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Florida counties (clickable map)

There are 67 counties in the state of Florida in the United States. It was a territory of the U.S. in 1821 and started with two counties; Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the east, divided by the Apalachicola River. All other counties were apportioned from these two original counties. Florida became the 27th U.S. state in 1845, while its last county was created in 1925 with the formation of Gilchrist County from a segment of Alachua County.^[1] Florida's counties were originally subdivisions of the state government. Throughout its history however, county governments have grown increasingly important. In 1968, counties gained the power to develop their own charters.^[2]

Most of Florida's counties are named for local or national political leaders. Some counties are named for Spanish explorers or conquistadors, showing the influence of 200 years of Spanish rule. Another common name choice is natural features such as rivers, lakes, or flora of the region. The state has counties named for participants on both sides of Second Seminole War: Miami-Dade County is partially named for Francis L. Dade, a Major in the U.S. Army at the time; Osceola County is named for a Native American resistance leader during the war.^[3]

Population figures are based on the 2008 United States Census estimates. According to that estimate, the population of Florida is 18,423,878, an increase of 14.8% from 2000. The average population of Florida's counties is 274,983; Miami-Dade County is the most populous (2,398,245) and Liberty County is the least (7,957). The average land area is 805 sq mi (2,085 km²). The largest county is Palm Beach County (2,034 sq mi, 5268 km²) and the smallest is Union County (240 sq mi, 622 km²). The total land area of the state is 53,927 sq mi (139,670 km²).^[4][5]

The Federal 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]

List of counties

County	FIPS Code [6]	County seat [7]	Established [3]	Formed from [3]	Etymology [3]	Population [4][7]	Area [4][7]	Map
Alachua County	001	Gainesville	1824	St. Johns County	Derived from the name of a chasm located northwest of Gainesville	&0000000000241364.000000241,364	&0000000000000874.000000874 sq mi (&0000000000002264.0000002,264 km2)
Baker County	003	Macclenny	1861	Bradford County	James McNair Baker (1821–1892), a Confederate senator and later a judge in the fourth judicial district.	&0000000000026164.00000026,164	&0000000000000585.000000585 sq mi (&0000000000001515.0000001,515 km2)
Bay County	005	Panama City	1913	Washington County	St. Andrew's Bay, the central geographic feature of the county	&0000000000163946.000000163,946	&0000000000000764.000000764 sq mi (&0000000000001979.0000001,979 km2)
Bradford County	007	Starke	1858	Columbia and Alachua counties	Richard Bradford, the first officer from Florida to die in the Civil War; he was killed during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island	&0000000000029012.00000029,012	&0000000000000293.000000293 sq mi (&0000000000000759.000000759 km2)
Brevard County	009	Titusville	1844	Orange County	Thomas Washington Brevard, state comptroller from 1853 to 1861	&0000000000536521.000000536,521	&0000000000001018.0000001,018 sq mi (&0000000000002637.0000002,637 km2)
Broward County	011	Fort Lauderdale	1915	Miami-Dade County	Napoleon Bonaparte Broward (1857–1910), 19th Governor of Florida from 1905 to 1909	&0000000001751234.0000001,751,234	&0000000000001209.0000001,209 sq mi (&0000000000003131.0000003,131 km2)
Calhoun County	013	Blountstown	1838	Escambia County	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) leading Southern politician from South Carolina	&0000000000013617.00000013,617	&0000000000000567.000000567 sq mi (&0000000000001469.0000001,469 km2)
Charlotte County	015	Punta Gorda	1921	DeSoto County	Probably a corruption of the name of the Calusa, a group of Native Americans from the area	&0000000000150060.000000150,060	&0000000000000694.000000694 sq mi (&0000000000001797.0000001,797 km2)
Citrus County	017	Inverness	1887	Hernando County	The county's citrus trees	&0000000000141416.000000141,416	&0000000000000584.000000584 sq mi (&0000000000001513.0000001,513 km2)
Clay County	019	Green Cove Springs	1858	Duval County	Henry Clay (1777–1852), Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829 under John Quincy Adams	&0000000000184727.000000184,727	&0000000000000601.000000601 sq mi (&0000000000001557.0000001,557 km2)
Collier County	021	Naples	1923	Lee County	Barron Collier (1873–1939), an advertising entrepreneur who developed much of the land in southern Florida	&0000000000315258.000000315,258	&0000000000002026.0000002,026 sq mi (&0000000000005247.0000005,247 km2)
Columbia County	023	Lake City	1832	St. Johns County	Christopher Columbus (c. 1451–1506), explorer of the Americas	&0000000000069092.00000069,092	&0000000000000797.000000797 sq mi (&0000000000002064.0000002,064 km2)
DeSoto County	027	Arcadia	1887	Manatee County	Hernando de Soto (c. 1496/1497–1542), a Spanish explorer and conquistador	&0000000000033991.00000033,991	&0000000000000637.000000637 sq mi (&0000000000001650.0000001,650 km2)
Dixie County	029	Cross City	1921	Lafayette County	Dixie is a common nickname for the Southern United States	&0000000000014957.00000014,957	&0000000000000704.000000704 sq mi (&0000000000001823.0000001,823 km2)
Duval County	031	Jacksonville	1822	St. Johns County	William Pope Duval (1784–1854), the first governor of the Florida Territory	&0000000000850962.000000850,962	&0000000000000774.000000774 sq mi (&0000000000002005.0000002,005 km2)
Escambia County	033	Pensacola	1821	One of the two original counties of Florida	Most likely taken from a Native American word	&0000000000302939.000000302,939	&0000000000000664.000000664 sq mi (&0000000000001720.0000001,720 km2)
Flagler County	035	Bunnell	1917	St. Johns and Volusia counties	Henry Morrison Flagler (1830–1913), founder of the Florida East Coast Railway	&0000000000091247.00000091,247	&0000000000000485.000000485 sq mi (&0000000000001256.0000001,256 km2)
Franklin County	037	Apalachicola	1832	Escambia County	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America	&0000000000011202.00000011,202	&0000000000000534.000000534 sq mi (&0000000000001383.0000001,383 km2)
Gadsden County	039	Quincy	1823	Jackson County	James Gadsden (1788–1858), American diplomat and namesake of the Gadsden Purchase	&0000000000047560.00000047,560	&0000000000000516.000000516 sq mi (&0000000000001336.0000001,336 km2)
Gilchrist County	041	Trenton	1925	Alachua County	Albert W. Gilchrist (1858–1926), the 20th Governor of Florida	&0000000000017191.00000017,191	&0000000000000349.000000349 sq mi (&0000000000000904.000000904 km2)
Glades County	043	Moore Haven	1921	DeSoto County	The Florida Everglades	&0000000000011175.00000011,175	&0000000000000774.000000774 sq mi (&0000000000002005.0000002,005 km2)
Gulf County	045	Port St. Joe	1925	Calhoun County	The Gulf of Mexico	&0000000000015667.00000015,667	&0000000000000565.000000565 sq mi (&0000000000001463.0000001,463 km2)
Hamilton County	047	Jasper	1827	Escambia County	Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), the first United States Secretary of the Treasury and a Founding Father	&0000000000014348.00000014,348	&0000000000000515.000000515 sq mi (&0000000000001334.0000001,334 km2)
Hardee County	049	Wauchula	1921	DeSoto County	Cary A. Hardee (1876–1957), governor of Florida at the time of creation of Hardee County	&0000000000028888.00000028,888	&0000000000000637.000000637 sq mi (&0000000000001650.0000001,650 km2)
Hendry County	051	La Belle	1923	Lee County	Francis A. Hendry (1833–1917), early Floridian pioneer and politician	&0000000000039453.00000039,453	&0000000000001153.0000001,153 sq mi (&0000000000002986.0000002,986 km2)
Hernando County	053	Brooksville	1843	Hillsborough, Mosquito, and Alachua counties	Hernando de Soto (c.1496/1497–1542), a Spanish explorer and conquistador	&0000000000171689.000000171,689	&0000000000000478.000000478 sq mi (&0000000000001238.0000001,238 km2)
Highlands County	055	Sebring	1921	DeSoto County	Named for the county's hilly terrain	&0000000000100011.000000100,011	&0000000000001028.0000001,028 sq mi (&0000000000002663.0000002,663 km2)
Hillsborough County	057	Tampa	1834	St. Johns County	Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718–1793), former Secretary of State of the American Colonies	&0000000001180784.0000001,180,784	&0000000000001051.0000001,051 sq mi (&0000000000002722.0000002,722 km2)
Holmes County	059	Bonifay	1848	Jackson and Walton counties	Holmes Creek, which forms the eastern boundary of the county	&0000000000019328.00000019,328	&0000000000000482.000000482 sq mi (&0000000000001248.0000001,248 km2)
Indian River County	061	Vero Beach	1925	St. Lucie County	The Indian River Lagoon, which flows through the county	&0000000000132315.000000132,315	&0000000000000503.000000503 sq mi (&0000000000001303.0000001,303 km2)
Jackson County	063	Marianna	1822	Escambia County	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the seventh President of the United States	&0000000000049656.00000049,656	&0000000000000916.000000916 sq mi (&0000000000002372.0000002,372 km2)
Jefferson County	065	Monticello	1827	Escambia County	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the third President of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence	&0000000000014547.00000014,547	&0000000000000598.000000598 sq mi (&0000000000001549.0000001,549 km2)
Lafayette County	067	Mayo	1856	Madison County	Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), French aristocrat and general in the American Revolutionary War	&0000000000008013.0000008,013	&0000000000000543.000000543 sq mi (&0000000000001406.0000001,406 km2)
Lake County	069	Tavares	1887	Orange and Sumter counties	Named for the many lakes in the region	&0000000000307243.000000307,243	&0000000000000953.000000953 sq mi (&0000000000002468.0000002,468 km2)
Lee County	071	Fort Myers	1887	Monroe County	Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War	&0000000000593136.000000593,136	&0000000000000804.000000804 sq mi (&0000000000002082.0000002,082 km2)
Leon County	073	Tallahassee	1824	Escambia County	Juan Ponce de León (1474–1521), Spanish explorer who named Florida	&0000000000264063.000000264,063	&0000000000000667.000000667 sq mi (&0000000000001728.0000001,728 km2)
Levy County	075	Bronson	1845	Alachua County	David Levy Yulee (1810–1886), one of the state's original United States Senators	&0000000000039460.00000039,460	&0000000000001118.0000001,118 sq mi (&0000000000002896.0000002,896 km2)
Liberty County	077	Bristol	1855	Gadsden County	The patriotic ideal of liberty	&0000000000007957.0000007,957	&0000000000000836.000000836 sq mi (&0000000000002165.0000002,165 km2)
Madison County	079	Madison	1827	Jefferson County	James Madison (1751–1836), fourth President of the United States	&0000000000018895.00000018,895	&0000000000000692.000000692 sq mi (&0000000000001792.0000001,792 km2)
Manatee County	081	Bradenton	1855	Hillsborough and Orange counties	The Manatee, or sea cow, is native to Floridian waters	&0000000000315766.000000315,766	&0000000000000741.000000741 sq mi (&0000000000001919.0000001,919 km2)
Marion County	083	Ocala	1844	Alachua and Orange counties	Francis Marion (c. 1732–1795), military officer during the American Revolution	&0000000000329628.000000329,628	&0000000000001579.0000001,579 sq mi (&0000000000004090.0000004,090 km2)
Martin County	085	Stuart	1925	Saint Lucie and Palm Beach counties	John W. Martin (1884–1958), governor of Florida at time of creation of the county	&0000000000138660.000000138,660	&0000000000000556.000000556 sq mi (&0000000000001440.0000001,440 km2)
Miami-Dade County	086	Miami	1836	St. Johns County	City of Miami, which was named for the local Mayaimi tribe; and Francis L. Dade (c. 1793–1835), Major in the United States Army during the Second Seminole War	&0000000002398245.0000002,398,245	&0000000000001945.0000001,945 sq mi (&0000000000005038.0000005,038 km2)
Monroe County	087	Key West	1823	St. Johns County	James Monroe (1758–1831), fifth President of the United States	&0000000000072243.00000072,243	&0000000000000997.000000997 sq mi (&0000000000002582.0000002,582 km2)
Nassau County	089	Fernandina Beach	1824	St. Johns County	Duchy of Nassau in Germany	&0000000000069835.00000069,835	&0000000000000652.000000652 sq mi (&0000000000001689.0000001,689 km2)
Okaloosa County	091	Crestview	1915	Santa Rosa and Walton counties	A native word meaning "a pleasant place," "black water", or "beautiful place"	&0000000000179693.000000179,693	&0000000000000936.000000936 sq mi (&0000000000002424.0000002,424 km2)
Okeechobee County	093	Okeechobee	1917	Osceola and Brevard counties	Lake Okeechobee, which was in turn is from the Hitchiti words for "big water"	&0000000000040359.00000040,359	&0000000000000774.000000774 sq mi (&0000000000002005.0000002,005 km2)
Orange County	095	Orlando	1824	St. Johns County	The fruit that is the county's main product	&0000000001072801.0000001,072,801	&0000000000000908.000000908 sq mi (&0000000000002352.0000002,352 km2)
Osceola County	097	Kissimmee	1887	Brevard and Orange counties	Osceola (1804–1838), a leader of the Seminole during the Second Seminole War	&0000000000263676.000000263,676	&0000000000001322.0000001,322 sq mi (&0000000000003424.0000003,424 km2)
Palm Beach County	099	West Palm Beach	1909	Miami-Dade County	The county's large amounts of palm trees	&0000000001265293.0000001,265,293	&0000000000002034.0000002,034 sq mi (&0000000000005268.0000005,268 km2)
Pasco County	101	Dade City	1887	Hernando County	Samuel Pasco (1834–1917), United States Senator at the time of creation of the county	&0000000000471028.000000471,028	&0000000000000745.000000745 sq mi (&0000000000001930.0000001,930 km2)
Pinellas County	103	Clearwater	1911	Hillsborough County	From the Spanish Punta Piñal, or "Point of Pines"	&0000000000910260.000000910,260	&0000000000000280.000000280 sq mi (&0000000000000725.000000725 km2)
Polk County	105	Bartow	1861	Brevard and Hillsborough counties	James K. Polk (1795–1849), the 11th President of the United States	&0000000000580594.000000580,594	&0000000000001875.0000001,875 sq mi (&0000000000004856.0000004,856 km2)
Putnam County	107	Palatka	1849	Alachua and St. Johns counties	Benjamin A. Putnam (1801–1869), soldier during the Second Seminole War and Floridian legislator	&0000000000073459.00000073,459	&0000000000000722.000000722 sq mi (&0000000000001870.0000001,870 km2)
Saint Johns County	109	Saint Augustine	1821	One of the two original counties	Name derived from the St. Johns River, which in turn derives its name from San Juan del Puerto	&0000000000181540.000000181,540	&0000000000000609.000000609 sq mi (&0000000000001577.0000001,577 km2)
Saint Lucie County	111	Fort Pierce	1905	Brevard County	Saint Lucy (283–304), the Christian martyr	&0000000000265108.000000265,108	&0000000000000572.000000572 sq mi (&0000000000001481.0000001,481 km2)
Santa Rosa County	113	Milton	1842	Escambia County	Santa Rosa Island, which is in turn named for Saint Rosa de Viterbo (1235–1252), a saint born in Viterbo, Italy	&0000000000150053.000000150,053	&0000000000001016.0000001,016 sq mi (&0000000000002631.0000002,631 km2)
Sarasota County	115	Sarasota	1921	Manatee County	Likely taken from a Native American language	&0000000000372057.000000372,057	&0000000000000572.000000572 sq mi (&0000000000001481.0000001,481 km2)
Seminole County	117	Sanford	1913	Orange County	The Seminole Native American tribe	&0000000000410854.000000410,854	&0000000000000308.000000308 sq mi (&0000000000000798.000000798 km2)
Sumter County	119	Bushnell	1853	Orange County	Thomas Sumter (1734–1832), general in the American Revolution	&0000000000074721.00000074,721	&0000000000000546.000000546 sq mi (&0000000000001414.0000001,414 km2)
Suwannee County	121	Live Oak	1858	Columbia County	The Suwannee River, a 266 mile long river in northern Florida	&0000000000039802.00000039,802	&0000000000000688.000000688 sq mi (&0000000000001782.0000001,782 km2)
Taylor County	123	Perry	1856	Madison County	Zachary Taylor (1784–1850), 12th President of the United States	&0000000000021546.00000021,546	&0000000000001042.0000001,042 sq mi (&0000000000002699.0000002,699 km2)
Union County	125	Lake Butler	1921	Bradford County	Named for the area's residents united desire to split into a separate county	&0000000000015141.00000015,141	&0000000000000240.000000240 sq mi (&0000000000000622.000000622 km2)
Volusia County	127	De Land	1854	Orange County	The port of Volusia, whose etymology is unknown	&0000000000498036.000000498,036	&0000000000001106.0000001,106 sq mi (&0000000000002865.0000002,865 km2)
Wakulla County	129	Crawfordville	1843	Leon County	The Wakulla River, itself named for a Spanish corruption of a Timucuan word of unknown origin	&0000000000031089.00000031,089	&0000000000000607.000000607 sq mi (&0000000000001572.0000001,572 km2)
Walton County	131	DeFuniak Springs	1824	Escambia County	George Walton, first Secretary of Florida Territory	&0000000000053837.00000053,837	&0000000000001058.0000001,058 sq mi (&0000000000002740.0000002,740 km2)
Washington County	133	Chipley	1825	Jackson and Walton counties	George Washington (1732–1799), first President of the United States	&0000000000023928.00000023,928	&0000000000000580.000000580 sq mi (&0000000000001502.0000001,502 km2)

Renamed counties

Proposed counties

Two counties were previously proposed in Florida's state legislature, but neither actually became counties. A bill was passed by the legislature to create Bloxham County, but residents did not vote to approve it. Leigh Read County was also approved by the legislature, but a clerk kept the bill from the governor, keeping it from creation.^[3]

References

General

Specific

From Familypedia

The links in the column FIPS County Code are to the Census Bureau Info page for that county.

List of 67 counties in the U.S. state of Florida: