Santa Rosa County, Florida

History

The first European in Santa Rosa County Florida may have been Diego Maldonado, a member of Tristan de Luna's failed expedition. Natives dominated the area until the late 1700s. A Spanish mission serving Apalachees, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad y San Luís, may have been located in Floridatown from 1718 until 1740.

Santa Rosa County was created in 1842, when it was divided from Escambia County. It was named after the barrier island along its southern coast, which in turn had been named for the Roman Catholic saint, Rosa de Viterbo.

Santa Rosa County repealed its prohibition on alcohol in 2005.

Santa Rosa County has seen unprecedented growth in population, specifically in the communities of Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze. The county is a quickly growing tourist destination because of its access to beaches and protected wilderness areas for kayaking, hiking, and camping.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1174 sqmi, of which 162 sqmi (13.8%) are covered by water.

National protected area

• Choctawhatchee National Forest (part)

Regions

Santa Rosa County can be divided into three distinct sections: South Santa Rosa, Central Santa Rosa, and North Santa Rosa. The sections are centered on the main east–west roads that pass through the county.

South Santa Rosa County comprises the area from Holley and Navarre in the east to Gulf Breeze]at the western end of the Fairpoint Peninsula, and along U.S. Highway 98. A section of Santa Rosa Island, containing the unincorporated community of Navarre Beach, is also part of South Santa Rosa County. Major bodies of water including Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay, and East Bay strongly influence the housing and lifestyle of citizens in the southern part of the county. This fast-growing region serves primarily as "bedroom communities" for Pensacola to the west and Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, and Eglin Air Force Base 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 so-called Old Spanish Trail that ran from St. Augustine to New Orleans, and further points west. Today, U.S. Highway 90 closely parallels the old trail, and is the main highway that connects the region. Despite recent growth, the Central Region is best identified by its rural roots, and can be best characterized by traditional Southern culture. The Pace and Milton communities compose the Central Region, with both having populations roughly around 30,000. The county seat, Milton is located where the trail crossed the Blackwater River. To the west of Milton bordering the Escambia River, Pace has experienced exponential growth, both residential and commercial. Interstate 10 also passes through this section of the county. The U.S. Navy presence is marked by Whiting Field and NOLF Spencer Field.

Northern Santa Rosa County is forest and farming country. The only town in the north is Jay. Most development has been along State Road 4, which runs through the northern sections of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties. A large oil and natural gas field around Jay produced a great deal of oil, and made many farmers millionaires 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 livelihoods.

State Road 87 traverses the county from north to south, between U.S. Highway 98 and the border with Escambia County, Alabama, near Brewton, where it connects with State Route 41. This road is a primary emergency evacuation route for the county during hurricanes.

Adjacent counties

• Escambia County, Alabama - north
• Okaloosa County, Florida - east
• Escambia County, Florida - west

Government

Board of county commissioners

The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners serves as the legislative and policy-setting body of the county as established under Section 125 of the Florida Statutes. As such, the board enacts all legislation and authorizes programs and expenditures within the county. The board appoints a professionally trained county administrator, who is responsible for policy and budget development and implementation.

The board comprises five members, elected countywide. Members must reside within the particular districts for which they seek election. Each year, the board organizes itself, selecting a chair and vice chair from among its members to preside at commission meetings.

The commission meets in regular session beginning at 9:00 am the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Commissioner's Board Room in the Administrative Center, 6495 Caroline Street, in Milton. Called meetings and workshops are scheduled periodically and are advertised and open to the public.

County officials

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, 188,000 people, 69,454 households, and 47,876 families resided in the county.

The median age was 40.3 years; 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.1 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 80.4% White, 5.9% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.9% from some other race, and 8.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.3% of the population.

80.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.9% lived in rural areas.

Of the 69,454 households, 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them; 56.6% were married-couple households, 15.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 75,854 housing units, of which 8.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.3% were owner-occupied and 22.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 117,743 people, 43,793 households, and 33,326 families resided in the county. The population density was 116 PD/sqmi. The 49,119 housing units had an average density of 48 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 90.72% White, 4.25% 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. About 2.52% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 43,793 households, 36.5% had children under 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were not families. About 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the age distribution was 26.6% under 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,881 and for a family was $46,929. Males had a median income of $34,878 versus $22,304 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,089. About 7.9% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under 18 and 7.5% of those 65 or over.

Libraries

The Santa Rosa County Library System has five branches located in: Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, and Pace.

Communities

The largest communities are Navarre and Pace.

Cities

• Gulf Breeze
• Milton

Town

• Jay

Census-designated places

• Allentown
• Avalon
• Bagdad
• Berrydale
• Brownsdale
• Chumuckla
• Cobbtown
• Dickerson City
• Dixonville
• East Milton
• Fidelis
• Floridatown
• Garcon Point
• Harold
• Holley
• Midway
• Mount Carmel
• Mulat
• Munson
• Navarre
• Navarre Beach
• Oriole Beach
• Pace
• Pea Ridge
• Pine Level
• Point Baker
• Roeville
• Springhill
• Tiger Point
• Wallace
• Whitfield
• Woodlawn Beach

Ghost towns

• Belandville
• Coon Hill
• Floridale

Politics

Santa Rosa County is a stronghold of the Republican Party. It has supported the Republican candidate in each presidential election since 1972, consistently by overwhelming margins.

Transportation

Airports

• Fort Walton Beach Airport
• Peter Prince Field

Highways

Notes

References

References

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3. Worth, John E.. "Persacola Colonial Frontiers Project".
4. (1908). "Publications of the Florida Historical Society". Florida Historical Society.
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6. "Blackwater River State Park".
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15. "State & County". United States Census Bureau.
16. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Rosa County, Florida".
17. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Rosa County, Florida".
18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
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