# Lafayette County, Florida

Lafayette County is a county located in the north central portion of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,226, making it the second-least populous county in Florida. The county seat is Mayo. Lafayette County is a prohibition or partially dry county, allowing retail sales of beer.

## History

Lafayette County was created on December 23, 1856, from part of Madison County on the same day as Taylor County was also split off from Madison County. At the time it comprised all the area of present-day Lafayette and Dixie counties. The county was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who rendered assistance to the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. The famed Suwannee River forms the entire eastern boundary. The county courts first met at the home of Ariel Jones near Fayetteville. The county seat was New Troy until the court house burned down on New Year's Eve, 1892. It was moved to Mayo in 1893, and Mayo is currently Lafayette's only incorporated town. The moving of the courthouse was the end for New Troy. The Gainesville Sun states that houses were dismantled for their timber and bricks, hardwoods replaced the fields, steamboat traffic ended in 1899, and the ferry closed in 1917. In 1921 the lower part of the county was removed to create Dixie County.

### Historic sites

Historic sites in Lafayette County include:
* The Hal W. Adams Bridge built in 1947 across the Suwannee River 3 mi (4.8 km) north of Mayo. It was Florida's first suspension bridge.
* The (second) Old Lafayette County Courthouse, built in 1893–1894, now an inn.
* The current Lafayette County Courthouse built in 1908.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 548 square miles (1,420 km$^2$), of which 543 square miles (1,410 km$^2$) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km$^2$) (0.8%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Suwannee County - east
* Gilchrist County - southeast
* Dixie County - south
* Taylor County - west
* Madison County - northwest

## Demographics

Lafayette County racial composition as of 2020 (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White (NH) | 6,266 | 6,074 | 70.64% | 73.84% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,396 | 1,024 | 15.74% | 12.45% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 20 | 16 | 0.23% | 0.19% |
| Asian (NH) | 13 | 10 | 0.15% | 0.12% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 2 | 1 | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 7 | 18 | 0.08% | 0.22% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 90 | 145 | 1.01% | 1.76% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,076 | 938 | 12.13% | 11.4% |
| Total | 8,870 | 8,226 | 100.00% | 100.00% |

### 2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 8,226 people, 2,727 households, and 1,891 families in Lafayette County, Florida. The population density was 15.1 per square mile (5.8/km$^2$). There were 3,284 housing units at an average density of 6.0 per square mile (2.3/km$^2$). The racial makeup was 77.35% (6,363) white or European American (73.84% non-Hispanic white), 12.7% (1,045) black or African-American, 0.29% (24) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.12% (10) Asian, 0.07% (6) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 5.13% (422) from other races, and 4.33% (356) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 11.4% (938) of the population.
Of the 2,727 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18; 53.4% were married couples living together; 22.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 25.4% of households consisted of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.1 and the average family size was 3.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 8.7% of the population.
17.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 72.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 67.7 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $51,734 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,662). The median family income was $53,625 (+/- $15,651). Males had a median income of $37,939 (+/- $8,513) versus $25,085 (+/- $8,177) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $35,009 (+/- $11,623). Approximately, 16.7% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under the age of 18 and 19.5% of those ages 65 or over.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,022 people, 2,142 households and 1,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km$^2$). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (1.9/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 79.27% White, 14.37% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.30% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 9.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 41.1% were English, 8.0% were Irish, 7.1% were American, and 5.3% were German.
There were 2,142 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 34.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 148.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,020. Males had a median income of $25,030 versus $22,007 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,087. About 12.90% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

A very rural and landlocked county, Lafayette historically supported the Democratic Party. It has voted Republican for decades now, and recently by wide margins.
United States presidential election results for Lafayette County, Florida :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,296 | 87.50% | 441 | 11.71% | 30 | 0.80% |
| 2020 | 3,128 | 85.42% | 510 | 13.93% | 24 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | 2,809 | 82.35% | 518 | 15.19% | 84 | 2.46% |
| 2012 | 2,668 | 78.33% | 687 | 20.17% | 51 | 1.50% |
| 2008 | 2,679 | 79.33% | 642 | 19.01% | 56 | 1.66% |
| 2004 | 2,460 | 73.98% | 845 | 25.41% | 20 | 0.60% |
| 2000 | 1,670 | 66.67% | 789 | 31.50% | 46 | 1.84% |
| 1996 | 1,166 | 50.22% | 829 | 35.70% | 327 | 14.08% |
| 1992 | 1,039 | 41.15% | 867 | 34.34% | 619 | 24.51% |
| 1988 | 1,451 | 66.41% | 722 | 33.04% | 12 | 0.55% |
| 1984 | 1,513 | 63.71% | 862 | 36.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 795 | 42.67% | 1,034 | 55.50% | 34 | 1.83% |
| 1976 | 523 | 31.41% | 1,126 | 67.63% | 16 | 0.96% |
| 1972 | 1,060 | 85.69% | 173 | 13.99% | 4 | 0.32% |
| 1968 | 137 | 9.28% | 215 | 14.56% | 1,125 | 76.17% |
| 1964 | 648 | 54.32% | 545 | 45.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 297 | 27.25% | 793 | 72.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 187 | 15.07% | 1,054 | 84.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 269 | 21.52% | 981 | 78.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 52 | 4.54% | 975 | 85.15% | 118 | 10.31% |
| 1944 | 140 | 14.51% | 825 | 85.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 122 | 10.07% | 1,090 | 89.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 80 | 6.87% | 1,084 | 93.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 27 | 2.82% | 929 | 97.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 135 | 23.48% | 435 | 75.65% | 5 | 0.87% |
| 1924 | 33 | 8.13% | 358 | 88.18% | 15 | 3.69% |
| 1920 | 69 | 9.66% | 618 | 86.55% | 27 | 3.78% |
| 1916 | 45 | 4.73% | 849 | 89.27% | 57 | 5.99% |
| 1912 | 73 | 11.85% | 473 | 76.79% | 70 | 11.36% |
| 1908 | 90 | 13.95% | 487 | 75.50% | 68 | 10.54% |
| 1904 | 122 | 28.11% | 275 | 63.36% | 37 | 8.53% |

## Parks

Parks in the county include Lafayette Blue Springs State Park and Troy Spring State Park, both accessible to the Suwannee River.

## Library

The Lafayette County Public Library is part of the Three Rivers Regional Library System, which also serves Gilchrist, Dixie, and Taylor counties.

## Communities
### Town

* Mayo

### Census-designated place

* Day

### Other unincorporated communities

* Airline
* Alton
* Buckville
* Cooks Hammock
* Hatchbend
* Midway