Lafayette County, Florida

Lafayette County is a county located in the north central portion of the state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,870,[1] making it the second-least populous county in Florida. The county seat is Mayo.[2] Lafayette County is a prohibition or partially dry county, allowing retail sales of beer.

Lafayette County
U.S. county
Lafayette County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°59′N 83°11′W
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedDecember 23, 1853
Named forMarquis de Lafayette
SeatMayo
Largest townMayo
Area
 • Total548 sq mi (1,420 km2)
 • Land543 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Water4.5 sq mi (12 km2)  0.8%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
8,422
 • Density16/sq mi (6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.lafayettecountyfl.net

History

Lafayette County was created on December 23, 1856 from part of Madison County. At the time it comprised all the area of present-day Lafayette and Dixie counties. The County was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who rendered assistance to the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.[3] The famed Suwannee River forms the entire eastern boundary. The county courts first met at the home of Ariel Jones near Fayetteville. The county seat was New Troy until the court house burned down on New Year's Eve, 1892. It was moved to Mayo in 1893, and Mayo is currently Lafayette's only incorporated town. The moving of the courthouse was the end for New Troy. The Gainesville Sun states that houses were dismantled for their timber and bricks, hardwoods replaced the fields, steamboat traffic ended in 1899, and the ferry closed in 1917. In 1921 the lower part of the county was removed to create Dixie County.

Historic sites

Historic sites in Lafayette County include:

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 548 square miles (1,420 km2), of which 543 square miles (1,410 km2) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km2) (0.8%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18602,068—
18701,783−13.8%
18802,44136.9%
18903,68651.0%
19004,98735.3%
19106,71034.5%
19206,242−7.0%
19304,361−30.1%
19404,4051.0%
19503,440−21.9%
19602,889−16.0%
19702,8920.1%
19804,03539.5%
19905,57838.2%
20007,02225.9%
20108,87026.3%
Est. 20198,422[5]−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 7,022 people, 2,142 households and 1,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.27% White, 14.37% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.30% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 9.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 41.1% were English, 8.0% were Irish, 7.1% were American, and 5.3% were German.

There were 2,142 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 34.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 148.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,020. Males had a median income of $25,030 versus $22,007 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,087. About 12.90% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Other
2016 82.35% 2,809 15.19% 518 2.46% 84
2012 78.33% 2,668 20.17% 687 1.50% 51
2008 79.33% 2,679 19.01% 642 1.66% 56
2004 73.98% 2,460 25.41% 845 0.60% 20
2000 66.67% 1,670 31.50% 789 1.84% 46
1996 50.22% 1,166 35.70% 829 14.08% 327
1992 41.15% 1,039 34.34% 867 24.52% 619
1988 66.41% 1,451 33.04% 722 0.55% 12
1984 63.71% 1,513 36.29% 862
1980 42.67% 795 55.50% 1,034 1.82% 34
1976 31.41% 523 67.63% 1,126 0.96% 16
1972 85.69% 1,060 13.99% 173 0.32% 4
1968 9.28% 137 14.56% 215 76.17% 1,125
1964 54.32% 648 45.68% 545
1960 27.25% 297 72.75% 793
1956 15.07% 187 84.93% 1,054
1952 21.52% 269 78.48% 981
1948 4.54% 52 85.15% 975 10.31% 118
1944 14.51% 140 85.49% 825
1940 10.07% 122 89.93% 1,090
1936 6.87% 80 93.13% 1,084
1932 2.82% 27 97.18% 929
1928 23.48% 135 75.65% 435 0.87% 5
1924 8.13% 33 88.18% 358 3.70% 15
1920 9.66% 69 86.55% 618 3.78% 27
1916 4.73% 45 89.27% 849 5.99% 57
1912 11.85% 73 76.79% 473 11.37% 70
1908 13.95% 90 75.50% 487 10.54% 68
1904 28.11% 122 63.36% 275 8.53% 37

Parks

Parks in the county include Lafayette Blue Springs State Park and Troy Springs State Park, both accessible to the Suwannee River.

Library

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

Communities

Town

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities
  • Airline
  • Alton
  • Buckville
  • Cooks Hammock
  • Hatchbend
  • Midway

See also
  • Dry counties

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. p. 178.
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-15.

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

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