<center>Profile of Baker County, Florida </center>

Florida Department of Commerce County Profiles


Baker County

Last Update 11/19/95
IDENTIFICATION:

   COUNTY NAME:                 Baker       
   COUNTY SEAT:                 Macclenny                
   NEAREST METROPOLITAN AREA:   Jacksonville                                

POPULATION:

    COUNTY POPULATION:

       1980:                    15,289 
       1990:                    18,486   
       1994:                    19,700 

    POPULATION PROJECTIONS:

       2000:                    21,810 
       2005:                    23,126 
       2010:                    24,338 

    COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE:

       NATURAL CHANGE:             637 
       NET MIGRATION:              577 
       TOTAL:                    1,214

    POPULATION AGE BREAKDOWN:

       0-17:                     5,832 
       18-44:                    8,543
       45-64:                    3,650
       65+ :                     1,675 

    COUNTY AREA:                   585
    POPULATION DENSITY:          33.60 
    POP SURROUNDING COUNTIES:   961,383
    
    LARGEST INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITIES:
    
                      NAME              POPULATION

       1. Macclenny                       4,106
       2. Glen Saint Mary                   470


EMPLOYMENT:

    LABOR FORCE:

        COUNTY CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE:            9,449    
        UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:                      6.00     
        LABOR FORCE OF SURROUNDING COUNTIES     514,596 

    COUNTY NONFARM EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY:

        AGRICULTURAL SERVICES:             51
        MINING:                            0 
        TRADE:                             1197
        TRANSPROTATION; PUBLIC UTILITIES:  257 
        MANUFACTURING:                     324 
        CONSTRUCTION:                      222 
        FIN, INS, REAL ESTATE:             210 
        SERVICES:                          872                 
        GOVERNMENT:                        2713                

        TOTAL:                             5846                

SELECTED ECONOMIC INDICATORS:

    INCOME:

        PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME:                     14,158   
        MEDIAN EFFECTIVE BUYING INCOME PER HOUSEHOLD:   0 
        TAXABLE SALES:                                  66,054,000 
        BUILDING PERMITS:                               6,906,000 

GOVERNMENT:

    TYPE:  

        COMMISSIONER  
        COMMISSION/MANAGER      X
        ZONING REGULATIONS      yes
        PLANNING COMMISSION     yes

COUNTY TAXES:

    AD VALOREM MILLAGE RATE:    

        GOVERNMENT:         9.3300 
        SPECIAL DISTRICT:   4.4144 
        SCHOOLS:            9.5360   
        
        TOTAL:             23.2804  

      ARE LOCAL OPTION AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTIONS AVAILABLE?  no 

      UTILITY SERVICE TAX?  yes   RATE 10.00%

      LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX:     1.0000 

      LOCAL OPTION GASOLINE TAX  $0.0600 PER GALLON


FINANCIAL:

    NUMBER OF BANKS:

        DOMESTIC:                      3
        FOREIGN:                       0
        S&L ASSOCIATIONS:              0
        
    BANKS FINANCIAL STANDING (THOUSANDS):

        DOMESTIC (TOTAL DEPOSITS):                 83,068 
        FOREIGN  (TOTAL ASSETS):                        0 
        S&L ASSOC (TOTAL SAVINGS):                      0 


    DOES LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUE INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BONDS?  yes

    IS TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AVAILABLE?  no 

UTILITIES:

    ELECTRICITY:

        POWER SUPPLIERS:
        Clay Electric, Florida Power & Light, 
        and Okefenoke Rural Electric    
                                                                               

    WATER:
        SUPPLIERS: City of Macclenny                                      
        WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT:  St. Johns River; 
                                    Suwannee River            
        MAJOR WATER SOURCE:  RIVER    LAKE     WELLS X
        IS WATER AVAILABLE FOR NEW INDUSTRY?  yes

    SANITATION:

        STORM SEWER yes   SANITARY SEWER yes
        SEWAGE TREATMENT TYPE: PRIMARY   SECONDARY X TERTIARY   SEPTIC  
        IS SEWERAGE AVAILABLE FOR NEW INDUSTRY?  yes
        SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL:  SANITARY LANDFILL X  OTHER                     

    NATURAL GAS:

        DISTRIBUTOR None                                             
        IS GAS AVAILABLE FOR NEW INDUSTRY?  no 

    OTHER FUEL SOURCES:
        NUMBER OF DISTRIBUTORS SERVING COUNTY?

            FUEL OIL   1 
            COAL       0
            LP GAS     2

INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT SERVICES: 
                                    CLOSEST:
    COMPUTER SERVICES    yes                                    
    ENGINEERING          yes                                    
    PLATING              no       Jacksonville                  
    MACHINE SHOP         yes                                    
    CAR & TRUCK RENTAL   yes                                    
    SECURITY SERVICES    no       Jacksonville                  
    JOB PRINTING         yes                                    
    BONDED WAREHOUSING   no       Jacksonville                  
    FREIGHT FORWARDER    no       Jacksonville                  

INDUSTRIAL PARKS: 

    NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL PARKS DEVELOPED:  1       
    INDUSTRIAL PARK ACREAGE:              34      
    ACREAGE ZONED FOR MANUFACTURING:      34            

COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

    FOREIGN TRADE ZONE  no     CLOSEST  Jacksonville             
    WORLD TRADE COUNCIL no 
    ENTERPRISE ZONE     no 

MAJOR PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS:
    LARGEST EMPLOYERS/PRODUCT OR SERVICE/TOTAL EMPLOYEES:

        1. COMPANY:     Ray's Nursery                            
           PRODUCTS:    Wholesale Plants              
           EMPLOYEES:   275

        2. COMPANY:     Macclenny Products                       
           PRODUCTS:    Clothing Manufacturer         
           EMPLOYEES:   130

        3. COMPANY:     Wiremil, Inc.                            
           PRODUCTS:    Prestress Concrete            
           EMPLOYEES:            95


TRANSPORTATION:

    INTERSTATES/TURNPIKES:
        1. I-10        
    MAJOR HIGHWAYS:     
        1. US 90       
    RAILROADS: 
        1. CSX         

    MAJOR COMMERCIAL AIRPORT SERVING COUNTY: Jacksonville International   

        DISTANCE TO COUNTY SEAT 46 miles    
        AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAILY FLIGHTS:     220
        NO. OF AIRLINES SERVING AIRPORT:     17
        LENGTH OF LONGEST RUNWAY:            10,000

    AIRPORT SERVICES OFFERED:

        CHARTER:                         yes  
        PRIVATE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE:    yes  
        CUSTOMS PORT OF ENTRY:           yes  
        IMMIGRATION:                     yes  
        AIR CARGO:                       yes  
        INTERNATIONAL AIR:               yes  

    LOCAL COMMERCIAL/EXECUTIVE AIRPORTS:

        1.  Lake City Municipal      
            RUNWAY LENGTH:              8,000
            RUNWAY SURFACE:             Asphalt      
            LIGHTED RUNWAY:             yes   
            AIRCRAFT TIEDOWN:           yes              

    NEAREST PORT WITH DOCKING FACILITIES:

        1.  Port of Jacksonville       
            DISTANCE:     30 miles   
            DEPTH:        38'  
            WAREHOUSING:  yes 
            STEVEDORING:  yes 

COMMUNICATIONS:                                           

    NEWSPAPERS:

        LARGEST LOCAL     Baker County Press                 
        CIRCULATION:      5,600 
      
        LARGEST REGIONAL  Florida Times Union               
        CIRCULATION:      256,710

    RADIO:

        NUMBER OF RADIO STATIONS RECEIVED:  AM    5  FM    7

    TELEVISION:

       CABLE AVAILABLE  yes    

       NUMBER OF NON-CABLE CHANNELS RECEIVED     7

    TELEPHONE:

       TELEPHONE SERVICE COMPANY Northeast Florida Telephone Company  
    
    MAIL/PARCEL:

       NEAREST REGIONAL MAIL HANDLING FACILITY:Jacksonville                      

       PARCEL SERVICE  yes   

       AIR/OVERNIGHT PARCEL SERVICE  yes
      
K-12 EDUCATION:

    PUBLIC:

        SCHOOLS:                8 
        TEACHERS:               233
        ENROLLMENT:             4,424 

    PRIVATE: 

        SCHOOLS:                0
        TEACHERS:               0 
        ENROLLMENT:             0  
 
        MATH:                   72.00  
        COMMUNICATIONS:         83.00 
 
    THERE ARE 211  HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES 
    WITH 68.72 CONTINUING EDUCATION 

POST SECONDARY EDUCATION:

    COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES:

        1. University of North Florida    
        2. University of Florida          
        3. Jacksonville University        
    
    JUNIOR OR COMMUNITY COLLEGES (WITHIN 50 MILE RADIUS):

        1. Lake City Community College    
        2. Florida Community College      
        3. Santa Fe Community College     

    VO-TECH SCHOOLS (WITHIN 50 MILE RADIUS):

        1. Bradford Vo-Tech               
        2. Westside Skills Center         
    
    CURRICULUM OFFERED:

        DATA PROCESSING                         yes
        WELDING & CUTTING                       yes 
        ELECTRICAL WIRING                       yes
        AVIATION/AVIONICS                       yes        
        DRAFTING                                yes   
        SHEET METAL                             yes 
        MACHINE SHOP                            yes
        ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY                   yes
        LASER ELECTRO OPTICS                    no 
        BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY                   yes  
        ROBOTICS/COMPUTER-AIDED MANUFACTURING   yes

MEDICAL:

    HOSPITALS:                          2
    NUMBER OF BEDS:                    25 

    NURSING HOMES:                      2
    NUMBER OF BEDS:                   128 

    PHYSICIANS:                        16
    DENTISTS:                           4

FACILITIES:

    MOTELS:                            3
        TOTAL ROOMS AVAILABLE:       107 

    HOTELS:                            0
        TOTAL ROOMS AVAILABLE:         0  

    CIVIC AUDITORIUMS:                 0           
        TOTAL SEATING CAPACITY:        0          

    REGIONAL MALLS:                    0             
    SHOPPING CENTERS:                  6             
    LIBRARIES:                         1             

CHURCHES: 

    PROTESTANT:                       36  
    JEWISH:                            0  
    CATHOLIC:                          1  
    OTHER:                             0

RECREATION:

    TENNIS COURTS:          yes 
    BEACHES:                no    
    GOLF COURSES:           yes 
    CITY/STATE PARKS:       yes  
    BOATING:                yes
    PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS:  no    
    MOVIE THEATERS:         no    
    COUNTRY CLUBS:          yes
    SYMPHONY:               no 
    MUSEUMS:                no    
    ZOO:                    no    
    PARIMUTUEL WAGERING:    no    

PRIMARY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CONTACT:

    AGENCY   Baker County Chamber of Commerce             
    ADDRESS  20 East Macclenny Avenue                     
                                                          
    CITY     Macclenny         ST FL  ZIP 32063       
    PHONE    (904) 259-6433        


Another Profile:

Baker County Land area (rank): 585 square miles (48) Population 1993 (rank): 19,527 (51) Population density 1993 (rank): 33 persons per square mile (49) Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 20.9% (47) Physical Characteristics Baker County is on the Florida-Georgia border between Nassau, Duval, and Clay counties to the east and Columbia County to the west. To the south are Union and Bradford counties. The county has 3 square miles of water. The average January temperature is 55.0 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 81.2 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 49.27 inches. History Baker County was established in 1861 from New River County and named for James McNair Baker (1822-92), Confederate States senator and judge in Florida's Fourth Judicial District. The Civil War Battle of Olustee was fought just east of the town of Olustee. Population In 1993 over three-quarters of Baker County's population was in unincorporated areas. The county's most populous incorporated place is Macclenny with a 1993 population of 4,050. All the other settlements in the county have populations under 1,000. In 1993, 84% of Baker County's population was white and 16% was nonwhite. In 1990, 1.1% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, 46.4% was due to net migration . The 1992 birth rate for the county was 15.0 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 6.7 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 7.0 per 1,000. The leading causes of death in 1993 were heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Education Of all 1992 high school graduates, 73.6% planned to continue their education. The 1992 high school dropout rate for the county was 3.7%. In 1990, 64.1% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 5.7% had completed four or more years of college. Colleges and universities. Served by Lake City Community College (Columbia County). Economy The per capita income in Baker County for 1993 was $14,534 (43rd highest in the state). The median household income in 1989 was $25,816. In 1989, 13.2% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 18.3% of personal income in Baker County was derived from transfer payments. In 1992 the greatest numbers of persons in Baker County were employed in the government, retail trade, and services sectors. Major employers in the governmental sector were Northeast Florida State Hospital, Macclenny, and Baker Correctional Institution, Olustee. In the retail trade sector, eating and drinking establishments and food stores employed the greatest numbers of persons. In 1992 there were 193 farms in Baker County, totalling 24,489 acres (7% of land in the county). Approximately two-thirds of this land is devoted to poultry and livestock. In 1991, 25,884 thousand board feet of softwood logs and 222,197 cords of softwood for pulp (3rd highest amount in the state) and 2,914 cords of hardwood for pulp were produced. Lumber and wood products firms accounted for much of the manufacturing employment in Baker County. Forests and wetlands cover vast portions of the county and provide excellent opportunities for freshwater fishing and hunting for quail, turkey, and deer. Median value of a single-family home 1990: $53,400 Median monthly rent 1990: $225 Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 43.2 Housing starts (1992): 77 Housing starts (1993): 73 In 1992 the price level index for Baker County was 91.75 (54th highest in the state). Local Government In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 9.3300, and the total taxable value of property was $239,879,590. Taxable sales totalled $65.30 million in 1992 and $60.30 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $2,255 thousand in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Baker County's revenues totalled $11,668 thousand ($617.2 per capita) and its expenditures $10,298 ($544.7 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 73.6% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these 93.8% registered Democrat and 5.5% registered Republican. In the 1992 presidential election 50.6% of the votes were cast for Bush, 29.2% for Clinton, and 19.5% for Perot. Events and Places of Interest Olustee Battlefield; Old Baker Courthouse, Macclenny; Burnsed Blockhouse, vicinity of Sanderson.