Middleburg is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in central Clay County, Florida, set along the dark, tea-colored waters of Black Creek roughly 26 miles southwest of Jacksonville. It is among the oldest settled areas in the region, with more than seven hundred people counted there in the 1850s, when the community served as a river and stage stop in what was then a sparsely populated frontier. Black Creek, and later the railroad, anchored its early economy, and the area's history reaches back through the Civil War era, when the community changed hands repeatedly. Today Middleburg is part of the broader Jacksonville metropolitan area and has grown into a spread-out residential community, with a 2020 census population of about 12,900 and a much larger surrounding area within the 32068 ZIP code. Its character remains distinctly small-town: the North Fork of Black Creek winds through the community, providing a scenic and recreational spine, and many neighborhoods carry a rural or semi-rural feel. Residents choose Middleburg for its quieter pace, its water access, and its relative affordability within Northeast Florida, while Jacksonville, Orange Park, and Green Cove Springs keep employment and city amenities within a reasonable drive. The community sits between the more developed corridors to the east and the lakes and pine flatwoods to the west. Public schools are part of Clay County District Schools, and a network of neighborhood parks, creeks, and boat launches keeps family recreation close to home. Growth since the 1990s has brought newer subdivisions alongside older homes, but the community's identity remains tied to Black Creek and its long history.