Lake Mary, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake Mary, Florida
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| City of Lake Mary | ||
City Hall in 2005.
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| Motto(s):
City of Lakes
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Location in Seminole County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County | Seminole | |
| Incorporated (city) | August 7, 1973 | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 9.88 sq mi (25.58 km2) | |
| • Land | 9.07 sq mi (23.50 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.80 sq mi (2.07 km2) | |
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 16,798 | |
| • Density | 1,851.02/sq mi (714.69/km2) | |
| • Metro | 2,082,421 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
32746, 32795
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| Area code(s) | 407, 689 | |
| FIPS code | 12-38425 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404865 | |
| Website | www.lakemaryfl.com/ | |
Lake Mary is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. It's part of the larger Orlando area in Central Florida. In 2020, about 16,798 people lived here. Lake Mary is known for being a great place to live. A cool fact: the Lake Mary Little League All Stars won the Little League World Series in 2024!
Contents
History of Lake Mary
Lake Mary got its name from Mary Sundell. She was the wife of Reverend J.F. Sundell, who settled by the lake. The area started as two small villages called Bent’s Station and Belle Fontaine. These villages were located along the South Florida Railroad.
Early settlers were farmers, lumbermen, and Swedish families who grew oranges. A man named Frank Evans helped develop the area a lot. He settled here in 1882. The first Lake Mary Post Office opened in 1887. Frank Evans built the first Lake Mary Elementary School and many other buildings.
The city of Lake Mary officially became a city on August 7, 1973. Today, you can learn more about the city's past at the history museum inside the Lake Mary Chamber of Commerce Building.
Where is Lake Mary?
Lake Mary is located in Florida. It covers about 9.7 square miles (25 km2) of land and water. Most of this area, about 8.6 square miles (22 km2), is land. The rest, about 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), is water.
The city is about 19 miles away from Orlando, Florida. This means it's part of the larger Orlando area, which includes Orlando, Kissimmee, and Sanford.
People of Lake Mary
The number of people living in Lake Mary has grown over the years. Here's a quick look at how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 2,853 | — | |
| 1990 | 5,929 | 107.8% | |
| 2000 | 11,458 | 93.3% | |
| 2010 | 13,822 | 20.6% | |
| 2020 | 16,798 | 21.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 13,822 people living in Lake Mary. By 2020, the population grew to 16,798 people. There were 6,636 households and 4,859 families living in the city in 2020.
Schools in Lake Mary
Seminole County Public Schools manages the public schools in Lake Mary. The area has several schools, including public and private options. There are also two colleges nearby.
Elementary Schools
- Heathrow Elementary School
- Crystal Lake Elementary School
- Lake Mary Elementary School
Middle Schools
- Markham Woods Middle School
- Greenwood Lakes Middle School
High Schools
- Lake Mary High School
Colleges
- Seminole State College of Florida
- ECPI University
Businesses and Jobs in Lake Mary
Lake Mary is home to many important businesses. The national office for the American Automobile Association, also known as AAA, is located here. It's one of the biggest employers in the area.
You can also find the Verizon Financial Center and Mitsubishi-Hitachi Power Systems in Lake Mary. Many other well-known companies have offices here too. For example, Scholastic Book Fairs, which is part of Scholastic Corporation, has its main office in Lake Mary.
Some TV stations also have studios in Lake Mary, like WTGL, WOFL, and WRBW. You can see some of these buildings from Interstate 4.
Dixon Ticonderoga, a company famous for making pencils and art supplies, has its headquarters in Lake Mary. Accesso, a technology company for the entertainment industry, also has its North American headquarters here.
Top Employers in Lake Mary
Many companies offer jobs in Lake Mary. Here are some of the top employers in the city, based on a 2021 report:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
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| 1 | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 2,100 |
| 2 | Chase Bank Card Service | 1,800 |
| 3 | Seminole State College of Florida | 1,455 |
| 4 | Liberty Mutual Insurance Company | 1,325 |
| 5 | Verizon Corporate Resources Group | 1,296 |
| 6 | Convergys | 1,100 |
| 7 | American Automobile Association | 873 |
| 8 | Universal American | 800 |
| 9 | Agro Power Development, Inc | 650 |
| 10 | CentralSquare Technologies | 500 |
Famous People from Lake Mary
Many talented people have lived in Lake Mary, including:
- Jordan Bender, a soccer player
- Lee Corso, a sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN
- Chris DiMarco, a professional golfer
- Gigi Fernández, a professional tennis player from Puerto Rico who played in major tournaments like Wimbledon and the Olympics
- Rowdy Gaines, an Olympic gold medal winner in swimming and an NBC analyst
- Jesse Palmer, a former University of Florida and New York Giants quarterback
- Aubrey Peeples, an actress and singer
- Keith Rivers, a linebacker who played in the NFL for the New York Giants
- Toni Tennille, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter
- Stan Van Gundy, a basketball coach for teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons
- Rickie Weeks, a professional baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers
See also
In Spanish: Lake Mary (Florida) para niños
