-2-


and levels of income of 730 households surveyed in North and West Florida.

This, the second report, contains basic data concerning human and nonhuman

resources and the way in which the resources are used.


 Description of Area

 The study area is located in State Economic Areas I and III in North

and West Florida (Figure 1). These two economic areas encompass 25 of

Florida's 67 counties, make up slightly less than one-third of the total land

area of the state, and contain approximately 18 percent of the state's popula-

tion. Total population in the area has increased steadily since 1930,

although not as rapidly as for the state as a whole.

 The increase has been due to an increase in the urban segment of the

population. The rural nonfarm segment increased only slightly, while the

farm population declined by almost a fifth during this period. From the

standpoint of individual counties, population change within the area has been

far from consistent. Estimates published by the Bureau of Economic and

Business Research of the University of Florida indicate that between 1950 and

1956, total population declined in 16 counties throughout the state.

Economic Areas I and III contain 13 of these counties. Only one of the 25

counties in the study area showed a relative increase in population equal to

the increase for the state.

 The nonagricultural segment of the economy of North and West

Florida has increased in importance, along with the growth of urban population.

The largest relative increase between 1940 and 1950 in numbers of persons

employed outside agriculture occurred in the wholesale and retail trade group,

followed by the service trade group. The service trade group continues to

lead, however, in total number of persons employed, followed by the wholesale