Taylor County, Florida Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Taylor County

U.S. county

Taylor County Courthouse

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Florida

Florida's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Florida

Founded

December 23, 1856

Largest city

Perry

Area

• Total

1,232 sq mi (3,190 km²)

• Land

1,043 sq mi (2,700 km²)

• Water

189 sq mi (490 km²) 15.3%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

21,796

• Estimate

(2023)

21,582

• Density

17.692/sq mi (6.8307/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

2nd

Taylor County is a place in the Big Bend area of northern Florida. It is a county, which is a way to divide up a state into smaller parts. In 2020, about 21,796 people lived here.

The main town, or county seat, of Taylor County is Perry. Taylor County is famous for its trees! It hosts the yearly Florida Forest Festival. Since 1965, it has been known as the "Tree Capital of the South." This special name was given by Governor W. Haydon Burns.

History of Taylor County
Geography and Nature
- Neighboring Counties
- Protected Natural Areas
Population and People
Education in Taylor County
Local Library
Communities in Taylor County
Getting Around: Transportation
- Airports
- Major Highways
Images for kids
See also

History of Taylor County

Taylor County was created a long time ago, on December 23, 1856. It was formed from a part of Madison County. On the same day, Lafayette County was also created from Madison County.

The county is named after Zachary Taylor. He was the twelfth president of the United States, serving from 1849 to 1850. President Taylor was very popular in northern Florida. He also helped the U.S. win the Second Seminole War.

During the American Civil War, some people in Taylor County did not support the Confederate side. A group called "The Royal Rangers" or "Independent Rangers" lived here. They were led by William Strickland. In 1864, a Confederate officer found a list of 35 men who supported the United States. Even though their homes were burned, most of these Rangers did not give up.

Geography and Nature

Taylor County covers a total area of about 1,232 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,043 square miles, is land. The rest, about 189 square miles, is water. That means about 15.3% of the county is covered by water.

Neighboring Counties

Taylor County shares its borders with several other counties:

Jefferson County, Florida - to the northwest
Madison County, Florida - to the north
Lafayette County, Florida - to the east
Dixie County, Florida - to the southeast

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is located in Taylor County. This refuge helps protect many different kinds of wildlife and their homes.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	1,384	—
1870	1,453	5.0%
1880	2,279	56.8%
1890	2,122	−6.9%
1900	3,999	88.5%
1910	7,103	77.6%
1920	11,219	57.9%
1930	13,136	17.1%
1940	11,565	−12.0%
1950	10,416	−9.9%
1960	13,168	26.4%
1970	13,641	3.6%
1980	16,532	21.2%
1990	17,111	3.5%
2000	19,256	12.5%
2010	22,570	17.2%
2020	21,796	−3.4%
2023 (est.)	21,582	−4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

The United States Census counts how many people live in an area every ten years. In 2020, the census showed that 21,796 people lived in Taylor County. There were 7,405 households, which are groups of people living together. Also, there were 5,197 families.

Education in Taylor County

Students in Taylor County go to schools run by the Taylor County School System. In the 2006-2007 school year, the Florida Department of Education gave the school district a "B" grade. Three schools in the county earned an "A" grade, and one school earned a "B" grade.

Taylor County High School has a special program called Army JROTC. This program helps students learn about leadership and good citizenship. The JROTC unit has been recognized as an "Honor Unit with Distinction" for 27 years in a row!

Local Library

The Taylor County Public Library is part of a bigger library group. This group is called the Three Rivers Library System. It also helps people in Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Dixie counties.