White Springs, Florida

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

White Springs is a town in Hamilton County, Florida, on the Suwannee River. The population was 819 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the town had a population of 828.

The White Sulphur Springs near the town were used before Europeans arrived, and in the 19th century became Florida's first tourist destination. The first purchases of land date from 1835, when Bryant and Elizabeth Sheffield bought land for a cotton plantation. The town was incorporated in 1885, and many of the original buildings still stand.

The songwriter Stephen Foster is remembered at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.

[edit] Geography

White Springs is located at 30°19′54″N, 82°45′22″W (30.331647, -82.756008)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.8 km² (1.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 819 people, 340 households, and 227 families residing in the town. The population density was 171.9/km² (446.0/mi²). There were 393 housing units at an average density of 82.5/km² (214.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 36.75% White, 62.15% African American, 0.37% Native American, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.

There were 340 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 26.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,861, and the median income for a family was $32,115. Males had a median income of $31,953 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,555. About 20.0% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 26.6% of those age 65 or over.