Washington County, Florida Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Washington County

U.S. county

Washington 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 9, 1825

Largest city

Chipley

Area

• Total

616 sq mi (1,600 km²)

• Land

583 sq mi (1,510 km²)

• Water

33 sq mi (90 km²) 5.4%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

25,318

• Estimate

(2023)

25,602

• Density

41.10/sq mi (15.869/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

2nd

Washington County is a county in the northwestern part of Florida. It is located in the area known as the Panhandle. In 2020, about 25,318 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Chipley. Washington County is part of the larger Panama City Metropolitan Area.

History of Washington County
Geography of Washington County
- Neighboring Counties
Population in Washington County
Education in Washington County
- Schools in Washington County
- Washington Public Library System
Media in Washington County
Communities in Washington County
Transportation in Washington County
- Airports
- Major Highways
See also

History of Washington County

The Washington County Courthouse in Chipley

Washington County was created in 1825. It was much larger back then, almost twice the size of the state of Delaware. It even reached all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Over many years, its borders changed. Today, the county has over 382,000 acres (1,550 km2) of rolling hills. These hills are covered with tall pine trees and other forests.

For more than 150 years, different cultures have influenced Washington County. These include Native American, Spanish, and English people. The county has many interesting historical stories. Some stories are about Andrew Jackson, a famous general and later president. People are still finding ancient Native American mounds and signs of old settlements.

The county is named after George Washington, who was the first US president. Early settlers came here looking for new opportunities. They wanted both economic and political freedom. The area had lots of timber and mineral resources. People used rivers for transportation, which led to many settlements along the water. Later, in the late 1800s, railroads arrived. This helped the county grow even more.

Vernon is a town in the center of the county. It is named after George Washington's home in Virginia, called Mount Vernon. This pioneer town was also a big Native American settlement. The county courthouse was in Vernon for many years. But in 1927, it moved to Chipley. Chipley was a railroad town in the northeastern part of the county. It is still the county seat today.

Washington County used to be a "dry county." This meant that selling alcoholic drinks was not allowed. In January 2022, voters decided to change this rule. About two-thirds of the voters supported allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Geography of Washington County

The U.S. Census Bureau says the county covers 616 square miles (1,595 km2). About 583 square miles (1,510 km2) is land. The other 33 square miles (85 km2) is water, which is about 5.4% of the total area.

In 2023, the county became part of the Panama City metropolitan area. This means it's now included in the larger economic area around Panama City.

Neighboring Counties

Population in Washington County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	978	—
1840	859	−12.2%
1850	1,950	127.0%
1860	2,154	10.5%
1870	2,302	6.9%
1880	4,089	77.6%
1890	6,426	57.2%
1900	10,154	58.0%
1910	16,403	61.5%
1920	11,828	−27.9%
1930	12,180	3.0%
1940	12,302	1.0%
1950	11,888	−3.4%
1960	11,249	−5.4%
1970	11,453	1.8%
1980	14,509	26.7%
1990	16,919	16.6%
2000	20,973	24.0%
2010	24,896	18.7%
2020	25,318	1.7%
2023 (est.)	25,602	2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015 2019

**Washington County racial composition as of 2020**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	19,551	19,484	78.53%	76.96%
Black or African American (NH)	3,698	3,236	14.85%	12.78%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	296	222	1.19%	0.88%
Asian (NH)	131	132	0.53%	0.52%
Pacific Islander (NH)	15	28	0.06%	0.11%
Some other race (NH)	14	87	0.06%	0.34%
Mixed/multi-racial (NH)	458	1,205	1.84%	4.76%
Hispanic or Latino	733	924	2.94%	3.65%
Total	24,896	25,318	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,318 people living in Washington County. There were 9,037 households and 5,945 families.

Education in Washington County

The Washington County School District manages all the public schools in the county.

Schools in Washington County

Kate Smith Elementary School
Vernon Elementary School
Roulhac Middle School
Vernon Middle School
Chipley High School
Vernon High School

Washington Public Library System

Washington County has four public libraries:

Washington County Public Library (Chipley Library)
Sam Mitchell Public Library
Wausau Public Library
Sunny Hills Public Library

Media in Washington County

You can find local news from these sources:

The Washington County News
Foster Folly News
The Chipley Bugle

Communities in Washington County

The Washington County sign at Ebro, Florida on Florida State Road 79

Cities in Washington County

Towns in Washington County

Unincorporated Communities in Washington County

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:

Crow
Five Points
Gilberts Mill
Greenhead
Hinson's Crossroads
Holmes Valley
New Hope
Poplar Head
Red Head
Sunny Hills

Transportation in Washington County

Airports

Tri-County Airport serves Washington County. It's a general aviation airport, meaning it's mostly for private planes. It is about 5.3 miles (8.5 km) northwest of Chipley. The airport has a long runway and a passenger terminal. Washington County helps manage the airport.