Union County, Florida

Union County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida, the smallest in the state by area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,147. The county seat is Lake Butler.

History

Union County was created on October 1, 1921, from part of Bradford County. It was named to honor the concept of unity. Union County is the location of Union Correctional Institution and the Reception and Medical Center (RMC). Union CI is a maximum security prison and is home to part of Florida's Death Row. The death chamber is located at nearby Florida State Prison (FSP) in Bradford County. Florida State Prison also houses some death-row inmates.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (2.5%) is water. It is the smallest county by area in Florida.

Adjacent counties

Baker County (north)
Alachua County (south)
Bradford County (east)
Columbia County (west)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Union County, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|6,890

|7,499

|9,659

|11,123

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11,585

|67.77%

|73.15%

|71.86%

|71.60%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |71.75%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,920

|2,320

|3,038

|3,391

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,197

|28.72%

|22.63%

|22.60%

|21.83%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |19.80%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|46

|57

|84

|52

|style='background: #ffffe6; |42

|0.45%

|0.56%

|0.62%

|0.33%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%

|Asian alone (NH)

|38

|33

|32

|style='background: #ffffe6; |35

|0.37%

|0.25%

|0.21%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.22%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.02%

|0.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|Other race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |62

|0.05%

|0.03%

|0.02%

|0.03%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|264

|188

|style='background: #ffffe6; |462

|1.96%

|1.21%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.86%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|267

|335

|477

|743

|style='background: #ffffe6; |764

|2.63%

|3.27%

|3.55%

|4.78%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.73%

|Total

|10,166

|10,252

|13,561

|15,535

|style='background: #ffffe6; |16,147

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 16,147 and a median age of 41.4 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 175.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 199.3 males.

There were 4,271 households in the county, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.8% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Of those households, 2,873 were families.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 13,442 people, 3,367 households and 2,606 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 per square mile (22/km2). There were 3,736 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.62% White, 22.84% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.04% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 3.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 3,367 households, 41.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 15.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.60% were non-families. 19.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.13.

The age distribution was 21.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 39.80% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 183.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 215.20 males. This extremely skewed gender distribution is the result of the county's male prison population.

The median household income was $34,563, and the median family income was $37,516. Males had a median income of $28,571 versus $22,083 for females. The county's per capita income was $12,333. About 10.50% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 16.20% of those age 65 or over.

Mortality

The county suffers a death rate of about 1600 per 100,000 residents, the highest in the nation.

{| class="wikitable"

! Cause of Death (2017)

! Union County (Adjusted Rate)

! Florida (Adjusted Rate)

|Overall

|1,516

|681

|Cancer

|470

|153

|Heart Disease

|298

|152

|Respiratory Infection

|121

|39

|Stroke

|59

|36

|Hepatitis

|54

Government and infrastructure

thumb|[[Union Correctional Institution]]

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) operates Region II Correctional Facility Office in an unincorporated area in Union County. FDOC also maintains the Union Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in the county. Union Correctional Institution houses one of two death rows for men in Florida. About a third of the county's population is imprisoned, compared to a statewide figure of one-half percent.

Education

Union County School District serves the county.

Libraries

In 1986, local county volunteers ran a make shift library in the local Community Center which consisted of donated books and other items. Soon the County was able to fund their own public library from tax money. An old bank building was renovated and used for the new public library. In 1990, the library was open to the public. In 1996, the Union County Public Library became a part of the New River Public Library Cooperative to enhance and support library services for patrons throughout the county.

The Union County Public Library serves the county. The branch is at 250 SE 5th Avenue, Lake Butler, Florida 32054. Its director is Mary C. Brown. The branch is open Monday, Wednesday–Friday 9 am–6 pm, Tuesday 9 am–8 pm, and Saturday 9 am–3 pm.

Transportation

<!--===Airports===

Union County's three airports Worthington Springs main airport is Lake City Municipal Airport. Private airports also exist throughout the county.-->

Major roads

Railroads

Union County has had three railroad lines in the past, all of which are abandoned. The primary one is the former Georgia Southern and Florida Railway, which ran along SR 100 from Columbia County through Bradford County. The other line is the Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad which ran along SR 121 from Columbia County into Baker County. The J&SW also had a junction to the Bradford Farms Railroad, a spur north of Florida State Road 16 leading to what is today the Wildwood Subdivision in Lawtey in Bradford County.

Communities

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

!Incorporated Community

!Designation

!Population

| 1 || Lake Butler || City || 1,813

| 2 || Worthington Springs || Town || 390

| 3 || Raiford || Town || 242

| 4 || Johnstown || Unincorporated ||

| 5 || Rylander || Unincorporated ||

References

External links

Union County Times newspaper that serves Union County, Florida available in full-text with images in Florida Digital Newspaper Library
Union County Public Library - Website for Union County's library with links to government services and the tri-county area's library catalog.
Lake Butler Community Page a non-official 'Community Page' created by a local resident to help share information about events and more occurring in the Union County/Lake Butler area.

Government links/Constitutional offices

Union County Board of County Commissioners
Union County Supervisor of Elections
Union County Property Appraiser
Union County Sheriff's Office
Union County Tax Collector

Special districts

Union County School Board
Suwannee River Water Management District

Judicial branch

Union County Clerk of Courts
Office of the State Attorney, 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union Counties
Circuit and County Court for the 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida