Escambia County, Florida
| Escambia County, Florida | ||
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 Location in the state of Florida |
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 Florida's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | July 21, 1821 | |
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| Named for | Escambia River | |
| Seat | Pensacola | |
| Largest city | Pensacola | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
875.57 sq mi (2,268 km²) 662.35 sq mi (1,715 km²) 213.21 sq mi (552 km²), 24.35% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
297,619 449/sq mi (173.53/km²) |
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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.[1] Its county seat is Pensacola.[2]
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History [edit]
The area had been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples of varying cultures. Historic American Indian tribes at the time of European-American settlement were the Creek.
Escambia County was created by European Americans on July 21, 1821.[3] It was named for the Escambia River. The name "Escambia" may be derived from the Creek name Shambia, meaning "clearwater",[4] or the Choctaw word for "cane-brake" or "reed-brake".[5]
Escambia and St. Johns counties were Florida's original two counties; the Suwannee River was the border between them.[citation needed]
Geography [edit]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 875.57 square miles (2,267.7 km2), of which 662.35 square miles (1,715.5 km2) (or 75.65%) is land and 213.21 square miles (552.2 km2) (or 24.35%) is water.[6]
The county includes the island of Santa Rosa, which is separate from Santa Rosa County proper.
Escambia County is part of the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Adjacent counties [edit]
- Escambia County, Alabama - north
- Santa Rosa County, Florida - east
- Baldwin County, Alabama - west
Escambia County in Florida and Alabama are two of twenty-two counties or parishes in the United States with the same name to border each other across state lines. The others are Union Parish, Louisiana and Union County, Arkansas, Big Horn County, Montana and Big Horn County, Wyoming, Sabine County, Texas and Sabine Parish, Louisiana, Bristol County, Massachusetts and Bristol County, Rhode Island, Kent County, Delaware and Kent County, Maryland, Pike County, Illinois and Pike County, Missouri, Teton County, Idaho and Teton County, Wyoming, Park County, Montana and Park County, Wyoming, San Juan County, New Mexico and San Juan County, Utah, and Vermilion County, Illinois and Vermillion County, Indiana. respectively. (Note, despite the different spellings, the source of the name is the same for Vermilion County, Illinois and Vermillion County, Indiana--the Vermillion River which flows through both counties.)
National protected areas [edit]
Demographics [edit]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 3,993 |
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| 1850 | 4,351 | 9.0% | |
| 1860 | 5,768 | 32.6% | |
| 1870 | 7,817 | 35.5% | |
| 1880 | 12,156 | 55.5% | |
| 1890 | 20,188 | 66.1% | |
| 1900 | 28,313 | 40.2% | |
| 1910 | 38,029 | 34.3% | |
| 1920 | 49,386 | 29.9% | |
| 1930 | 53,594 | 8.5% | |
| 1940 | 74,667 | 39.3% | |
| 1950 | 112,706 | 50.9% | |
| 1960 | 173,829 | 54.2% | |
| 1970 | 205,334 | 18.1% | |
| 1980 | 233,794 | 13.9% | |
| 1990 | 262,798 | 12.4% | |
| 2000 | 294,410 | 12.0% | |
| 2010 | 297,619 | 1.1% | |
| Est. 2011 | 299,114 | 0.5% | |
| [7][8][9] | |||
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 294,410 people, 111,049 households, and 74,180 families residing in the county. The population density was 444 people per square mile (172/km²). There were 124,647 housing units at an average density of 188 per square mile (73/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.35% White, 21.40% Black or African American, 0.90% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. 2.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 111,049 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.80% were married couples living together, 15.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,234, and the median income for a family was $41,708. Males had a median income of $31,054 versus $22,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,641. About 12.10% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
Government [edit]
Escambia County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners, each commissioner representing one of five districts. The County Commission appoints a County Administrator as chief administrative officer of the county.
The chief law enforcement authority of Escambia County is the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.
Education [edit]
Public primary and secondary education schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District.
The University of West Florida and Pensacola State College, as well as Pensacola Christian College, are located in Escambia County.
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners [edit]
- Escambia County Administrator : George Touart, Interim
- County Commissioner : Wilson Robertson Escambia County District 1
- County Commissioner : Gene M. Valentino Escambia County District 2
- County Commissioner : Lumon May Escambia County District 3
- County Commissioner : Grover C. Robinson IV Escambia County District 4
- County Commissioner : Steven Barry Escambia County District 5
The county is governed by the board of county commissioners. Escambia County is divided into five districts. One county commissioner is elected from each district to serve a four-year term. Commissioners are chosen in partisan elections by voters from the districts in which they live. The board appoints a county administrator to be chief administrative officer of the county, responsible to the commission for the orderly operations of matters within the board’s jurisdiction.
Local media [edit]
Print [edit]
The largest daily print newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal. There is also a weekly print newspaper called The Independent News[1]. And there is an online-only newspaper called NorthEscambia.com that serves entire county while concentrating on the north half of the county.
Television [edit]
One major network broadcasts from Pensacola, ABC affiliate WEAR. Several major networks are broadcast from nearby Mobile, such as CBS affiliate WKRG, NBC affiliate WPMI-TV, and Fox affiliate WALA. The following is a list of broadcast television stations in the Mobile, Alabama – Pensacola – Fort Walton Beach, Florida market.[11] Cox Communications provides cable television service within the county, and television advertising through its subsidiary, Cox Media [2].
By channel:
3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 30 | 33 | 35 | 39 | 42 | 44 | 48 | 53 | 55 | 58 | 60
By callsign:
W30BX | W39BP | WALA | WAWD | WFNA | WBQP-CD | WEAR-TV | WEIQ | WFBD | WFGX | WHBR | WJTC | WKRG-TV | WMPV-TV | WPAN | WPMI-TV | WRBD-LP | WSRE
Radio [edit]
Radio stations in the Pensacola / Mobile market (Arbitron#123)
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Cities and towns [edit]
Incorporated [edit]
Unincorporated [edit]
- Barrineau Park
- Bellview
- Beulah
- Brent
- Cantonment
- Ensley
- Ferry Pass
- Gonzalez
- Goulding
- Innerarity Point
- McDavid
- Molino
- Myrtle Grove
- Pensacola Beach
- Perdido Key
- Walnut Hill
- Warrington
- West Pensacola
Ghost towns [edit]
Politics [edit]
Escambia County is a very conservative region, electing Republicans to the House of Representatives by wide margins since 1994, and voting heavily Republican in presidential elections since 1988. Before then, the area traditionally voted Democratic and sent Democrats to the House of Representatives and the state legislature until 1994 when the incumbent Earl Hutto declined to run for reelection. In that year Republican Joe Scarborough was elected to the House of Representatives. It has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since 1960, in 1972 George McGovern won only 20% of votes.
| Year | Republican | Democrat | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59.0% | 39.8% | 1.2% |
| 2004 | 65.3% | 33.7% | 1.0% |
| 2000 | 62.6% | 35.1% | 8.5% |
| 1996 | 56.5% | 35.1% | 8.4% |
| 1992 | 50.2% | 30.5% | 19.3% |
| 1988 | 68.0% | 31.4% | 0.5% |
See also [edit]
References [edit]
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2006) |
- ^ "Census Data by Florida County". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Genealogy Inc. (1927-06-06). "Escambia County, Florida Genealogical Records Information". floridagenealogy101.com. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
- ^ Escambia County Alabama History - accessed August 18, 2009
- ^ Alabama Department of Archives and History - accessed August 18, 2009
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/files/fl190090.txt
- ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_QTPL&prodType=table
- ^ "University of Virginia Library". Mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ (Nielsen DMA#59)
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Escambia County, Florida |
Government links/Constitutional offices [edit]
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Sheriff's Office
- Escambia County Fire Rescue
- Escambia County Tax Collector
Special districts [edit]
Judicial branch [edit]
- Escambia County Clerk of Courts
- Public Defender, 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties
- Office of the State Attorney, 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida
Civic and Community Organizations [edit]
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Escambia County, Alabama | |
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| Baldwin County, Alabama |  |
Santa Rosa County | ||
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