalton | Holmes Creek, which forms the eastern boundary of the county | 41.38 | 19,944 | 482sq mi (1,248km2) |
|
| Indian River County | 061 | Vero Beach | 1925 | St. Lucie | TheIndian River Lagoon,which flows through the county | 337.56 | 169,795 | 503sq mi (1,303km2) |
|
| Jackson County | 063 | Marianna | 1822 | Escambia | Andrew Jackson(1767–1845), theseventhPresident of the United States | 53.08 | 48,622 | 916sq mi (2,372km2) |
|
| Jefferson County | 065 | Monticello | 1827 | Leon | Thomas Jefferson(1743–1826), thethirdPresident of the United Statesand principal author of theDeclaration of Independence | 25.84 | 15,450 | 598sq mi (1,549km2) |
|
| Lafayette County | 067 | Mayo | 1856 | Madison | Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette(1757–1834),Frencharistocrat and general in theAmerican Revolutionary War | 14.88 | 8,078 | 543sq mi (1,406km2) |
|
| Lake County | 069 | Tavares | 1887 | OrangeandSumter | Named for the many lakes in the region | 445.40 | 424,462 | 953sq mi (2,468km2) |
|
| Lee County | 071 | Fort Myers | 1887 | Monroe | Robert E. Lee(1807–1870), commander of the ConfederateArmy of Northern Virginiain theAmerican Civil War | 1038.03 | 834,573 | 804sq mi (2,082km2) |
|
| Leon County | 073 | Tallahassee | 1824 | Gadsden | Juan Ponce de León(1474–1521),Spanishexplorerwho named Florida | 445.15 | 296,913 | 667sq mi (1,728km2) |
|
| Levy County | 075 | Bronson | 1845 | Alachua | David Levy Yulee(1810–1886), one of the state's original United States Senators | 41.63 | 46,545 | 1,118sq mi (2,896km2) |
|
| Liberty County | 077 | Bristol | 1855 | Gadsden | The patriotic ideal ofliberty | 9.22 | 7,706 | 836sq mi (2,165km2) |
|
| Madison County | 079 | Madison | 1827 | Jefferson | James Madison(1751–1836),fourthPresident of the United States | 26.76 | 18,519 | 692sq mi (1,792km2) |
|
| Manatee County | 081 | Bradenton | 1855 | Hillsborough | Themanatee,or sea cow, is native to Florida waters. | 595.27 | 441,095 | 741sq mi (1,919km2) |
|
| Marion County | 083 | Ocala | 1844 | Alachua,Hillsborough,andMosquito | Francis Marion(c. 1732–1795), military officer during theAmerican Revolution | 259.63 | 409,959 | 1,579sq mi (4,090km2) |
|
| Martin County | 085 | Stuart | 1925 | Palm Beach | John W. Martin(1884–1958), governor of Florida at time of creation of the county | 293.73 | 163,315 | 556sq mi (1,440km2) |
|
| Miami-Dade County | 086 | Miami | 1836 | Monroe named Dade until 1997 |
City ofMiamiandFrancis L. Dade(c. 1793–1835),Majorin theUnited States Armyduring theSecond Seminole War | 1380.71 | 2,686,867 | 1,946sq mi (5,040km2) |
|
| Monroe County | 087 | Key West | 1823 | St. Johns | James Monroe(1758–1831),fifthPresident of the United States | 80.86 | 80,614 | 997sq mi (2,582km2) |
|
| Nassau County | 089 | Fernandina Beach | 1824 | Duval | Duchy of Nassauin Germany | 155.68 | 101,501 | 652sq mi (1,689km2) |
|
| Okaloosa County | 091 | Crestview | 1915 | Santa RosaandWalton | AChoctawword meaning "a pleasant place", "black water", or "beautiful place" | 233.40 | 218,464 | 936sq mi (2,424km2) |
|
| Okeechobee County | 093 | Okeechobee | 1917 | OsceolaandSt. Lucie | Lake Okeechobee,which was in turn is from theHitchitiwords for "big water" | 53.52 | 41,427 | 774sq mi (2,005km2) |
|
| Orange County | 095 | Orlando | 1824 | St. Johns namedMosquitountil 1845 |
Thefruitthat was the county's main product | 1620.50 | 1,471,416 | 908sq mi (2,352km2) |
|
| Osceola County | 097 | Kissimmee | 1887 | BrevardandOrange | Osceola(1804–1838), a leader of theSeminoleduring theSecond Seminole War | 331.15 | 437,784 | 1,322sq mi (3,424km2) |
|
| Palm Beach County | 099 | West Palm Beach | 1909 | Miami Dade County | The county's large amounts ofpalm trees | 754.08 | 1,533,801 | 2,034sq mi (5,268km2) |
|
| Pasco County | 101 | Dade City | 1887 | Hernando | Samuel Pasco(1834–1917),United States Senatorat the time of creation of the county | 849.66 | 632,996 | 745sq mi (1,930km2) |
|
| Pinellas County | 103 | Clearwater | 1912 | Hillsborough | From theSpanishPunta Piñal,or "Point of Pines" | 3434.27 | 961,596 | 280sq mi (725km2) |
|
| Polk County | 105 | Bartow | 1861 | BrevardandHillsborough | James K. Polk(1795–1849), the11thPresident of the United States | 436.44 | 818,330 | 1,875sq mi (4,856km2) |
|
| Putnam County | 107 | Palatka | 1849 | AlachuaandSt. Johns | Benjamin A. Putnam (1801–1869), soldier during theSecond Seminole Warand Floridian legislator | 105.20 | 75,955 | 722sq mi (1,870km2) |
|
| St. Johns County | 109 | St. Augustine | 1821 | One of the two original counties | Name derived from theSt. Johns River,which in turn derives its name fromSan Juan del Puerto | 525.63 | 320,110 | 609sq mi (1,577km2) |
|
| St. Lucie County | 111 | Fort Pierce | 1905 | Brevard | Saint Lucy(283–304), theChristian martyr | 653.12 | 373,586 | 572sq mi (1,481km2) |
|
| Santa Rosa County | 113 | Milton | 1842 | Escambia | Santa Rosa Island,which is in turn named forSaint Rosa de Viterbo(1235–1252), asaintborn inViterbo,Italy | 199.96 | 203,162 | 1,016sq mi (2,631km2) |
|
| Sarasota County | 115 | Sarasota | 1921 | Manatee | Native Americanword, of uncertain meaning, for the area | 819.95 | 469,013 | 572sq mi (1,481km2) |
|
| Seminole County | 117 | Sanford | 1913 | Orange | TheSeminoleNative Americantribe | 1572.31 | 484,271 | 308sq mi (798km2) |
|
| Sumter County | 119 | Bushnell | 1853 | Marion | Thomas Sumter(1734–1832), general in theAmerican Revolution | 277.59 | 151,565 | 546sq mi (1,414km2) |
|
| Suwannee County | 121 | Live Oak | 1858 | Columbia | TheSuwannee River,a 266-mile long river in northern Florida | 67.05 | 46,130 | 688sq mi (1,782km2) |
|
| Taylor County | 123 | Perry | 1856 | Madison | Zachary Taylor(1784–1850),12thPresident of the United States | 20.71 | 21,582 | 1,042sq mi (2,699km2) |
|
| Union County | 125 | Lake Butler | 1921 | Bradford | Named for the area's residents united desire to split into a separate county | 64.72 | 15,532 | 240sq mi (622km2) |
|
| Volusia County | 127 | DeLand | 1854 | Orange | The port ofVolusia,whose etymology is uncertain; possibly derived from theNative Americanword for "Land of theEuchees",the term for the area's native inhabitants | 533.78 | 590,357 | 1,106sq mi (2,865km2) |
|
| Wakulla County | 129 | Crawfordville | 1843 | Leon | TheWakulla River,itself named for a Spanish corruption of aTimucuanword used to describe the body of water, but that is of uncertain meaning | 60.05 | 36,449 | 607sq mi (1,572km2) |
|
| Walton County | 131 | DeFuniak Springs | 1824 | EscambiaandJackson | George Walton, first Secretary of Florida Territory | 81.62 | 86,354 | 1,058sq mi (2,740km2) |
|
| Washington County | 133 | Chipley | 1825 | JacksonandWalton | George Washington(1732–1799),firstPresident of the United States | 44.14 | 25,602 | 580sq mi (1,502km2) |
|
Former counties
editFayette County was created in 1832 from the portion ofJackson Countyeast of theChipola River,with its county seat atOchesee(now inCalhoun Countyeast ofAltha).[13][14]In 1834, it was merged back into Jackson County.[15]
Renamed counties
editFive counties in Florida have been renamed. Most renamings occurred between 1845 and 1861, during the first sixteen years of Florida's statehood. One occurred in 1997, when Dade County changed its name toMiami-Dade County.
| County[5] | Dates[5] | Etymology[5] | Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 1844–1850 | Thomas Benton(1782–1858), U.S. Senator from Missouri who supported theArmed Occupation Act of 1842that many Floridians wanted in order to evictNative Americans | Original name of county wasHernando County,and the name was changed back to that in 1850 |
| Dade County | 1836–1997 | Francis L. Dade(c. 1793–1835),Majorin theUnited States Armyduring theSecond Seminole War | Changed toMiami-Dade Countyin 1997, in order to benefit from the City of Miami's internationally recognizable name |
| Mosquito County | 1824–1845 | Taken from the name theSpanishhad given the entire coast, "Los Mosquitos" | Mosquito had already repeatedly ceded land to other counties by 1845, when it was renamedOrange County |
| New River County | 1858–1861 | TheNew River | Renamed toBradford Countyin 1861 |
| St. Lucie County | 1844–1855 | Saint Lucy(283–304), theChristian martyr | RenamedBrevard Countyin 1855 |
Proposed counties
edit| County[5] | Proposal date[5] | Etymology[5] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloxham County | 1915[16] | William D. Bloxham(1835–1911),13th and 17th governor of Florida | county seat atWilliston |
| Leigh Read County | 1842 | Leigh Read,legislator | proposed renaming ofMosquito County |
| Miami County[17] | 1947 | City ofMiami | consolidated city-county |
| Ocean County | 1991 | Atlantic Ocean | includedJacksonville Beaches,proposed due to neglect fromJacksonville,but was abandoned[citation needed] |
| Springs County[18] | 2020 | City ofHigh Springs | proposal to split Alachua County along 34th Street in Gainesville[19] |
See also
editFurther reading
edit- Utley, Geo. B. (1908)."Origin of the County Names in Florida".Florida Historical Society Quarterly.1(3): 29–35.RetrievedMay 25,2018.
References
edit- Specific
- ^"A Guide to Alachua County's History".Alachua County Florida.Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2006.RetrievedMarch 24,2010.
- ^"Explore Census Data".data.census.gov.Retrieved2021-12-07.
- ^"About Florida's Counties".Florida Association of Counties. Archived fromthe originalon October 4, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 20,2010.
- ^"Demographics".Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce.Retrieved2012-01-30.
- ^abcdefghij"Florida County Maps".Florida Center for Instructional Technology –University of South Florida.RetrievedJanuary 16,2010.
- ^ab"United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) County FIPS Code Listing".United States Environmental Protection Agency. Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2012.RetrievedApril 24,2008.
- ^ab"NACo – Find a county".National Association of Counties. Archived fromthe originalon October 25, 2007.RetrievedApril 24,2008.
- ^Newberry Library,Atlas of Historical County Boundaries: Florida,accessed May 2014
- ^"U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Florida".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedApril 19,2024.
- ^"Florida QuickFacts".U.S. Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon July 2, 2013.RetrievedApril 23,2008.(2008 Census estimates)
- ^Morris, Allen,Florida Place Names
- ^abEriksen, John M.,Brevard County, Florida...A Short History to 1955
- ^An Act to organise a county to be called the County of Fayette(53). 1832.
- ^An Act, more accurately to define the boundaries of Fayette County, and for other purposes(31 (Chapter 688)). 1833.
- ^An Act to repeal certain acts organizing the County of Fayette(26 (Chapter 765)). 1834.
- ^An Act Providing for the Creation of Bloxham County in the State of Florida, and for the Organization and the Government Thereof(130 (Chapter 6936)). 1915.
- ^An Act Providing the Manner, Method and Means of the Election and Creation of a Charter Board in the Territory now Comprising Dade County; Providing for the Drafting and Adopting of the Charter Prepared by Said Board for Said Territory; Providing for the Election of Commissioners of a New Political Subdivision in the Territory now Comprising Dade County to be Known as the County of Miami; Providing the Effective Date of Said Charter and the Time the Board of Commissioners Shall Take Office; and Providing that This Act Shall not Become Effective Until the Joint Resolution No. 407 has Been Approved by the Qualified Electors of Dade County and of the State of Florida as a Whole (853 (Chapter 24467)). 1947.
- ^"Why Springs County? | Springs County".springscounty.Retrieved2024-04-01.
- ^"Springs County: Is there a feasible way to redraw county lines?".mainstreetdailynews.2020-06-16.Retrieved2024-04-01.
- General
- Atlas of Florida,revised edition. Edward A. Fernald & Elizabeth D. Purdum, editors (University Press of Florida, 1996). "Evolution of Counties", pp. 98–99.