Santa Rosa County, Florida Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Santa Rosa County

U.S. county

Santa Rosa County Courthouse

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Florida

Florida's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Florida

Founded

February 18, 1842

Named for

Saint Rose of Viterbo

Seat

Milton

Largest community

Navarre

Area

• Total

1,174 sq mi (3,040 km²)

• Land

1,012 sq mi (2,620 km²)

• Water

162 sq mi (420 km²) 13.8%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

188,000

• Estimate

(2023)

203,162

• Density

160.1/sq mi (61.83/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

1st

Santa Rosa County is a county located in the northwest part of Florida. A county is like a smaller area within a state, often with its own local government. In 2020, about 188,000 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Milton. It's right in the middle of the county.

Other important communities in Santa Rosa County include Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze. Navarre is the biggest community, with around 45,000 people. Santa Rosa County is part of a larger city area called the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area also includes Escambia County.

History of Santa Rosa County

The first European to visit Santa Rosa County might have been Diego Maldonado. He was part of an expedition led by Tristan de Luna. Native American groups lived here for a long time, until the late 1700s. A Spanish mission (a type of church settlement) for the Apalachee people might have been in Floridatown from 1718 to 1740.

Santa Rosa County was officially created in 1842. It was formed from a part of Escambia County. The county got its name from a nearby island, which was named after a Catholic saint, Rosa de Viterbo.

In 2005, Santa Rosa County changed a rule that had stopped people from buying alcohol.

The county has grown a lot, especially in Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze. Many tourists now visit Santa Rosa County. They come for the beautiful beaches and protected natural areas. These areas are great for kayaking, hiking, and camping.

Geography and Natural Areas

Santa Rosa County covers about 1,174 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,012 square miles, is land. The rest, about 162 square miles, is water.

National Protected Lands

Choctawhatchee National Forest (part of it is in Santa Rosa County)

Different Regions of the County

Santa Rosa County can be split into three main parts: South Santa Rosa, Central Santa Rosa, and North Santa Rosa. These areas are named after the main roads that cross the county from east to west.

Navarre Beach is a popular spot.

South Santa Rosa County

This area stretches from Holley and Navarre in the east to Gulf Breeze in the west. It follows U.S. Highway 98. A part of Santa Rosa Island, which includes Navarre Beach, is also in South Santa Rosa County. Large bodies of water like Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay, and East Bay are very important here. They affect how people live and what kinds of homes are built. This area is growing fast. Many people live here and travel to Pensacola for work. Others work at military bases like Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

Central Santa Rosa County

This part of the county is north of the bays and south of the large forests. It grew up along an old road called the Old Spanish Trail. Today, U.S. Highway 90 follows this old trail. It is the main road connecting this region. Even with recent growth, Central Santa Rosa County still feels very rural. It has a traditional Southern culture. The communities of Pace and Milton are in this region. Both have populations of about 30,000 people. Milton, the county seat, is where the old trail crossed the Blackwater River. To the west of Milton, Pace has grown a lot with new homes and businesses. Interstate 10 also goes through this area. The U.S. Navy has a presence here with Whiting Field and NOLF Spencer Field.

North Santa Rosa County

This area is mostly forests and farms. The only town in the north is Jay. Most development has happened along State Road 4. This road goes through the northern parts of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. In the 1970s and 1980s, a large oil and natural gas field near Jay made many farmers very rich. However, most of the oil is gone now. People in this area have mostly gone back to farming and working in forestry.

State Road 87 runs through the county from north to south. It connects U.S. Highway 98 to the border with Escambia County, Alabama near Brewton. This road is very important for people to leave the county safely during hurricanes.

Neighboring Counties

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	2,883	—
1860	5,480	90.1%
1870	3,312	−39.6%
1880	6,645	100.6%
1890	7,961	19.8%
1900	10,293	29.3%
1910	14,897	44.7%
1920	13,670	−8.2%
1930	14,083	3.0%
1940	16,085	14.2%
1950	18,554	15.3%
1960	29,547	59.2%
1970	37,741	27.7%
1980	55,988	48.3%
1990	81,608	45.8%
2000	117,743	44.3%
2010	151,372	28.6%
2020	188,000	24.2%
2023 (est.)	203,162	34.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

In 2020, there were 188,000 people living in Santa Rosa County. There were 65,697 households and 47,876 families.

In 2000, the county had 117,743 people. About 36.5% of households had children under 18. Around 62.2% of households were married couples living together. The average household had 2.63 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 26.6% were under 18. Around 31.1% were between 25 and 44 years old. The median age was 37 years. This means half the people were younger than 37, and half were older.