Lake County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Lake County

Old Lake County Courthouse in Tavares

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Location within the U.S. state of Florida

Florida's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Florida

Founded

May 27, 1887

Seat

Tavares

Largest city

Clermont

Area

• Total

1,157 sq mi (3,000 km²)

• Land

938 sq mi (2,430 km²)

• Water

219 sq mi (570 km²) 18.9%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

383,956

• Density

409/sq mi (158/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional districts

6th, 11th, 15th

Lake County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 383,956. Its county seat is Tavares, and its largest city is Clermont. Lake County is included in the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
Demographics
Education
- Colleges
Transportation
Communities
Notable people
See also

History

Lake County was created in 1887 from portions of Sumter and Orange counties. It was named for the many lakes contained within its borders (250 named lakes and 1,735 other bodies of water).

In the 1800s, the two main industries in the area were growing cotton and breeding cattle. In the latter part of the 19th century, people started to grow citrus trees. Citrus was introduced by Melton Haynes. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, citrus production increased and grew into the area's leading industry. The December 1989 United States cold wave destroyed most of the citrus groves, dealing an economic blow from which many growers could not recover. Grove owners sold massive amounts of land to developers, resulting in increasing urban sprawl.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,157 square miles (3,000 km²), of which 938 square miles (2,430 km²) is land and 219 square miles (570 km²) (18.9%) is water.

Sugarloaf Mountain is the highest point in peninsular Florida, at 312 feet (95 m) above sea level.

Adjacent counties

Volusia County – northeast
Orange County – east
Seminole County – east
Osceola County – southeast
Polk County – south
Sumter County – west
Marion County – northwest

National protected areas

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Ocala National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	8,034	—
1900	7,467	−7.1%
1910	9,509	27.3%
1920	12,744	34.0%
1930	23,161	81.7%
1940	27,255	17.7%
1950	36,340	33.3%
1960	57,383	57.9%
1970	69,305	20.8%
1980	104,870	51.3%
1990	152,104	45.0%
2000	210,528	38.4%
2010	297,052	41.1%
2020	383,956	29.3%
2023 (est.)	424,462	42.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019

**Lake County racial composition as of 2020**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	221,365	253,214	74.52%	65.95%
Black or African American (NH)	27,796	37,883	9.36%	9.87%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	965	1,016	0.32%	0.26%
Asian (NH)	5,055	8,362	1.7%	2.18%
Pacific Islander (NH)	194	317	0.07%	0.08%
Some Other Race (NH)	1,052	2,916	0.35%	0.76%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	4,616	14,873	1.55%	3.87%
Hispanic or Latino	36,009	65,375	12.12%	17.03%
Total	297,052	383,956	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 383,956 people, 137,446 households, and 94,332 families residing in the county.

As of the census of 2010, there were 297,047 people and 130,190 households residing in the county. The population density was 316.6 inhabitants per square mile (122.2/km²). There were 163,586 housing units at an average density of 174.3 per square mile (67.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.4% White (68.7% non-Hispanic White), 11.5% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 2.1% from two or more races. 16.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 88,413 households, out of which 23.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.30% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 26.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,903, and the median income for a family was $42,577. Males had a median income of $31,475 versus $23,545 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,199. About 6.90% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Education

There are a number of public schools in the county.

Colleges

The following colleges are in the county:

Lake-Sumter State College
Beacon College
Southern Technical College
Lake Technical College

Transportation

Aviation

The Tavares Seaplane Base is a city-owned, public-use seaplane base on Lake Dora in Tavares.

Panorama of the Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina on Lake Dora

The Leesburg International Airport is a former Army Airfield and municipal airport along Lake Harris east of downtown Leesburg, Florida.

Mid Florida Air Service Airport is on State Road 44 east of Eustis.

Umatilla Municipal Airport

Major highways

Florida's Turnpike runs north and south from Southeastern and Central Florida. Four interchanges exist in the county; Hancock Road (Exit 278), US 27/SR 19 (Exit 285), southbound US 27 (Exit 289) and County Road 470 (Exit 296).
US 27 is the main local road through western Lake County, running south to north. It spans from Four Corners to The Villages.
US 441 is another south to north US highway running through Mount Dora from Orange County around Lake Dora, where it merges with SR 44, has a wrong-way concurrency with SR 19 in Tavares, and lets go of SR 44 in Leesburg only to join US 27 as they both head into Marion County.
SR 19 is a mostly scenic north and south road from SR 50 in Groveland through Tavares, Eustis, and Ocala National Forest.
SR 33 is the north–south road from Lakeland in Polk County to Groveland. A county extension exists as a hidden route along SR 50 to Mascotte, where it becomes an exposed county road leading to US 27 in Okahumpka.
SR 40 is the northernmost east–west route in Lake County, and runs through Ocala National Forest.
SR 44 runs east and west through Central Lake County from west of Leesburg where it joins southbound US 441 until it breaks away near Mount Dora and heads northeast into Volusia County.
SR 46 starts at an interchange with US 441 and County Road 46 in Mount Dora and through Sorrento and Mount Plymouth along the northern border of Orange County.
SR 50 is the main east–west road through southern Lake County.

Public transportation

LakeXpress is the public transportation agency that serves the Lake County, Florida area since 2007.

Communities

Cities

Florida Citrus Tower, an historic landmark located in Clermont

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable people

Flora Call and Elias Disney were married January 1, 1888, in the Lake County town of Kismet. They were the parents of Walt Disney.
- Willis V. McCall, sheriff of Lake County, who shot one and wounded another of the Groveland Four while they were in his custody
Randy Rhoads, American heavy metal guitarist, killed in a plane crash in Leesburg on March 19, 1982. Played in the Ozzy Osbourne solo band following his tenure in Quiet Riot.
Ginger Minj, drag queen; best known for being a runner-up on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and competing on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars