Altha, Florida | |
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Town | |
Town Hall of Altha, Florida; 2008.
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Location in Calhoun County and the state of Florida |
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Coordinates: 30°34′18″N 85°7′39″W / 30.57167°N 85.12750°WCoordinates: 30°34′18″N 85°7′39″W / 30.57167°N 85.12750°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | Calhoun |
Area | |
• Total | 1.4 sq mi (3.8 km2) |
• Land | 1.4 sq mi (3.7 km2) |
• Water | 0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
Elevation | 203 ft (62 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 536 |
Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
ZIP code | 32421 |
Area code(s) | 850 |
FIPS code | 12-01000 |
GNIS feature ID | 0277823 |
Altha is a small town in Calhoun County, Florida, United States. The population was 536 at the 2010 census. This is an increase from 506 as of 2000[update].
Altha is located at 30°34′18″N 85°7′39″W / 30.57167°N 85.12750°W (30.571710, -85.127533).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (2.72%) is water.
Altha is located in the northwestern part of Florida, approximately 45 minutes from the Georgia state line and one hour from the Alabama state line. Altha is in a rural county, with the primary industry being agriculture. Tomatoes, watermelons, green vegetables, cucumbers, peanuts, corn, wheat, and cotton are all major industries in this farming community. The timber industry also thrives in the area, with many farmers electing to plant pine trees.
The largest employer in Altha is Oglesby Plants International. The Chipola River, about three miles west of Altha, offers swimming and fishing opportunities.
Altha has an average high temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 51 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers in this area are quite hot and humid, with afternoon showers frequently occurring during the summer months. Altha is located about 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, so when tropical storms or hurricanes approach the coastline, weather can become severe. In 2004, during Hurricane Ivan, dozens of homes were destroyed and 4 people were killed because of a severe tornado striking near the town.
The coldest part of the winter occurs during late January and early February. Night time temperatures can dip as low as the lower 20s, and in some isolated instances, even striking the mid teens. Days can be cool during these few weeks, with day time temperatures sometimes struggling to reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit.