Washington County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida, in the Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,318.^[1] Its county seat is Chipley.^[2]

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Washington County
County
Washington County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°37′N 85°40′W
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	December 9, 1825
Named for	George Washington
Seat	Chipley
Largest city	Chipley
Area
• Total	616 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Land	583 sq mi (1,510 km2)
• Water	33 sq mi (90 km2)  5.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,318
• Density	44/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.washingtonfl.com

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Washington County was created in 1825, and was nearly twice the size of the State of Delaware, stretching all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. After a century of boundary shifts, the county, with over 382,000 acres (1,546 km²) of rolling hills covered in thick, stately pines and mixed hardwood forests, now covers a large portion of the central Florida Panhandle.

Over a span of more than 150 years, Washington County has seen Native American, Spanish and English cultural influences. The county's historical lore is rich with stories of the exploits of Andrew Jackson. There are numerous Native American mounds and evidence of strong settlements still being discovered.

Named after George Washington,^[3] the first US president, the area was first settled by those seeking both economic and political freedom in this frontier land of vast timber and mineral resources. Inland waterway transportation brought about heavy river settlements. The arrival of railroads in the late 1800s boosted economic, social and political developments.

Vernon, the geographical center of the county, is named for George Washington's Virginia home, Mt. Vernon. The pioneer town was also the site of a major Indian settlement.

The county courthouse was located in Vernon during the early part of this century, until a railroad town in northeastern Washington County, Chipley, became the new and present county seat in 1927.

Washington County was once a dry county, meaning that the sale of alcoholic beverages was banned in the county. In January 2022, this restriction was removed following a voter referendum in which about two-thirds of voters supported the removal.^[4]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 616 square miles (1,600 km²), of which 583 square miles (1,510 km²) is land and 33 square miles (85 km²) (5.4%) is water.^[5]

The county became part of the Panama City metropolitan area in 2023.^[6]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,318 people, 9,037 households, and 5,945 families residing in the county.

As of the census^[17] of 2000, there were 20,973 people, 7,931 households, and 5,646 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 inhabitants per square mile (14/km²). There were 9,503 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.72% White, 13.69% Black or African American, 1.54% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. 2.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,931 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 105.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,922, and the median income for a family was $33,057. Males had a median income of $26,597 versus $20,198 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,980. About 15.40% of families and 19.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.90% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.

The Washington County School District includes:^[18]

• Kate Smith Elementary School
• Vernon Elementary School
• Roulhac Middle School
• Vernon Middle School
• Chipley High School
• Vernon High School

• The Washington County News^[19]
• Foster Folly News^[20]
• The Chipley Bugle^[21]

• Buckley v. Haddock (2008)
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Florida