| Official Name: | Town of Century |
| Century, Florida | |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Motto: | Traditional Values. Today's Technology. |
| Mapsize: | 250x200px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Government Type: | Mayor-Council |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Luis Gomez, Jr. |
| Leader Title1: | Council President |
| Leader Name1: | Dynette Lewis |
| Leader Title2: | Councilmembers |
| Leader Name2: | Henry Cunningham, Shelisa McCall-Abraham, Alicia Johnson, and Sandra McMurray-Jackson |
| Leader Title3: | Town Clerk |
| Leader Name3: | Leslie Howington |
| Leader Title4: | Town Attorney |
| Leader Name4: | Matt Dannheisser |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1901 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1945 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 8.64 |
| Area Land Km2: | 8.34 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.31 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 3.34 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 3.22 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.12 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 1713 |
| Population Density Km2: | 205.47 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 532.15 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 30.9778°N -87.2614°W |
| Elevation M: | 26 |
| Elevation Ft: | 85 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 32535 |
| Area Code: | 850/448 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 12-11362[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0280274[3] |
Century is a town in Escambia County, Florida, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,713, up from 1,698 at the 2010 census.[4] It is part of the Pensacola - Ferry Pass - Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Century was founded in 1901 as a sawmill company town, and named because 1901 was the first year of the 20th century.[5] A post office has been in operation at Century since 1901.[6] It was officially incorporated as the Town of Century in 1945.[7]
The approximate coordinates for the Town of Century is located on the Florida Panhandle at (30.977648, –87.261500).[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.7km2, of which 8.4km2 is land and 0.3km2, or 3.69%, is water.[9]
Century is located in the western highlands of Florida. This physiographic province of the northern Gulf Coast region is made up of sand, silt, and clay hills. These highlands are deeply incised by creeks and rivers. Century is located on the western edge of the Escambia River floodplain. A small portion of the town (the eastern side) is within the floodplain itself. Most of the community, however, is located above the floodplain on level to gently sloping hillsides.
Century's roadway network is highly irregular. It does not conform to the state of Florida's section, township and range survey system, for two reasons. The first is because Spanish land grants were issued along the Escambia River in the 16th and 17th centuries. These boundaries established a unique survey system that contorted east-to-west survey boundaries once Florida became a state and a state survey system was adopted, at which time previously existing survey systems were "grandfathered" in. The second reason for an irregular roadway and property boundary system is due to the community originally being built around the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (now the CSX railway). Automobile highways were eventually constructed, and closely paralleled the railway. U.S. Route 29 (US 29), a more modern highway, was constructed and moved many of the commercial operations west of the small original core of the community (now mostly located within the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Residential Historic District).
US 29 is used by residents of Escambia County to reach points north. Alabama State Route 113 leads north from the state line to Interstate 65 and provides the area with a route to Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta. From a southbound perspective, Century is en route between these major cities and the coastal beaches at Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key in Florida.
Century is the western terminus of State Road 4, which leads east to the communities of Jay, Munson, Baker, and Milligan.
Fresh water supplies are abundant, with water being withdrawn as groundwater from the local sand and gravel aquifer.[10]
In 1970, oil was discovered in the nearby community of Jay. Oil was also discovered near the town of Century, especially to its northeast. Oil became important to the local economy during the last quarter of the 20th century.
Gravel and sand is mined in open pits in and near Century. These natural mineral deposits are essential to supporting the construction industries in nearby Pensacola and Mobile, especially for use as aggregate materials in concrete.
Timber and pulpwood are other valuable natural commodities of the area. Nearby papermills at Cantontment, and Brewton, Alabama, provide a market for cut pulpwood. Timber processing is conducted by another industry about south of Century.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the Town of Century has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
| White (NH) | 669 | 631 | 39.40% | 36.84% | |
| Black or African American (NH) | 948 | 948 | 55.83% | 55.34% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 7 | 11 | 0.41% | 0.64% | |
| Asian (NH) | 8 | 2 | 0.47% | 0.12% | |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 0 | 11 | 0.00% | 0.64% | |
| Some other race (NH) | 0 | 14 | 0.00% | 0.82% | |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 47 | 67 | 2.77% | 3.91% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 19 | 29 | 1.12% | 1.69% | |
| Total | 1,698 | 1,713 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,713 people, 739 households, and 413 families residing in the town.[13]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,698 people, 699 households, and 449 families residing in the town.[14]
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 1,714 people, 680 households, and 448 families residing in the town. The population density was 522.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 800 housing units at an average density of 243.9sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 39.67% White, 56.65% African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 2.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.63% of the population.
In 2000, there were 680 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.21.
In 2000, in the town, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $20,703, and the median income for a family was $28,241. Males had a median income of $26,932 versus $17,390 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,412. About 24.5% of families and 30.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.4% of those under age 18 and 26.1% of those age 65 or over.
A Florida prison known as Century Correctional Institution is the only major employer in the region. This facility employs a full-time staff of 401, which is almost 25% of the entire population of Century.[16]
See main article: Escambia County School District. Residents of Century and the surrounding area in Escambia County are served by the Escambia County School District.
Century is within the zones of the following schools: