The Villages, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area
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Sumter County is a county located in the
central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population is 129,752. It has the oldest median age (68.3 years) of any US county and the highest percentage of residents aged 65 and older—at 55.6% in 2014-2018 (in 2009–2013). Its county seat is Bushnell, and the largest community is
The Villages ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. Sumter County coincides with The Villages, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona, FL Combined Statistical Area.


History

Sumter County was created in 1853. It was named for General Thomas Sumter, a general in the American Revolutionary War. The county in the past, and to this day by some, is nicknamed "Hog County" most likely because it is home to a large population of wild hogs. Hog hunting is still a favorite pastime of locals in the more rural portions of the county. Although long extremely rural, in recent years Sumter County has sustained an exceptionally large increase in population, almost solely due to the expansion of
The Villages ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
retirement complex, a significant portion of which is in the county. This has dramatically changed the demographics of the county and has brought in significant income. Sumter County was affected by the massive Florida tornado outbreak of February 2, 2007, and a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
was declared.


Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.7%) is water.


Adjacent counties

* Marion County - north * Lake County - east * Polk County - southeast *
Pasco County Pasco County is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2020 census, the population was 561,691. Its county seat is Dade City, and its largest city is Zephyrhills. The county is named after Samuel Pasco ...
- southwest *
Hernando County Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill. Hernando County is incl ...
- west *
Citrus County Citrus County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 153,843. Its county seat is Inverness, and its largest community is Homosassa Springs. Citrus County compris ...
- northwest


Demographics

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 129,752 people, 59,076 households, and 39,605 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 53,345 people, 20,779 households, and 15,043 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 25,195 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile (18/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.60% White, 13.78% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.41%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 6.29% of the population were Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race. There were 20,779 households, out of which 18.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.62. According to ''U. S. News & World Report'' over half the population of Sumter County are now senior citizens. In the county, the population was spread out, with 16.10% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 27.30% from 45 to 64, and 27.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,073, and the median income for a family was $36,999. Males had a median income of $27,346 versus $21,145 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,830. About 9.60% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.00% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over. According to ''The Daily Commercial'', Sumter County's unemployment rate as of March 2009 is 13.2 percent.


Law enforcement

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. and recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. It primarily patrols the unincorporated areas of Sumter County.
Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman The Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman (FCC Coleman) is a United States federal prison complex for male inmates in unincorporated Sumter County, Florida, near Wildwood. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), a division of the U ...
of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is located in the county. It includes: * Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Low (FCI Coleman Low) * Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Medium (FCI Coleman Medium) * United States Penitentiary I, Coleman (Coleman USP I) * United States Penitentiary II, Coleman (Coleman USP II)


Politics

Most likely owing to its majority-elderly population, Sumter County has been a Republican stronghold in the 21st century.


Transportation


Railroads

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
operates one rail line within the county. Amtrak formerly provided passenger rail service to Wildwood, but the stop was terminated in late 2004. Other lines have existed in the past, most notably one from Coleman southeast towards Auburndale in Polk County, part of which includes the General James A. Van Fleet State Trail in Mabel. Amtrak ran along this line until 1988. Another line ran from Croom in
Hernando County Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill. Hernando County is incl ...
to Center Hill. Today, part of it is a Forest Road in
Withlacoochee State Forest The Withlacoochee State Forest is in the western central part in the U.S. state of Florida, near Lecanto, Inverness, Floral City, Brooksville, Ridge Manor, and Dade City. The forest was named for the Withlacoochee River, which passes throug ...
north of the Sumter Rest Area on I-75. A fourth one was part of the Orange Belt Railway, which ran from Trilby in Pasco County to Sylvan Lake in Seminole County. This runs along the south side of State Road 50 east of Tarrytown.


Major roads

* Interstate 75 runs north and south across the western and northern part of the county, with interchanges at County Roads 476B & 673(Exit 309), SR 48 (Exit 314) CR 470(Exit 321), Florida's Turnpike(Exit 328), and SR 44(Exit 329). *
Florida's Turnpike Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two s ...
runs north and south from Southeastern and Central Florida. Only two interchanges exist in the county; US 301(Exit 304) and at the northern terminus at I-75(unmarked Exit 309), in Wildwood. Plans are currently under way to reconstruct the interchange, by combining it with I-75 & SR 44. *
U.S. Route 301 U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
is the main local road through Sumter County, running southwest to northeast. * State Road 44 runs east and west through the northern part of the county from Rutland into Lake County. * County Road 470: runs east and west from SR 44 near the Sumter-Citrus County Line along the west side of Lake Panasoffkee, then briefly joins US 301 in Sumterville before heading east again towards Lake County. * County Road 48 runs mostly east and west through Central Sumter County. It spans from Floral City in Citrus County to Howey-in-the Hills in Lake County. Until December 2016 the segment in Bushnell between I-75 (Exit 314) and US 301 was designated as a state road. Between the western terminus and US 301, it is also shared by the DeSoto Trail. * County Road 476: East-West Bi-County road running from Nobleton in Hernando County to Webster. The road spans as far west as US 19 along the
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located on the west coast of Florida, about north of St. Petersburg. It is famous as the southern wintering site for the re-introduced eas ...
. *
State Road 50 The following highways are numbered 50: International * European route E50 Brazil * BR-050 Canada * Alberta Highway 50 * Manitoba Highway 50 * Newfoundland and Labrador Route 50 * Ontario Highway 50 (Also referred to as Peel Regional Road 50 ...
runs east and west across the southern part of the county from
Withlacoochee State Forest The Withlacoochee State Forest is in the western central part in the U.S. state of Florida, near Lecanto, Inverness, Floral City, Brooksville, Ridge Manor, and Dade City. The forest was named for the Withlacoochee River, which passes throug ...
in Hernando County through Tarrytown and Mabel before entering Lake County. * State Road 471 runs north and south from Polk County north of US 98 into US 301 in Sumterville. * County Road 475: Two north–south roads that were previously one until Interstate 75 was built. One section spans from SR 48 in Bushnell to CR 470 on the southeast corner of Exit 321 on I-75 in Lake Panasoffkee. The other starts at SR 44 in Wildwood west of Exit 329 on I-75 and crosses the Marion County line towards Ocala. * County Road 466-A: * County Road 466: * County Road 462: * County Road 476-B:


Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway

The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, the cities of Webster and Bushnell, the Sumter County government, businesses, community leaders, veterans’ groups, and individuals worked to have 62 miles of road in Sumter County designated by the state of Florida as a Florida Scenic Byway. On September 1, 2010, the Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway was designated a candidate for the Florida Scenic Highway Program. The Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway became the 24th highway to be designated a Florida Scenic Highway by the Florida Department of Transportation in June 2013. Points of interest along the route include the Dade Battlefield State Historic Site, the Sumter County Farmer's Market, Lake Panasoffkee, the
Florida National Cemetery Florida National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located near the city of Bushnell in Sumter County, Florida. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs it encompasses and began interments in 1988. It is now ...
. On January 25, 2014, community leaders, supporters of the byway, and Assistant Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation Brian Blanchard cut the ribbon to the highway at the
Dade Battlefield State Historic Site Dade Battlefield Historic State Park is a state park located on County Road 603 between Interstate 75 (Exit 314) and U.S. Route 301 in Sumter County, Florida. The park includes of pine flatwoods and a live oak hammock. Also called the Dade Ma ...
in Bushnell.


Public Transportation

Sumter County operates
Sumter County Transit Sumter County Transit is the public transportation agency that serves Sumter County, Florida Sumter County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population is 129,752. It has the ...
, which operates three fixed-route services, as well as paratransit service.


Education

Sumter District Schools Sumter District Schools is a public school district that covers Sumter County, Florida. The district has its headquarters in Bushnell, Florida. School Board Members as of 2020-2021 Chairperson: David A. Williams Vice Chairperson: Sally Moss * ...
operates district public and private schools in Sumter County.
The Villages Charter Schools The Villages Charter Schools (VCS) is a state-operated charter school in The Villages CDP in unincorporated Sumter County, Florida, United States.The Villages CDP. Children are eligible to attend the charter school if one or both of their parents work for The Villages. Among other schools in the county is South Sumter Middle School, a junior high school for students in grades 6–8, and Lake-Sumter State College has a campus in Sumterville that serves the community.


Libraries

Sumter County has five branches serving its community as well as a Lake-Sumter State College campus library that is open to the public. * Bushnell Public Library * E.C. Rowell Public Library * Panasoffkee Community Library * Villages Public Library (Belvedere) * Villages Public Library (Pinellas Plaza) * Lake-Sumter State College Library (Sumterville) The Sumter County Library Services began servicing the Wahoo, Center Hill, Linden, Croom-A-Coochee areas through the county's Library on Wheels program in 2008.


Communities


Cities

* Bushnell * Center Hill * Coleman *
Webster Webster may refer to: People *Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name Places Canada *Webster, Alberta *Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario United State ...
* Wildwood


Census-designated places

* Lake Panasoffkee *
The Villages ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...


Other unincorporated communities

* Croom-A-Coochee * Linden *
Mabel Mabel is an English female given name derived from the Latin ''amabilis'', "lovable, dear".Reclams Namensbuch, 1987, History Amabilis of Riom (died 475) was a French male saint who logically would have assumed the name Amabilis upon entering th ...
* Oak Grove *
Orange Home Orange Home was a community in Florida and is now a neighborhood 3 miles from Wildwood, Florida. It was a stop on a rail line through the area. Orange Home dates to at least 1886 when it was listed in a Florida state directory as "Eight miles wes ...
* Oxford * Royal *
Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...
* St. Catherine * Sumterville * Tarrytown * Wahoo


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter County, Florida __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter County, Florida. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties on the National Register of Historic Places in Sumter County, Florida, United Stat ...


Notes


References


External links


Government links/Constitutional offices


Sumter County Board of County Commissioners

Sumter County Supervisor of Elections

Sumter County Property Appraiser

Sumter County Sheriff's Office

Sumter County Tax Collector
*Sumter County Clerk of Court


Special districts


Sumter County School Board

Southwest Florida Water Management District


Judicial branch


Public Defender, 5th Judicial Circuit of Florida
serving Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties
Office of the State Attorney, 5th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Circuit and County Court for the 5th Judicial Circuit of Florida


Museum and Library Resources


Photographs
From the State Library & Archives of Florida.
''The Sumter County Times,''
the local newspaper for Sumter County, Florida fully and openly available in th
Florida Digital Newspaper Library


Business and Visitor Information


Sumter County Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Florida counties 1853 establishments in Florida Counties in Greater Orlando Populated places established in 1853 Micropolitan areas of Florida