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Taylor County
Taylor County
County
	Taylor County Courthouse
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Florida
	Florida's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 30°01′N 83°37′W / 30.02°N 83.62°W
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	December 23, 1856
Named for	Zachary Taylor
Seat	Perry
Largest city	Perry
Area
• Total	1,232 sq mi (3,190 km2)
• Land	1,043 sq mi (2,700 km2)
• Water	189 sq mi (490 km2) 15.3%
Population (2020)
• Total	21,796
• Estimate (2023)	21,582
• Density	18/sq mi (6.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.taylorcountygov.com

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.^[1] Its county seat is Perry.^[2] 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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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".^[5] 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.^[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,232 square miles (3,190 km²), of which 1,043 square miles (2,700 km²) is land and 189 square miles (490 km²) (15.3%) is water.^[7]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,384		—
1870	1,453		5.0%
1880	2,279		56.8%
1890	2,122		−6.9%
1900	3,999		88.5%
1910	7,103		77.6%
1920	11,219		57.9%
1930	13,136		17.1%
1940	11,565		−12.0%
1950	10,416		−9.9%
1960	13,168		26.4%
1970	13,641		3.6%
1980	16,532		21.2%
1990	17,111		3.5%
2000	19,256		12.5%
2010	22,570		17.2%
2020	21,796		−3.4%
2023 (est.)	21,582	^[8]	−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census^[9] 1790-1960^[10] 1900-1990^[11] 1990-2000^[12] 2010-2019^[13]

2020 census

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

**Taylor County racial composition**
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)^[14]^[15]
Race	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	16,483	15,629	73.03%	71.71%
Black or African American (NH)	4,629	4,196	20.51%	19.25%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	171	102	0.76%	0.47%
Asian (NH)	149	224	0.66%	1.03%
Pacific Islander (NH)	5	0	0.02%	0.0%
Some Other Race (NH)	15	45	0.07%	0.21%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	341	734	1.51%	3.37%
Hispanic or Latino	777	866	3.44%	3.97%
Total	22,570	21,796

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,796 people, 7,405 households, and 5,197 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 19,256 people, 7,176 households, and 5,130 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile (6.9 people/km²). There were 9,646 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3.5/km²). 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.^[17]

Taylor County High School also has an Army JROTC unit which has been an Honor Unit with Distinction for 27 consecutive years.^[18]

Library

The Taylor County Public Library is part of the Three Rivers Library System, which also serves Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Dixie counties.^[19]

Communities

Town

Perry

Census-designated place

Steinhatchee

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.

United States presidential election results for Taylor County, Florida^[20]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	7,954	79.37%	1,991	19.87%	77	0.77%
2020	7,751	76.45%	2,299	22.68%	88	0.87%
2016	6,930	74.13%	2,152	23.02%	266	2.85%
2012	6,249	68.37%	2,764	30.24%	127	1.39%
2008	6,457	68.79%	2,803	29.86%	127	1.35%
2004	5,467	63.71%	3,049	35.53%	65	0.76%
2000	4,058	59.59%	2,649	38.90%	103	1.51%
1996	3,188	39.86%	3,583	44.80%	1,226	15.33%
1992	2,693	37.34%	2,568	35.60%	1,952	27.06%
1988	4,057	69.06%	1,763	30.01%	55	0.94%
1984	4,038	69.98%	1,732	30.02%	0	0.00%
1980	2,776	47.31%	2,963	50.49%	129	2.20%
1976	1,983	36.68%	3,370	62.34%	53	0.98%
1972	4,109	84.50%	754	15.50%	0	0.00%
1968	794	15.71%	941	18.62%	3,318	65.66%
1964	2,661	60.91%	1,708	39.09%	0	0.00%
1960	1,212	38.85%	1,908	61.15%	0	0.00%
1956	776	28.52%	1,945	71.48%	0	0.00%
1952	744	29.40%	1,787	70.60%	0	0.00%
1948	216	10.81%	1,354	67.73%	429	21.46%
1944	165	8.28%	1,828	91.72%	0	0.00%
1940	198	7.34%	2,499	92.66%	0	0.00%
1936	127	6.27%	1,897	93.73%	0	0.00%
1932	130	8.24%	1,447	91.76%	0	0.00%
1928	465	38.05%	739	60.47%	18	1.47%
1924	100	16.45%	476	78.29%	32	5.26%
1920	128	17.73%	563	77.98%	31	4.29%
1916	51	8.36%	547	89.67%	12	1.97%
1912	56	15.43%	236	65.01%	71	19.56%
1908	160	31.13%	250	48.64%	104	20.23%
1904	119	37.54%	168	53.00%	30	9.46%