St. Johns County, Florida
Encyclopedia
St. Johns County is a county
located in northeastern Florida
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine
. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States.
St. Johns County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
area. It has experienced explosive growth in the last ten years as a flood of people working in Jacksonville built new homes across the county line.
. St. Johns County and Escambia County
were Florida's original two counties, with the Suwannee River
being the boundary between the two.
. St. Johns County's main economic base is tourism.
, which works closely with other area agencies.
is controlled by the St. Johns County School Board, an elected five-member board. They appoint a superintendent to administer the operation of public schools in the county. With the tremendous population growth, the number of high schools tripled between 2000 and 2008. The district is one of the highest rated in Florida, receiving an "A" grade from the state and a perfect score of "10" from the GreatSchools website.
For the 2008-2009 school year there were:
• 17 elementary schools (grades K-5)
• 1 grammar school (grades K-8)
• 7 middle schools (grades 6-8)
• 7 high schools
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
is a public-supported residential school operated by the State of Florida.
St. Johns River State College has one campus in the county.
Flagler College
is a private liberal arts college located in downtown St. Augustine.
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
is a facility for Physical and Occupational Therapy Education.
of 2000, there were 123,135 people, 49,614 households, and 34,084 families residing in the county. The population density
was 202 people per square mile (78/km²). There were 58,008 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.92% White, 6.29% African American, 0.26% American Indian, 0.95% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.
There were 49,614 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples
living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age of the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,099, and the median income for a family was $59,153. Males had a median income of $40,783 versus $27,240 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $28,674. About 5.10% of families and 8.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 6.20% of those age 65 or over.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in northeastern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States.
St. Johns County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
The Jacksonville metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Jacksonville, Florida and including the First Coast of North Florida.The U.S...
area. It has experienced explosive growth in the last ten years as a flood of people working in Jacksonville built new homes across the county line.
History
St. Johns County was created in 1821 when Florida was ceded to the United States. The Onis-Adams Treaty was negotiated with Spain by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. The treaty gave Florida to the US in exchange for withdrawing a $5 million claim against Spain. It was named for St. John the BaptistJohn the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. St. Johns County and Escambia County
Escambia County, Florida
Escambia County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2010 population was 297,619. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 296,772. Its county seat is Pensacola.- History :...
were Florida's original two counties, with the Suwannee River
Suwannee River
The Suwannee River is a major river of southern Georgia and northern Florida in the United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwannee Straits which separated peninsular Florida from the panhandle.-Geography:The river rises in the...
being the boundary between the two.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 821.43 square miles (2,127.5 km²), of which 609.01 square miles (1,577.3 km²) (or 74.14%) is land and 212.42 square miles (550.2 km²) (or 25.86%) is water, much of it in the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. St. Johns County's main economic base is tourism.
Adjacent counties
- Duval County, FloridaDuval County, FloridaDuval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
- north - Flagler County, FloridaFlagler County, FloridaFlagler County was created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia counties. It was named for Henry Morrison Flagler, a famous railroad builder who built the Florida East Coast Railway. Bunnell is the county seat of Flagler County....
- south - Putnam County, FloridaPutnam County, FloridaPutnam County is a county located in the state of Florida. The entire county makes up the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county was 72,893 . Its county seat is Palatka, Florida. The county is centrally...
- southwest - Clay County, FloridaClay County, FloridaClay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 190,895. Its county seat is Green Cove Springs, Florida. Clay County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area.- History :...
- west
National protected areas
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
- Fort Matanzas National MonumentFort Matanzas National MonumentCommemorated in 1924, Fort Matanzas National Monument is a United States National Monument run by the National Park Service. The Monument consists of a 1740 Spanish fort, Fort Matanzas, and about 100 acres of salt marsh and barrier islands along the Matanzas River on the northern Atlantic coast...
- Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research ReserveGuana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research ReserveGuana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve on Florida's First Coast is part of a network of 26 protected coastal areas along the United States coast from Alaska to Puerto Rico, The National Estuarine Research Reserve System...
Government
The St. Johns County Commission is an elected five-member commission, which appoints a county administrator. The main environmental and agricultural body is the St. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictSt. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation District
The St. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation District , located in St. Johns County, Florida is a government entity dedicated to encouraging productive use of land, water and air resources in the county. According to a summary taken from Florida Statutes Ch...
, which works closely with other area agencies.
Education
The St. Johns County School DistrictSt. Johns County School District
St. Johns County School District is the public school district for St. Johns County, Florida. St. Johns County is home to three of the nation's best high schools according to Newsweek Magazine in 2008 .-History:*1866 - St...
is controlled by the St. Johns County School Board, an elected five-member board. They appoint a superintendent to administer the operation of public schools in the county. With the tremendous population growth, the number of high schools tripled between 2000 and 2008. The district is one of the highest rated in Florida, receiving an "A" grade from the state and a perfect score of "10" from the GreatSchools website.
For the 2008-2009 school year there were:
• 17 elementary schools (grades K-5)
• 1 grammar school (grades K-8)
• 7 middle schools (grades 6-8)
• 7 high schools
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind
The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind is a state-supported boarding school for deaf and blind children established in 1885, in St. Augustine, Florida, USA.-History:...
is a public-supported residential school operated by the State of Florida.
St. Johns River State College has one campus in the county.
Flagler College
Flagler College
Flagler College, is a private four-year liberal arts college in St. Augustine, Florida, USA and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008.The college has been named in recent years by US News & World Report as one of the southeast region's best comprehensive liberal arts colleges, and is included on...
is a private liberal arts college located in downtown St. Augustine.
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is a graduate school that offers programs in occupational and physical therapy. It has campuses in St. Augustine, Florida and San Marcos, California, United States.The University of St...
is a facility for Physical and Occupational Therapy Education.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 123,135 people, 49,614 households, and 34,084 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 202 people per square mile (78/km²). There were 58,008 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.92% White, 6.29% African American, 0.26% American Indian, 0.95% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.
There were 49,614 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age of the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,099, and the median income for a family was $59,153. Males had a median income of $40,783 versus $27,240 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $28,674. About 5.10% of families and 8.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 6.20% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated
- Town of HastingsHastings, FloridaHastings is a town and agricultural center in St. Johns County, Florida, United States, southwest of St. Augustine. The population was 521 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 607.-History:...
- Town of MarinelandMarineland, FloridaMarineland is a town in both Flagler and St. Johns counties, in Florida, United States. The population was six at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is ten . Marineland is located south of St...
- City of St. AugustineSt. Augustine, FloridaSt. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
- City of St. Augustine BeachSt. Augustine Beach, FloridaSt. Augustine Beach is a city in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,683 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,002....
Unincorporated
- Butler BeachButler Beach, FloridaButler Beach is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,436 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Butler Beach is located at ....
- Crescent BeachCrescent Beach, FloridaCrescent Beach is an unincorporated census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 985 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Crescent Beach is located at ....
- ElktonElkton, FloridaElkton is an unincorporated community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. It is located at the intersection of State Road 207 and County Road 305. The most prominent landmark is the Post Office, which delivers mail to the rural southwest section of the county. In the summer of 2008...
- Flagler EstatesFlagler Estates, FloridaFlagler Estates is an unincorporated community in Flagler and St. Johns counties in the U.S. state of Florida. The Flagler County portion of Flagler Estates is part of the Palm Coast Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the St...
- Fruit CoveFruit Cove, FloridaFruit Cove is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,077 at the 2000 census. It is located in the community of St...
- Julington Creek (Plantation)
- NocateeNocatee, St. Johns County, FloridaNocatee, Florida is an unincorporated master-planned community on , primarily in northern St. Johns County, Florida. The aura is located in one of the most prestigious regions of Florida, Ponte Vedra Beach...
- Palm ValleyPalm Valley, FloridaPalm Valley is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 19,860 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Ponte Vedra Beach
- SawgrassSawgrass, FloridaSawgrass is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,942 at the 2000 census. The aura is located in one of the most prestigious region of Florida, Ponte Vedra Beach.-Geography:...
- St. JohnsSt. Johns, FloridaSt. Johns is an unincorporated community in northwest St. Johns County, Florida, United States and a suburb of Jacksonville. The population as of the 2000 census was 18,063, though considerable growth has occurred in the past ten years. It is located in the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area,...
- St. Augustine ShoresSt. Augustine Shores, FloridaSt. Augustine Shores is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 4,922.-Geography:St...
- St. Augustine SouthSt. Augustine South, FloridaSt. Augustine South is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,035 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St...
- SpudsSpuds, FloridaSpuds is an unincorporated community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The name is appropriate, as it lies in a region that depends economically on potato growing and other agriculture. As well as potatoes, the land around Spuds provides gladioli...
- Summer Haven
- SwitzerlandSwitzerland, FloridaSwitzerland, Florida is an unincorporated community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. It is adjacent to Fruit Cove. The approximate population of Switzerland is 18,063. Switzerland is situated on the eastern bank of the St...
- Vilano BeachVilano Beach, FloridaVilano Beach is a census-designated place in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Vilano Beach is located at ....
- Vermont HeightsVermont Heights, FloridaVermont Heights is a small unincorporated community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. It is located on State Road 207, west of I-95.-Geography:Vermont Heights is located at ....
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Johns County, Florida
- Parks in St. Augustine/St. Johns County, Florida
Government links/Constitutional offices
- St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners official website
- St. Johns County Public Library System
- St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections
- St. Johns County Property Appraiser
- St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
- St. Johns County Tax Collector
- St. Johns County School Board
Judicial branch
- St. Johns County Clerk of Courts
- Public Defender, 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving FlaglerFlagler County, FloridaFlagler County was created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia counties. It was named for Henry Morrison Flagler, a famous railroad builder who built the Florida East Coast Railway. Bunnell is the county seat of Flagler County....
, PutnamPutnam County, FloridaPutnam County is a county located in the state of Florida. The entire county makes up the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county was 72,893 . Its county seat is Palatka, Florida. The county is centrally...
, St. Johns, and VolusiaVolusia County, FloridaVolusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
counties - Office of the State Attorney, 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida
- St. Johns County Bar Association
Tourism links
- St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & the Beaches Visitor and Convention Bureau
- St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce
Local news media
- St. Johns County is served by two daily newspapers, the Florida Times-Union/jacksonville.com and The St. Augustine Record/staugustine.com. The Ponte Vedra Recorder/pontevedrarecorder.com is a twice weekly paper serving northeast St. Johns County.
- Historic City News - Local news for St. Augustine and St. Johns County, FL