Gulf County, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gulf County
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Gulf County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Florida
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 Florida's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| Founded | June 6, 1925 | |
| Named for | Gulf of Mexico | |
| Seat | Port St. Joe | |
| Largest city | Port St. Joe | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 756 sq mi (1,960 km2) | |
| • Land | 564 sq mi (1,460 km2) | |
| • Water | 192 sq mi (500 km2) 25.4%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,192 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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15,693  |
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| • Density | 18.772/sq mi (7.248/km2) | |
| Time zones | ||
| Southern portion | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Northern portion | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
Gulf County is a county found in the Florida Panhandle, a part of the U.S. state of Florida. In 2020, about 14,192 people lived here. The main town and center of the county government is Port St. Joe. Gulf County is also part of the larger Panama City area.
Contents
History of Gulf County
Gulf County was created in 1925. It was named after the nearby Gulf of Mexico. The first county seat, or main government town, was Wewahitchka. The old courthouse from 1927 is still there today.
In 1965, the county seat moved to Port St. Joe. This town, originally called Saint Joseph, was important because Florida's first Constitutional Convention happened there in 1838. This meeting helped create Florida's first set of laws.
In 2018, a very strong storm called Hurricane Michael hit the area. It caused a lot of damage to homes, forests, and the seafood industry. However, the community has worked hard and largely recovered since then.
Geography of Gulf County
Gulf County covers a total area of about 756 square miles. Most of this, 564 square miles, is land. The rest, 192 square miles, is water.
Towns and Communities
Cities in Gulf County
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city. They include:
- Cape San Blas
- Dalkeith
- Highland View
- Honeyville
- Howard Creek
- Indian Pass
- Oak Grove
- Overstreet
- St. Joe Beach
- White City
Time Zones in Gulf County
Gulf County is special because it is one of the few counties in the United States that is in two different time zones. The southern part of the county is in the Eastern Time Zone. The northern part is in the Central Time Zone. This is because of the Intracoastal Waterway that runs through it.
Neighboring Counties
Gulf County shares borders with these other counties:
- Calhoun County, Florida — to the north
- Liberty County, Florida — to the northeast
- Franklin County, Florida — to the east
- Bay County, Florida — to the west
Protected Areas
A part of the St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is located in Gulf County. This refuge helps protect wildlife and their habitats.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 3,182 | — | |
| 1940 | 6,951 | 118.4% | |
| 1950 | 7,460 | 7.3% | |
| 1960 | 9,937 | 33.2% | |
| 1970 | 10,096 | 1.6% | |
| 1980 | 10,658 | 5.6% | |
| 1990 | 11,504 | 7.9% | |
| 2000 | 13,332 | 15.9% | |
| 2010 | 15,863 | 19.0% | |
| 2020 | 14,192 | −10.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 15,693 | −1.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019 |
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The population of Gulf County has changed over the years. In 2020, there were 14,192 people living there. This included 5,897 households and 3,940 families.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Gulf County in 2010 and 2020:
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 11,881 | 11,222 | 74.9% | 79.07% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2,937 | 1,692 | 18.51% | 11.92% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 59 | 66 | 0.37% | 0.47% |
| Asian (NH) | 41 | 57 | 0.26% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0 | 0.02% | 0.0% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 8 | 34 | 0.05% | 0.24% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 256 | 566 | 1.61% | 3.99% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 678 | 555 | 4.27% | 3.91% |
| Total | 15,863 | 14,192 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Education in Gulf County
The schools in Gulf County are managed by Gulf County Schools.
Libraries
Gulf County is part of the Northwest Regional Library System (NWRLS). This system also serves Bay and Liberty Counties. Libraries in the system include:
- Bay County Public Library
- Panama City Beach Public Library
- Parker Public Library
- Springfield Public Library
- Gulf County Public Library
- Charles Whitehead Public Library
- Harrell Memorial Library of Liberty County
- Jimmy Weaver Memorial Library
Transportation
Airports
- Costin Airport
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Gulf para niños
