Martin County, Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Martin County, Florida | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Florida |
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 Florida's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | May 30, 1925 |
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| Seat | Stuart |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
753 sq mi (1,950 km²) 556 sq mi (1,440 km²) 197 sq mi (510 km²), 26.19% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
126,731 228/sq mi (88/km²) |
| Website: www.martin.fl.us | |
| Named for: John W. Martin | |
Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 139,728 [1]. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.
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[edit] History
Martin County was created in 1925 with the present day Northwest and Northeast quadrants coming from St, Lucie County and the Southwest and Southeast quadrants coming from Palm Beach County. It was named for John W. Martin, Governor of Florida from 1925 to 1929.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 753 square miles (1,950 km²), of which, 556 square miles (1,439 km²) of it is land and 197 square miles (511 km²) of it is water, much of it in the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee. The total area is 26.19% water.
Martin County is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- St. Lucie County, Florida - north
- Palm Beach County, Florida - south
- Hendry County, Florida - southwest (only point of continguity is in the center of Lake Okeechobee)
- Glades County, Florida - southwest (only point of continguity is in the center of Lake Okeechobee)
- Okeechobee County, Florida - northwest
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 126,731 people, 55,288 households, and 36,213 families residing in the county. The population density was 228 people per square mile (88/km²). There were 65,471 housing units at an average density of 118 per square mile (46/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.88% White, 5.27% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.72% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2005 the county population was 83.9% non-Hispanic white, 9.1% Latino and 5.5% African-American. (Source=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12085.html)
In 2000 there were 55,288 households out of which 21.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the county the population was spread out with 18.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 28.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,083, and the median income for a family was $53,244. Males had a median income of $36,133 versus $27,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,584. About 5.60% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Martin County is a non-chartered county and its form of government is prescribed by the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, as follows:
[edit] Board of County Commissioners
The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body of the county and has charge of all county executive and administrative functions, except those assigned by the Constitution to independent county officers or to the independent school district. The board also has some quasi-judicial functions. Some of functions exercised by the board are county-wide, while others are applicable only in the unincorporated areas of the county, where the board has many of the functions of a municipality. The county commissioners are elected by county-wide vote, but each one represents a specific district. The board appoints the county administrator who is responsible to it for the day-to-day operations of the county government. The current county commissioners by district number are:
- 1. Doug Smith, Chair
- 2. Susan Valliere, Vice Chair
- 3. Lee Weberman
- 4. Sarah Heard
- 5. Michael DiTerlizzi,
[edit] Constitutional Officers
The elected Constitutional Officers are:
- Clerk (Clerk of Courts, County Clerk, etc.): Marsha Ewing
- Property Appraiser: Laurel Kelly
- Sheriff: Robert Crowder
- Supervisor of Elections: Vicki Davis
- Tax Collector: Larry C. O'Steen
[edit] School District
The independent Martin County School District has an elected Superintendent and elected School Board, as follows:
- The Superintendent, Sara A. Wilcox, is the chief administrator of the district.
- The School Board is the legislative body of the district and also exercises quasi-judicial powers. School Board members are elected county wide but each one represents a specific district. The current board members by district are:
- 1. Lorie Shekailo
- 2. Sue Hershey
- 3. Laurie Gaylord (Chair)
- 4. Nancy Kline (Vice-Chair)
- 5. David Anderson
[edit] Cities, towns and other places
[edit] Incorporated
- Town of Jupiter Island
- Town of Ocean Breeze Park
- Town of Sewall's Point
- City of Stuart
[edit] Unincorporated
- Hobe Sound
- Hutchinson Island part
- Indiantown
- Jensen Beach
- North River Shores
- Palm City
- Port Salerno
- Rio
- Port Mayaca
[edit] Attractions
- Elliott Museum on Hutchinson Island
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park in South Martin County
- Martin County Fair in held every February.
- Martin County Public Beaches
- Hobe Sound Public Beach on Jupiter Island
- Jensen Sea Turtle Beach, Stuart Beach, Bathtub Beach and many beach strips on Hutchinson Island.
- Savannas Preserve State Park (extends into St. Lucie County)
- St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park on Long Island east of Port Salerno and north of Jupiter Island
[edit] Registered Historic Places in Martin County
- Hobe Sound
- Olympia School
- Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District, located south of Hobe Sound in the southern part of the county
- Hutchinson Island
- Indiantown
- Jensen Beach
- Jupiter Island
- Stuart
[edit] References
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
[edit] Governmental
- Board of County Commissioners
- Constitutional officers of Martin County
- School district
- Multi-county Districts
- Judicial branch
[edit] Non-governmental
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