Business View Magazine | August 2020

216 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020 N amed after the St. Johns River that flows along its western border, St. Johns County was established in 1821 as one of Florida’s two original counties, after the area was ceded to the United States from Spain. St. Augustine is both the largest city and the county seat, and it’s the oldest permanent European settlement in America. Historically, the county has been a rural community driven by an economy focused on agriculture, retail, and tourism. Only a handful of major employers were in the education, medical, and governmental sectors. Today, St. Johns County establishes itself as a great place to live and to do business. “The population has grown to 254,261 residents, which represents a 34% increase since 2010,” says Joy Andrews, Deputy County AT A GLANCE ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA WHAT: A growing county with a population of 230,000 WHERE: Northeast Florida between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean WEBSITE: www.co.st-johns.fl.us ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA Balancing sustainable development and quality of life