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 was 129,752, and was estimated to be 154,693 in 2024. Its county seat is Bushnell, and the largest city is Wildwood. The Villages is located in Sumter County.

It has the oldest median age (68.1 years) of any US county in the 2022 estimate.

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 on January 8, 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, Sumter County has sustained an exceptionally large increase in population, almost solely due to the expansion of The Villages 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 was declared.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.91%) is water. It is the 51st largest county in Florida by total area.

The Wildwood-The Villages, Florida Metropolitan statistical area (MSA) consists of Sumter County. The principal cities of the MSA are Wildwood and The Villages. The MSA was first defined in or before 2003 as The Villages, Florida Micropolitan statistical area (μSA) with The Villages as the principal city. The area was designated an MSA in or before 2013. In 2023, Wildwood was added as a principal city and the name of the MSA.

Adjacent counties

* Marion County - north
* Lake County - east
* Polk County - southeast
* Pasco County - southwest
* Hernando County - west
* Citrus County - northwest

Demographics

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Sumter County was $403,970.

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 66,941 estimated households in Sumter County with an average of 1.93 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $73,297. Approximately 9.7% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Sumter County has an estimated 25.0% employment rate, with 35.1% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.2% holding a high school diploma.

The median age in the county was 68.2 years.

Sumter County, Florida – racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 129,752 people, 62,907 households, and 41,080 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 75,304 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.36% White, 6.62% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from some other races and 4.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.84% of the population.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 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 . The racial makeup of the county was 82.60% White, 13.78% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 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 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.

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.

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 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

Transportation

Railroads

CSX 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 to Center Hill. Today, part of it is a Forest Road in Withlacoochee State Forest 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

Interstates and expressways

* 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).
* runs north and south from Southeastern and Central Florida. Only three interchanges exist in the county; US 301 (Exit 304), SR 44 (Exit 307), and at the northern terminus at I-75 (unmarked Exit 309), in Wildwood.

Surface roads

* is the main local road through Sumter County, running southwest to northeast.
* runs east and west through the northern part of the county from Rutland into Lake County.
* : 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.
* 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.
* : 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.
* runs east and west across the southern part of the county from Withlacoochee State Forest in Hernando County through Tarrytown and Mabel before entering Lake County.
* runs north and south from Polk County north of US 98 into US 301 in Sumterville.
* : 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.
* : is a west to east rural county road in northern Sumter County.
* : is a west to east rural county road in northern Sumter County.
* : is a suffixed alternate route of CR 466.
* : is a suffixed alternate route of CR 476 within Busnnell.
* : is a suffixed alternate route of CR 476. It spans northwest from I-75 at Exit 309 to CR 476 west of Bushnell.
* : is a west to east rural county road in southern Sumter County spanning from I-75 at Exit 309 to US 301 in St. Catherine.

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. 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 in Bushnell.

Public Transportation

Sumter County operates Sumter County Transit, which operates three fixed-route services, as well as paratransit service.

Education

Sumter District Schools operates district public and private schools in Sumter County.

The Villages Charter Schools is a K-12 charter school in unincorporated northern Sumter County in 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
* Wildwood

Census-designated places

* Lake Panasoffkee
* The Villages

Other unincorporated communities

* Croom-A-Coochee
* Cumpressco
* Linden
* Mabel
* Oak Grove
* Orange Home
* Oxford
* Royal
* Rutland
* St. Catherine
* Sumterville
* Tarrytown
* Wahoo

See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter County, Florida

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

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Florida counties
1853 establishments in Florida
Counties in Greater Orlando
Populated places established in 1853
Metropolitan areas of Florida