Named for Henry Clay Congressional district 3rd Website www.claycountygov.com Founded 31 December 1858 County seat Green Cove Springs | Largest community Lakeside Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4 Area 1,668 km² Population 196,399 (2013) | |
![]() | ||
Cities Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Fleming Island, Keystone Heights, Penney Farms Colleges and Universities Everest University‑Orange Park, Fortis College, North Florida Academy, Regency Beauty Institute, American Academy‑Cosmetology Points of interest Mike Roess Gold Hea, Doctors Lake, The Clarke House Park, Bayard Conservation Area, Camp Chowenwaw Park |
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,895. Its county seat is Green Cove Springs.
Contents
- Map of Clay County FL USA
- History
- Geography
- Adjacent counties
- Airports
- Major highways
- Demographics
- Voter registration
- Statewide elections
- Museums
- Education
- Library
- Cities
- Towns
- References
Map of Clay County, FL, USA
Clay County is included in the Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Clay County was created on December 31, 1858, from a section of Duval County. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, a famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky, and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.
Clay County was once a popular destination for tourists visiting from the northern states. The therapeutic, warm springs and mild climate were major draws for visitors. Steamboats brought them to various hotels in Green Cove Springs - the St. Elmo, Clarendon and the Oakland. President Grover Cleveland was the most prominent of such tourists; he had spring water shipped to the White House. Clay County's popularity among tourists peaked during the last three decades of the 19th century. It was later eclipsed by Henry Flagler's extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to points south such as Palm Beach and Miami.
The military has also played an important role in Clay County history. In 1939, Camp Blanding opened on Kingsley Lake in southwest Clay County. The Florida National Guard developed this 28,000 acres (110 km2) complex. During World War II, it trained over 90,000 troops and became the fourth largest "city" in the state. In Green Cove Springs, Lee Field was a flight training center. After World War II, Lee Field became a base for the mothball fleet. Although Lee Field closed in the early 1960s, Camp Blanding continues to operate today as a base for military training. Clay County is also a popular choice of residence for military personnel stationed on bases in nearby Duval County (NAS Jacksonville, NS Mayport, and, before it closed, NAS Cecil Field).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,670 km2), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 39 square miles (100 km2) (6.1%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Airports
Major highways
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 190,865 people, 65,356 households, and 39,390 families residing in the county. The majority of Clay County's population is located in the northeastern part where large suburban communities have been built. Orange Park, Middleburg, and the surrounding area respectively share the majority of the population. Green Cove Springs area has the lower population spread west and south, along with the small city of Keystone Heights, which lies at the southwestern end of the county. Although the population of Clay County is relatively high, the majority of the county is still rural and consists of many farms and county roads less maintained. The population density was 234 people per square mile (90/km²). There were 73,208 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile (35/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.8% White, 9.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. 7.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, with Puerto Ricans being the majority of the Hispanic population.
There were 50,243 households, out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.60% were non-families. 16.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county, the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,854, and the median income for a family was $53,814. Males had a median income of $36,683 versus $25,488 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,868. About 5.10% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
According to the Florida Times-Union, in October 2004, there were 106,114 registered voters in Clay County.
Voter registration
According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans account for a majority of registered voters in Clay County.
Statewide elections
Clay County is one of the most reliably Republican counties in the state during presidential elections outside of the Panhandle, although it does support conservative Democrats for local and state offices.
Museums
Education
The Clay County School District operates 42 public schools. There are currently 28 elementary schools, six junior high schools and eight high schools.
Library
The Clay County Public Library System consists of five branches: