Okaloosa County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the census, 2015 the population was 198,664. Its county seat is Crestview.
Okaloosa County is included in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Video Okaloosa County, Florida
History
Okaloosa County was created by an act passed on September 7, 1915. Okaloosa is a Choctaw word meaning "black water". "Oka" means water, and "lusa" is black in the Choctaw language.
Maps Okaloosa County, Florida
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,082 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 930 square miles (2,400 km2) is land and 152 square miles (390 km2) (14.0%) is water. Fort Walton Beach and three United States Air Force bases, (Duke Field in the North and Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field are in the south).
Adjacent counties
- Covington County, Alabama - north
- Walton County, Florida - east
- Santa Rosa County, Florida - west
- Escambia County, Alabama - northwest
National protected areas
- Choctawhatchee National Forest (part)
- Gulf Islands National Seashore (part)
State Parks and Forests
- Blackwater River State Forest: 189,594 acres (76,726 ha) spanning Okaloosa and neighboring Santa Rosa County.
- Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Recreation Area: 357 acres (144 ha) of sand pine forest along Choctawhatchee Bay. The park provides facitities for camping, hiking, fishing, and canoeing. It is located five miles (8 km) east of Niceville on State Road 20.
- Henderson Beach State Park: 1.3 miles (2.1 km) of sugar sand beach along the Gulf of Mexico. The park provides facilities for camping, RV-ing, and picnicking, as well as a pavilion and boardwalk. It is located just east of downtown Destin on U.S. 98.
Demographics
As of the census of 2015, there were 198,664 people and 95,494 households. As of the census of 2010,the population density was 194.4 people per square mile (70/km²).
Link to statistics of racial makeup:[1]
- White alone=81.5% (July 1, 2015)
- Black or African American alone=10.2% (July 1, 2015)
- American Native and Alaskan Native alone=0.7% (July 1, 2015)
- Asian alone=3.2% (July 1, 2015)
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone=0.3% (July 1, 2015)
- Two or more races=4.1% (July 1, 2015)
- Hispanic or Latino=8.6% (July 1, 2015)
As of the 2015 census, there were 95,494 households. Within the 2010 census, 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.
According to the 2010 census, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males.
Within the 2015 census, the median income for a household in the county was $55,880. The per capita income for the county was $28,902. 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line.
Education
The county's public schools come under the Okaloosa County School District.
Northwest Florida State College serves over 10,000 residents of Okaloosa County annually for bachelor's Degrees, associate's degrees, and certificates. The College maintains four campuses in Okaloosa County: Niceville, Crestview, Ft. Walton Beach, and Hurlburt Field.
Libraries
Okaloosa County is served by the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative.
- Robert L.F. Sikes Library
- Destin Library
- Fort Walton Beach Library
- Mary Esther Public Library
- Niceville Library
- Valparaiso Community Library
Transportation
Airports
- Bob Sikes Airport
- Destin-Fort Walton Beach
Surface Transportation
Emerald Coast Rider (formerly Okaloosa County Transit) operates bus services in the county.
Politics
Okaloosa County is one of the most conservative counties in Florida. Incumbent George W. Bush won the county in 2004 with 78% of the popular vote and in 2008 the Republican candidate John McCain polled 72%. Mitt Romney won the county in 2012 with 73.86% (69,785) of the popular vote.
Communities
Cities
- Crestview
- Destin
- Fort Walton Beach
- Laurel Hill
- Mary Esther
- Niceville
- Valparaiso
Towns
- Cinco Bayou
- Shalimar
Census-designated places
- Eglin AFB
- Lake Lorraine
- Ocean City
- Wright
Other unincorporated communities
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Okaloosa County, Florida
- Local 850
References
External links
Government links/Constitutional offices
- Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners
- Okaloosa County Clerk of Court
- Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections
- Okaloosa County Property Appraiser
- Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
- Okaloosa County Tax Collector
- Okaloosa County Census
- https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/HSG010215/12091
Special districts
- Okaloosa County School District
- Northwest Florida Water Management District
Judicial branch
- Okaloosa 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
Tourism links
- Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Northwest Florida Regional Airport
Media links
- Northwest Florida Daily News
- The Beachcomber Newspaper
- The Destin Log
- Crestview News Bulletin
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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