The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 10 local governments in Washington County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships
5
3
School districts (school boards)
1
1
Special districts (elected boards)
3
0
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Washington County
25,529people
41.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$58,210 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
17.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
11.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$171,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
14.1%U.S.: 8.4%
55.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
25.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4% · White 75.9% · Black 13.4% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 6% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Washington County
5.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.2%. Florida: 4.2%.
483people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
9,089people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
9,572in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
5.0%
483
9,089
9,572
August 2026
5.4%
516
9,064
9,580
July 2026
5.6%
535
9,011
9,546
June 2026
5.5%
525
9,098
9,623
May 2026
5.4%
512
9,000
9,512
April 2026
5.5%
525
8,953
9,478
March 2026
5.5%
523
8,901
9,424
February 2026
6.1%
571
8,773
9,344
January 2026
6.3%
581
8,671
9,252
December 2025
5.6%
517
8,738
9,255
November 2025
6.2%
575
8,712
9,287
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
5.2%
489
8,960
9,449
August 2025
5.3%
499
8,989
9,488
July 2025
4.9%
467
9,040
9,507
June 2025
4.5%
428
9,102
9,530
May 2025
4.1%
383
9,046
9,429
April 2025
3.9%
364
9,048
9,412
March 2025
4.1%
380
8,995
9,375
February 2025
4.3%
393
8,814
9,207
January 2025
4.5%
414
8,783
9,197
December 2024
3.7%
343
8,846
9,189
November 2024
4.3%
400
8,912
9,312
October 2024
4.2%
399
9,046
9,445
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
4.8%
446
8,930
9,376
2024
4.0%
372
8,923
9,295
2023
3.5%
318
8,795
9,113
2022
3.5%
319
8,799
9,118
2021
4.8%
440
8,656
9,096
2020
6.3%
571
8,483
9,054
2019
3.8%
342
8,765
9,107
2018
4.4%
384
8,402
8,786
2017
4.9%
431
8,421
8,852
2016
5.6%
502
8,415
8,917
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Florida's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Washington County
111.5 per 100,0002024. Florida: 275.2.
230.5 per 100,0002024. Florida: 1,401.8.
0murders2024, 30 violent crimes in all.
2024 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2024
30
111.5
62
230.5
2020
42
160.4
248
946.9
2019
58
228.2
247
971.9
2018
43
170.6
263
1,043.4
2017
53
209.6
312
1,233.7
2016
44
173.2
337
1,326.7
By police agency (2)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Washington County Sheriff's Office
2025
41
25
22,622
Chipley Police Department
2024
8
18
3,734
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Florida · the U.S.
Police staffing
2.05 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 26,382 people.
54sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
20civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Washington County Sheriff's Office
43
18
22,622
Chipley Police Department
11
2
3,760
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
54
2.05
20
2
2023
53
2.08
21
2
2022
56
2.17
18
2
2016
48
1.94
24
2
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Washington County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller?
Lora C. Bell (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Washington County, Florida.
Who is the Washington County Property Appraiser?
Renea Peters (Republican) is the Property Appraiser of Washington County, Florida.
Who is the Washington County Sheriff?
Kevin Crews (Republican) is the Sheriff of Washington County, Florida.
Who is the Washington County Supervisor of Elections?
Deidra Malloy Pettis (Republican) is the Supervisor of Elections of Washington County, Florida.
Who is the Washington County Tax Collector?
Ken Naker (Republican) is the Tax Collector of Washington County, Florida.
Who are the Washington County commissioners?
Ashlynn Marquez (District 1); David Pettis, Jr. (District 2); Joey Brock (District 3); Wesley Griffin (District 4); David Corbin (District 5).
Who is on the Washington County School Board?
Cindy Johnson Brown (District 1); Dr. Lou Cleveland (District 2); Milton L. Brown (District 3); Will "Tonka" Taylor (District 4); Cheryl A. Williams (District 5); Thomas Register (Superintendent of Schools).
What is the population of Washington County?
About 25,529 people, with a median age of 41.7; the median household income is $58,210 and 17.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Washington County?
5.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 483 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,572, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Washington County?
10 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 1 school district and 3 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Washington County?
3: Chipley, Vernon, Wausau. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county Supervisor of Elections' official lists and candidate filings and the bodies' own websites; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Washington County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races