Santa Rosa County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 1,016.9 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 144.6 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 212.0%. On the 2000 census form, 98.0% of the population reported only one race, with 4.2% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 2.5% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.63 persons compared to an average family size of 3.00 persons. In 2007 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $21,567. Per capita income grew by 17.0% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	147,044	412	Covered Employment	32,243	658
Growth (%) since 1990	79.4%	105	Avg wage per job	$31,905	1217
Households (2000)	43,793	461	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	3.0%	2524
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	70,155	439	Avg wage per job	$42,304	931
Unemployment Rate (2007)	3.6	2392	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.6%	1901
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$30,351	899	Avg wage per job	$44,420	529
Median Household Income (2005)	$47,005	531	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	11.1%	996
Poverty Rate (2005)	9.0	2710	Avg wage per job	$32,920	944
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	85.4	562	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	2.0%	2081
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	22.9	497	Avg wage per job	$43,275	715