Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its county seat is Macclenny, Florida. While primarily rural, the county is included in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. Baker County was created in 1861 and was named for James McNair Baker, a judge and Confederate Senator. Baker County has a total area of approximately 589 square miles of which 99% is land and 1% water. As of the 2000 census, there were 22,259 people, 7,043 households, and 5,599 families residing in Baker County, FL.