Lake Magdalene, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Magdalene, Florida
Census-designated place
Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hillsborough
Area
• Total	11.61 sq mi (30.07 km2)
• Land	10.20 sq mi (26.42 km2)
• Water	1.41 sq mi (3.65 km2)
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,742
• Density	3,013.63/sq mi (1,163.55/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	33612, 33613 & 33618
Area code(s)	813
FIPS code	12-38350
GNIS feature ID	1867163

Lake Magdalene is a special kind of community in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially governed as one. It's part of the larger Tampa Bay area. In 2020, about 30,742 people lived there.

Exploring Lake Magdalene's Past

Lake Magdalene started as a quiet, countryside area northwest of Tampa. In 1888, it got its first post office. Later, schools and churches began to appear. One important church, the United Brethren Church, started in 1895. It's now known as Lake Magdalene United Methodist. Reverend Isaac W. Bearss founded it. His family still owns citrus groves in the area. These groves are near a busy road named after his family.

The area kept its rustic feel for a long time. But in the 1990s, more and more homes were built as Tampa grew northward. By 1990, nearly 16,000 people called Lake Magdalene home. By 2000, the population had almost doubled to 28,755.

How Lake Magdalene Got Its Name

The community and the large freshwater lake it surrounds are both named Lake Magdalene. The lake covers about 206 acres (0.83 square kilometers). There are two main ideas about how the lake got its name.

One idea is that it was named after a Native American woman. Her name was Magdalena. She helped translate for a Spanish group exploring Florida in 1549. Another idea is that the name came from a wedding in 1882. John Parrish married Mary Magdalene Yates in the community. Mary Magdalene was the daughter of Jonah Yates, who was the first mayor of Plant City.

Understanding Lake Magdalene's Geography

Lake Magdalene is located in the northwestern part of Hillsborough County. You can find it at these coordinates: 28°4′53″N 82°28′41″W. It shares borders with several other communities. To the north is Lutz. To the east is the University neighborhood. To the south is the city of Tampa. To the southwest is Carrollwood. And to the west is Northdale.

Land and Water Features

Interstate 275 runs along the eastern side of Lake Magdalene. The Dale Mabry Highway (Florida State Road 597) forms its western border.

The community covers a total area of about 30.1 square kilometers (11.6 square miles). Most of this area, about 26.5 square kilometers (10.2 square miles), is land. The rest, about 3.6 square kilometers (1.4 square miles), is water. This means about 12.11% of the area is water. There are at least 11 named lakes within Lake Magdalene. The biggest one is Lake Magdalene itself, located near the center of the community.

The ZIP codes that serve Lake Magdalene are 33612, 33613, and 33618.

Population and People of Lake Magdalene

The number of people living in Lake Magdalene has grown a lot over the years.

In 2010, there were 28,509 people living in Lake Magdalene. By 2020, the population had grown to 30,742 people. This shows that more families and individuals are choosing to live in this area.

The community is also becoming more diverse. In 2010, about 66.91% of the population was non-Hispanic White. By 2020, this percentage had changed to 53.87%. The number of people identifying as Hispanic or Latino increased significantly. In 2010, they made up 21.11% of the population. By 2020, this group grew to 30.26%. Other groups, like Black or African American and Asian residents, also saw increases in their numbers. This mix of cultures and backgrounds makes Lake Magdalene a vibrant place to live.

Schools Serving Lake Magdalene

Students in Lake Magdalene attend schools managed by Hillsborough County Public Schools. Here are some of the schools in the area:

• Lake Magdalene Elementary School
• Miles Elementary School
• Buchanan Middle School
• Chamberlain High School
• Gaither High School

Hillsborough County Public Schools also has special "magnet programs." Students in the district can choose to attend these schools if they are interested in their specific programs:

• Walker Middle Magnet School
• Hillsborough High School

See also

In Spanish: Lake Magdalene para niños