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Gadsden County, Florida

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Gadsden County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,826.[1] Its county seat is Quincy.[2] Gadsden County is included in the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. As part of the broader Black Belt region within the Deep South, Gadsden County is the only majority African-American county in Florida.

Gadsden County
County
Gadsden County Courthouse
Gadsden County Courthouse
Official seal of Gadsden County
Seal
Map of Florida highlighting Gadsden County
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Map of the United States highlighting Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°35′N 84°37′W / 30.58°N 84.61°W / 30.58; -84.61
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedJune 24, 1823
Named forJames Gadsden
SeatQuincy
Largest cityQuincy
Area
 • Total
529 sq mi (1,370 km2)
 • Land516 sq mi (1,340 km2)
 • Water12 sq mi (30 km2)  2.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
43,826 Decrease
 • Density83/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.gadsdengov.net

History

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Gadsden County was created in 1823.[3] It was named for James Gadsden[4] of South Carolina, who served as Andrew Jackson's aide-de-camp in Florida in 1818. Gadsden County is historically known for its tobacco crop which is obsolete today.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 529 square miles (1,370 km2), of which 516 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (2.3%) is water.[5]

Gadsden County is part of the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Gadsden County is in the Eastern Time Zone. Its western border with Jackson County forms the boundary in this area between the Eastern and Central Time Zones.

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18304,895—
18405,99222.4%
18508,78446.6%
18609,3967.0%
18709,8024.3%
188012,16924.1%
189011,894−2.3%
190015,29428.6%
191022,19845.1%
192023,5396.0%
193029,89027.0%
194031,4505.2%
195036,45715.9%
196041,98915.2%
197039,184−6.7%
198041,5656.1%
199041,105−1.1%
200045,0879.7%
201046,3892.9%
202043,826−5.5%
2023 (est.)43,833[6]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[11]

2020 census

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Gadsden County, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[12] Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[11] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 16,174 15,335 14,093 35.87% 33.06% 32.16%
Black or African American alone (NH) 25,632 25,881 23,326 56.85% 55.79% 53.22%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 87 93 71 0.19% 0.20% 0.16%
Asian alone (NH) 105 221 147 0.23% 0.48% 0.34%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 9 7 4 0.02% 0.02% 0.01%
Other race alone (NH) 24 39 120 0.05% 0.08% 0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 274 394 972 0.61% 0.85% 2.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,782 4,419 5,093 6.17% 9.53% 11.62%
Total 45,087 46,389 43,826 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Gadsden County is unique in Florida in that it is the state's only county with an African American majority population.

2010 Census

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As of the 2010 United States census, there were 46,389 people living in the county. 56.0% were Black or African American, 35.9% White, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 5.9% of some other race and 1.3% of two or more races. 9.5% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 45,087 people, 15,867 households, and 11,424 families living in the county. The population density was 87 inhabitants per square mile (34/km2). There were 17,703 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.14% Black or African American, 38.70% White, 0.23% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.76% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 6.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,867 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.50% were married couples living together, 22.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,248, and the median income for a family was $36,238. Males had a median income of $27,159 versus $21,721 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,499. About 16.40% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.50% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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Max D. Walker School Administration Building, the Gadsden County School District headquarters

Rosenwald schools were established in Gadsden County.

The Gadsden County School District, the only school district,[15] operates public schools.

Gadsden County is home to one public high school, Gadsden County High School (formerly East Gadsden High School), formed in 2017 by the merger of East Gadsden High and the high school portion of West Gadsden High School; the West Gadsden High building was converted to West Gadsden Middle.[16][17] West Gadsden was formed by the merger of the former Chattahoochee High and Greensboro High and was located on the western outskirts of Quincy near Greensboro. East Gadsden, formed by the merger of James A. Shanks High and Havana Northside High, was located on Hwy. 90 east of Quincy.

Robert F. Munroe Day School and Tallavanna Christian School are private schools in the county that were founded as segregation academies.[18]

Libraries

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The Gadsden County Public Library System has 3 branches.

  • William A. McGill Library
  • Havana Branch
  • Chattahoochee Branch

Politics

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Due to its majority-black population, Gadsden County is the most reliably Democratic county in Florida.[19] In the 2022 gubernatorial election, it was one of only five counties in the state to vote for Democratic nominee Charlie Crist over incumbent Republican governor Ron DeSantis, and it was the only one to give Crist more than 60% of the vote. Similarly, in the 2024 presidential election it was the only county to give Kamala Harris over 60% of the vote, and one of only six counties won by Harris.

According to the secretary of state's office, Democrats maintain a massive majority of registered voters in Gadsden County. As of May 23, 2022, the county has the highest percentage of registered Democrats of all counties in Florida. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was Richard Nixon in his landslide 1972 victory,[20] and Gadsden was the solitary Florida county to vote against Reagan in 1984[21] and George Bush in 1988.

Gadsden County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of September 30, 2024[22]
Political Party Total Voters Percentage
Democratic 18,300 69.05%
Republican 5,641 21.29%
Independent 2,825 10.66%
Third Parties 413 1.56%
Total 26,501 100.00%

Statewide elections

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United States presidential election results for Gadsden County, Florida[23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 7,495 34.17% 14,203 64.76% 234 1.07%
2020 7,465 31.42% 16,153 67.98% 144 0.61%
2016 6,728 30.29% 15,020 67.62% 466 2.10%
2012 6,630 29.43% 15,770 70.01% 125 0.55%
2008 6,811 30.22% 15,582 69.14% 145 0.64%
2004 6,253 29.80% 14,629 69.72% 102 0.49%
2000 4,770 32.38% 9,736 66.09% 225 1.53%
1996 3,817 26.88% 9,407 66.25% 975 6.87%
1992 3,975 27.62% 8,486 58.96% 1,933 13.43%
1988 5,992 47.64% 6,372 50.66% 213 1.69%
1984 5,807 43.95% 7,403 56.03% 2 0.02%
1980 3,718 30.41% 8,222 67.26% 285 2.33%
1976 3,531 33.85% 6,798 65.17% 102 0.98%
1972 5,995 61.01% 3,829 38.97% 2 0.02%
1968 1,337 14.76% 3,274 36.15% 4,446 49.09%
1964 5,207 53.33% 4,556 46.67% 0 0.00%
1960 2,010 46.18% 2,343 53.82% 0 0.00%
1956 1,321 36.87% 2,262 63.13% 0 0.00%
1952 1,835 40.41% 2,706 59.59% 0 0.00%
1948 376 13.42% 1,427 50.93% 999 35.65%
1944 462 15.22% 2,574 84.78% 0 0.00%
1940 417 11.47% 3,218 88.53% 0 0.00%
1936 198 7.15% 2,572 92.85% 0 0.00%
1932 105 5.33% 1,865 94.67% 0 0.00%
1928 346 22.31% 1,184 76.34% 21 1.35%
1924 47 5.86% 681 84.91% 74 9.23%
1920 38 1.91% 1,922 96.68% 28 1.41%
1916 57 5.53% 875 84.95% 98 9.51%
1912 75 9.73% 609 78.99% 87 11.28%
1908 89 12.06% 563 76.29% 86 11.65%
1904 54 10.07% 471 87.87% 11 2.05%
Previous gubernatorial elections results
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2022 37.36% 6,511 62.00% 10,805 0.64% 110
2018 30.91% 6,200 68.36% 13,712 0.72% 146
2014 27.27% 4,798 70.62% 12,425 2.11% 371
2010 25.90% 4,324 72.27% 12,067 1.83% 307
2006 32.45% 4,557 66.25% 9,303 1.29% 182
2002 25.83% 3,948 73.46% 11,228 0.71% 109
1998 35.66% 4,028 64.34% 7,269
1994 30.63% 3,422 69.37% 7,751

County commissioners

  • Eric Hinson (District 1)
  • Anthony Viegbesie, PhD (District 2)
  • Kimblin NeSmith, J.D. (District 3)
  • Brenda Holt (District 4)
  • Ronterious Green (District 5)

Local elected officials

  • Sheriff: Morris A. Young
  • Supervisor of Elections: Shirley Green Knight
  • Tax Collector: W. Dale Summerford
  • Property Appraiser: Reginald Cunningham
  • Superintendent of Schools: Elijah Key[24]

Transportation

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Airports

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Major roads

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See also: List of county roads in Gadsden County, Florida
 
The sign for Gadsden County while entering Florida from Georgia
  •   Interstate 10 is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and serves as the unofficial dividing line between northern and southern Gadsden County. It contains four interchanges within the county; CR 270A (Exit 166), SR 12 (Exit 174), SR 267 (Exit 181), and US 90 (Exit 192).
  •   US 90 was the main west-to-east highway in the county prior to the construction of I-10 in the late 1960s. It runs from the Victory Bridge in Chattahoochee in the northwest, and then southeast through Gretna, Douglas City, and Quincy before finally leaving the county east of Midway into Leon County.
  •   US 27 is the sole south-to-north U.S. highway running through the northeastern part of the county.
  •   State Road 12 is a west-to-east state highway running from Liberty County in the southwest to Havana in the northeast. It also contains a county extension into Leon County.
  •   State Road 65
  •   State Road 159 is a short south to north road connecting US 27 to SR 12 in Havana, with a county extension northwest to Georgia State Route 309 at the Georgia State Line.
  •   State Road 267

Railroads

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Gadsden County has at least four existing railroad lines, three of which are owned by CSX. The first two CSX lines being P&A Subdivision, a line formerly owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and the other is the Tallahassee Subdivision, a former Seaboard Air Line Railroad line. These two lines meet in Chatahoochee and served Amtrak's Sunset Limited until it was truncated to New Orleans in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. A third line is the Apalachicola Northern Railroad, a line that spans as far south as Port St. Joe. The line enters from Liberty County, then crosses SR 12 in Greensboro, runs under I-10, follows CR 268 in Hardaway, and then turns west into Chatahoochee. The fourth line is the third CSX Line, the Bainbridge Subdivision, which runs along the west side of US 27 from Leon County by way of a bridge over the Ochlockonee River to the Georgia State Line. While some spurs still exist, other lines within the county were abandoned.

Public transportation

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Public Transportation is provided by Big Bend Transit, which operates 3 bus routes in the county.[25]

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated areas

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The former St. John Elementary School
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  •  
    Gadsden County Board of Commissioners
  •  
    Gadsden County Sheriff's Office
  •  
    Gadsden County Emergency Medical Services and Gadsden County Fire Services

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Gadsden County, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 31.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 133.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  7. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gadsden County, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Gadsden County, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  13. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gadsden County, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Gadsden County, FL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
  16. ^ "SCHOOL MERGERS NOT POPULAR AT WEST GADSDEN". Havana Herald. March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  17. ^ Jiwanmall, Stephen (April 4, 2017). "Gadsden County Schools to Consolidate in 2017-18". WTXL. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  18. ^ Glenda Alice Rabby, The Pain and the Promise: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Tallahassee, Florida, Athens, Ga., University of Georgia Press, 1999, ISBN 082032051X, p. 255.
  19. ^ Weigel, David; Tierney, Lauren (September 8, 2020). "Florida's political geography: Why races in this swing state are always so close". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023.
  20. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  21. ^ David Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; 1984 Presidential General Election Data Graphs – Florida by County
  22. ^ "Voter Registration - Current by County - Division of Elections - Florida Department of State". Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  23. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  24. ^ "Gadsden County Supervisor of Elections > Elected Officials > Federal,State,Local-Officials".
  25. ^ "Big Bend Transit | COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF GADSDEN COUNTY". www.bigbendtransit.org. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
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Government links/Constitutional offices

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Special districts

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Judicial branch

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30°35′N 84°37′W / 30.58°N 84.61°W / 30.58; -84.61

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