Nassau County, Florida

**Nassau County** is a county in the state of Florida.  As of 2020, 90,352 people lived there.  Its county seat is Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Nassau County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area.

## History

Nassau County was created in 1824. It was named for the Duchy of Nassau in Germany.

## Law and government

Nassau County is governed by the five-member Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, who are elected to four-year terms by the voters. The terms are set up so that either three or two commissioners (alternately) are up for election every two years.

The main environmental and agricultural body is the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, which works closely with other area agencies.

Local law enforcement is conducted by the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.

## Land

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which  is land and  (10.6%) is water, much of it in the Atlantic Ocean.  Fernandina Beach is located on Amelia Island, the county’s only island with people living on it.

### Counties nearby

- Camden County, Georgia - north
- Duval County, Florida - south
- Baker County, Florida - southwest
- Charlton County, Georgia - west

#### Freeways and expressways

- Interstate 95
- Interstate 10

#### Surface roads

- US 1 (New Kings Road)
- US 17
- US 23
- US 301
- A1A
- SR 2 (Crawford Road)
- SR 15A (Mickler Street)
- SR 108 (River Road/Brandies Avenue/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue)
- SR 115 (Lem Turner Road)
- SR 119
- SR 200 (Buccaneer Trail)

## People

At the 2020 census, 90,352 people lived in the county. There were 35,919 households and 747 people who did not live in households. The population density was 139.3 people per square mile (53.8/km²). The median age was 46.9 years (45.7 for males, 48.1 for females).

Of the total population, 20.1% were under 18 years old, 56.2% were 18 to 64, and 23.7% were 65 or over. Males made up 48.7% and females made up 51.3% of the people. The population was 83.9% White (non-Latino), 5.5% Black (non-Latino), 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, and 4.1% _Two or more races_ (non-Latino). Less than 1% of the people were from other races.

Of the 35,919 households, 26,196 (72.9%) were families, 10,043 (28.0%) had children under 18, 20,629 (57.4%) had a married couple, and 7,920 (22.0%) had one person living alone. The average household size was 2.5 people. There were 41,628 housing units, and 86.3% had people living in them all year. Of these households, 80.4% were owner-occupied, while 19.6% were renters.

As of 2022, the median (middle) yearly income for a household was about $84,085, and the median income for a family was about $96,039. The per capita income was about $44,483. About 7.1% of families and 9.2% of all people in Nassau County lived below the poverty line. This includes 13.2% of children under 18 years old and 6.7% of people over 65 years old.

## Education

Nassau County is home to nine elementary schools, three middle schools, three high schools, and one middle-senior high school.

The Betty Cook Center, started and run by Florida State College at Jacksonville, offers classes for post-secondary degrees.

### Incorporated

- Town of Callahan
- City of Fernandina Beach
- Town of Hilliard

### Unincorporated

- Amelia City
- American Beach
- Andrews
- Boulogne
- Bryceville
- Chester
- Crandall
- Crawford
- Dahoma
- Dyal
- Evergreen
- Franklintown
- Glenwood
- Gross
- Hedges
- Hero
- Ingle
- Italia
- Keene
- Kent
- Kings Ferry
- Lessie
- Nassau Village-Ratliff
- Nassauville
- O'Neil
- Verdie
- Yulee Heights
- Yulee

## Local media

There are four newspapers in Nassau County. The largest, the _Fernandina Beach News-Leader_, is owned by Community Newspapers Incorporated, a media company headed by Tom Wood and Dink NeSmith. _The Nassau County Record_ is also owned by Community Newspapers Incorporated. Both of these are available by subscription or from newsstands. _The Westside Journal_, an independent newspaper, is published by Florida Sun Printing, and is available for free through the mail and usually features submitted stories. My Nassau Sun , a community section of _The Florida Times-Union_, is also available for free by subscription for delivery cost.

## Historic places

- Hoyt House, 804 Atlantic Avenue,
- Historic Nassau County Courthouse, 416 Centre Street
- United States Post Office, Custom House, and Courthouse (Fernandina, Florida, 1912), NE corner Centre and 4th streets

## Further reading

- Jan H. Johannes, _Yesterday's Reflections_, (1976, 1984)
- Jan H. Johannes, _Yesterday's Reflections II_, (2000)
- Jan H. Johannes, _Tidewater Amelia: Historic homes & buildings of Amelia Island, Cumberland Island, St. Marys, Fort George Island_, (2002)

### Economy

- Amelia Island Plantation
- Federal Aviation Administration Air Route Traffic Control Center ZJX
- Rayonier
- The Ritz Carlton

### Local media

- Fernandina Beach News-Leader
- Nassau County Record
- Florida Times-Union in Nassau County

### Cultural

- Amelia Island Genealogical Society
- Nassau County Writers and Poets Society
- Fort Clinch

### Government links/Constitutional offices

- Nassau County Clerk of Courts official website for County Government
- Nassau County Board of County Commissioners
- Nassau County Supervisor of Elections
- Nassau County Property Appraiser
- Nassau County Sheriff's Office
- Nassau County Public Library
- Nassau County Tax Collector

#### Special districts

- Nassau County School District
- St. Johns River Water Management District
- Nassau County Economic Development Board
- Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District

#### Judicial branch

- Public Defender, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida  serving Duval, Clay, and Nassau counties
- Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida

## Infobox (u.s. county)

- **county**: Nassau County
- **state**: Florida
- **seal**: Seal of Nassau County, Florida.png
- **type**: County
- **founded year**: 1824
- **founded date**: December 29
- **named for**: Duchy of Nassau
- **seat wl**: Fernandina Beach
- **largest city wl**: Yulee
- **city type**: community
- **area total sq mi**: 726
- **area land sq mi**: 649
- **area water sq mi**: 77
- **area percentage**: 10.6%
- **census yr**: 2020
- **pop**: 90,352
- **density sq mi**: 127
- **web**: www.nassaucountyfl.com
- **ex image**: Fernandina Beach, FL, Courthouse, Nassau County, 08-09-2010 (7).JPG
- **ex image cap**: Nassau County Courthouse
- **district**: 4th
- **time zone**: Eastern