Map of Jay town, Florida

Jay is a town in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was 620. It is part of the Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Jay town overview:
Name:	Jay town
LSAD Code:	43
LSAD Description:	town (suffix)
State:	Florida
County:	Santa Rosa County
Elevation:	256 ft (78 m)
Total Area:	1.66 sq mi (4.30 km²)
Land Area:	1.66 sq mi (4.30 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	524
Population Density:	315.66/sq mi (121.87/km²)
ZIP code:	32565
Area code:	850
FIPS code:	1235425
GNISfeature ID:	0284731
Website:	www.townofjayfl.com

Online Interactive Map

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Jay online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Jay location map. Where is Jay town?

Jay location on the U.S. Map. Where is Jay town. — Jay location on the U.S. Map.

Jay location on the Florida map. Where is Jay town. — Location of Jay in Florida.

History

In 1902, a committee was formed to select a name for the thriving farming community. James Thomas Nowling submitted the name “Pine Level” but it was declined due to a Florida post office already using it. Mr. Nowling was asked to submit a second name and was turned down again due to the name being too long. He was asked to submit yet another name but the Postal Department named the new post office after Mr. Nowling before he was able to submit another name and Mr. Nowling became the first postmaster of Jay.

In 1922, at least 175 Black residents from the Jay left in a mass exodus after a fight between a black and white farmer, leaving a legacy of Jay as a sundown town. In a 1974 Tampa Bay Times article, the then-mayor of Jay, J.D. Bray said: “The sun doesn’t set on a colored man in Jay, … Come 4 o’clock, they’re gone. They were run out of here back in the days of the turpentine still. And they know better than to come in here.”. According to the 2020 census, the town has only four Black residents.

Jay was incorporated as a town in 1951.

A small group of farmers began a livestock market in 1940 and reached sales of up to $1 million within 10 years. Oil was discovered here in 1970. The Jay oilfield has approximately 67 oilwells – eleven within the town limits. Royalties from the oil have exceeded $400 million that funded a new city hall, fire department and recreation complex.

Jay Road Map

Jay city Satellite Map

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km), all land. The town lies on high ground on the east bank of the Escambia River. There are two river access points/boat ramps, both outside the city limits.