According to the 2000 census , the county has a total area of 480.15 square miles ( 1,243.6 km2 ) , of which 476.78 square miles ( 1,234.9 km2 ) ( or 99.30 % ) is land and 3.37 square miles ( 8.7 km2 ) ( or 0.70 % ) is water .
Of this , 476.78 square miles ( 1,234.9 km2 ) ( or 99.30 % ) is land and 3.37 square miles ( 8.7 km2 ) ( or 0.70 % ) is water .