County · code 12087
Monroe CountyFlorida
Monroe County is a county in Florida with its seat in Key West. It was created on July 3, 1823, from St. Johns County and was named after James Monroe.
- Founded1823
- County seatKey West
- Named forJames Monroe
- Land area983 sq mi + 4,307 sq mi water
- Population82,874 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped89,960 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Monroe on the map of Florida
Florida has 67 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1823 from St. Johns County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Monroe County was created in 1823 from St. Johns County. Over the following decades, it lost territory to the creation of Dade County (now Miami-Dade County) in 1836, to Manatee County in 1859, and to Lee County in 1887, while also exchanging and gaining various areas with its neighboring counties.
- 1823Monroe County created Monroe created by Florida Territory from St. Johns. · Fla. Terr. Acts 1823, 2d sess., sec. 1/p. 122
- 1836Lost territory Monroe lost to creation of Dade (now Miami-Dade).to Dadeto Miami-Dade· Fla. Terr. Acts 1836, 14th sess., ch. 937/p. 19
- 1859
- 1874Gained territory Monroe gained from Dade (now Miami-Dade), exchanged with Manatee. · Fla. Laws 1874, 7th sess., ch. 1998/p. 63
- 1877Exchanged territory Monroe exchanged with Manatee. · Fla. Laws 1877, 9th sess., ch. 3062/p. 121
Show all 10 changes
- 1823Monroe County created Monroe created by Florida Territory from St. Johns. · Fla. Terr. Acts 1823, 2d sess., sec. 1/p. 122
- 1836Lost territory Monroe lost to creation of Dade (now Miami-Dade).to Dadeto Miami-Dade· Fla. Terr. Acts 1836, 14th sess., ch. 937/p. 19
- 1851Changed Dade (now Miami-Dade) no longer fully organized; Dade attached to Monroe for administrative and judicial purposes.DadeMiami-Dade· Fla. Laws 1850, 5th sess., ch. 400/p. 140; Hudson, 14-15
- 1859
- 1866Exchanged territory Monroe exchanged with Dade (now Miami-Dade).with Dadewith Miami-Dade· Fla. Laws 1866, 14th sess., ch. 1592/p. 62
- 1872Changed In 1872, Dade (now Miami-Dade) was fully organized, detached from Monroe.DadeMiami-Dade· Hudson, 18-21
- 1874Gained territory Monroe gained from Dade (now Miami-Dade), exchanged with Manatee. · Fla. Laws 1874, 7th sess., ch. 1998/p. 63
- 1877Exchanged territory Monroe exchanged with Manatee. · Fla. Laws 1877, 9th sess., ch. 3062/p. 121
- 1887
- 1961Lost territory Monroe lost small area on Barnes Sound to Dade (now Miami-Dade).to Dadeto Miami-Dade· Fla. Laws 1961, 38th sess., gen., ch. 61-16/p. 44
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Monroe
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 89,960 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 4 October 2024 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Monroe County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Monroe by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Records
- Assessor and property records
- Clerk of court: deeds and plats
Clerk of The Court (Key West)
Permits
- Health department: septic and well
Planning and Environmental Resources
- Permits & Licenses
- Firework Permits
- health department
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Monroe County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Monroe County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Monroe County
- When was Monroe County founded?
- Monroe County was founded in 1823, formed from St. Johns County, and named after James Monroe.
- What is the county seat of Monroe County?
- The county seat of Monroe County is Key West.
- Is there an online parcel map for Monroe County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 89,960 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Monroe County's boundary or name changed?
- Monroe County was created in 1823 from St. Johns County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Dade County, Miami-Dade County and Manatee County.
- Who issues building permits in Monroe County?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits & Licenses. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Monroe County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Planning and Environmental Resources.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Monroe County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby