Largo is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It's the third largest city in Pinellas County and the fourth largest in the Tampa Bay area. In 2020, about 82,485 people lived there.

Largo became an official town in 1905. It was the first city in Pinellas County to use a special type of government called a council-manager government in 1913. For many years, Largo was known for its farms, especially for growing citrus fruits. But after the 1960s, more and more people moved there. It changed from a farming area to a place where people live and travel to work in other cities nearby.

Largo has grown a lot over the years. In 1905, it was less than one square mile. By 2010, it was about 18.6 square miles! It started as a small farming community and is now a big city in one of Florida's most crowded counties. Largo is also a sister city with Tosayamada, Kōchi, Japan. It has been named a National Arbor Day Tree City for many years, showing its commitment to trees and nature.

History of Largo
Geography of Largo
- Largo's Climate
People of Largo
- Largo's Population in 2020
Largo's Economy
- Top Employers in Largo
Arts and Culture in Largo
- Largo Public Library
Education in Largo
Transportation in Largo
Notable People from Largo
Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

History of Largo

Early Days of the Area

Long ago, the Tocobaga Indians lived in the Largo area. They were known for their unique culture. In the 1500s, the Spanish arrived in Florida. Over time, many Tocobaga people sadly died from European diseases and wars. By the 1700s, the Largo area was mostly empty.

Florida was controlled by Spain, then England, and then Spain again, before becoming part of the United States in 1821. Around 1845, a lake called Lake Tolulu was mapped in the area. This lake is now part of the Largo Central Park Nature Preserve.

A boardwalk goes over wetlands in Largo Central Park Nature Preserve, where Lake Largo used to be.

Later, families like the McMullens settled in Largo around 1852. They raised cattle, grew citrus fruits and vegetables, and fished. During the American Civil War, some Largo residents joined the "Cow Cavalry." They helped by moving cattle to feed soldiers. Others worked on ships that secretly brought supplies past blockades. After the war, people went back to farming and ranching.

In 1888, a railroad called the Orange Belt Railway came to the area. By then, Lake Tolulu was called Lake Largo. The people living near the lake decided to name their community "Largo."

From Town to City

The Town of Largo officially became a town in 1905. In 1916, Lake Largo was drained to make space for the growing community. Between 1910 and 1930, Largo's population grew five times bigger! For many years, Largo's economy was all about farming. It was famous for its citrus groves, cattle ranches, and even pig farms. People called Largo "Citrus City" because it was a big center for packing and shipping citrus.

The Great Depression in the 1930s was a tough time for Largo. The town struggled financially, and its population actually dropped by about 30%. It took many years for Largo to recover from this period.

Largo's Fast Growth

After World War II, Largo started to grow very quickly. Many people moved to the area, and the city expanded by adding nearby lands. Companies that made electronics, like General Electric and Honeywell, helped the economy grow.

Largo's population jumped from about 5,000 people in 1960 to around 70,000 by 2005. The old farms and forests were replaced by homes, shopping centers, and small factories. This growth meant the city needed more services for its residents.

In 1995, Largo Central Park opened. It's a beautiful park where the old county fairgrounds used to be. The park is home to the Largo Central Park Performing Arts Center and is across from the Largo Public Library.

In 2006, Largo made history. Patricia Gerard became the city's first female mayor. Also, the city elected its first African-American commissioner, Rodney J. Woods. These events showed Largo's progress and commitment to being a "City of Progress."

Geography of Largo

Largo is located in the middle of Pinellas County. It touches the Intracoastal Waterway on one side and Tampa Bay on the other. Nearby cities include Clearwater to the north and Pinellas Park to the south.

A Largo street floods after Tropical Storm Debby in 2012.

In 2010, Largo covered about 18.6 square miles of land. The city has many parks, covering about 651 acres. The lowest part of Largo is at sea level, and its highest point is about 69 feet high. Largo has several lakes, with Taylor Lake being the largest. Two creeks, Allen's Creek and McKay Creek, flow through Largo. The McKay Creek area can sometimes experience flooding.

Largo's Climate

Largo is on the Pinellas Peninsula, which means its weather is affected by the nearby Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. In winter, temperatures are usually warmer here than in other parts of Florida. Winters are also drier. Largo has a humid subtropical climate, which means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Most of the rain in Largo falls during the summer. This happens when the sea breeze brings moisture from the Gulf of Mexico inland. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Largo was 22°F in 1962. The hottest was 100°F in 1995.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high [°F]	69	71	75	80	86	89	90	90	88	83	77	71	80
Average low temperature [°F]	54	55	60	65	71	75	77	77	76	70	63	56	66
Rainfall (inches)	2.76	2.87	3.29	1.92	2.80	6.09	6.72	8.26	7.59	2.64	2.04	2.60	49.58

People of Largo

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	291	—
1920	599	105.8%
1930	1,429	138.6%
1940	1,031	−27.9%
1950	1,547	50.0%
1960	5,302	242.7%
1970	24,230	357.0%
1980	57,958	139.2%
1990	65,674	13.3%
2000	69,371	5.6%
2010	77,648	11.9%
2020	82,485	6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

This map shows household income data for Largo and nearby areas in 2000.

Largo's Population in 2020

**Largo, Florida – Different Backgrounds**
*Note: The US Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This table separates them from racial groups.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Not Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	62,359	62,703	59,815	89.89%	80.75%	72.52%
Black or African American (NH)	1,806	4,083	5,137	2.60%	5.26%	6.23%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	202	190	185	0.29%	0.24%	0.22%
Asian (NH)	1,161	2,043	2,641	1.67%	2.63%	3.20%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)	55	116	105	0.08%	0.15%	0.13%
Some other race (NH)	85	158	459	0.12%	0.20%	0.56%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	801	1,373	3,612	1.15%	1.77%	4.38%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,902	6,982	10,531	4.18%	8.99%	12.77%
Total	69,371	77,648	82,485	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2020, Largo had 82,485 people living in 36,926 households. About half of these households were families.

In 2010, there were 36,806 households. About 16.7% of them had children under 18. Many households (36.2%) were married couples. About 39.6% of all households were single people living alone. The average household had 2.02 people. The average family had 2.67 people.

In 2010, the population was spread out by age. About 15.6% were under 18, and 26.0% were 65 or older. The average age was 48.2 years old.

Largo's Economy

As Largo grew, it changed from a farming area to a "bedroom community." This means many people who live in Largo travel to work in other nearby cities. While electronics companies were important, they didn't completely replace farming. Today, most jobs in Largo are in services and retail stores.

The healthcare industry is very important in Largo, especially with more older people living there. Hospitals are some of the biggest employers. Largo Medical Center is a large hospital with two campuses.

Top Employers in Largo

Here are some of the biggest employers in Largo, based on information from 2018:

#	Employer	No. of Employees
1	Pinellas County Sheriff's Office	2,862
2	Tech Data	2,012
3	Largo Medical Center	1,500
4	Florida Suncoast Hospice	1,100
5	City of Largo	900
6	SCC Soft Computer Inc.	800
7	Palms of Largo	770
8	Publix Super Markets Inc.	644
9	Pinellas County Schools Administration Building	500
10	Diagnostic Clinic Medical Group	428

Arts and Culture in Largo

Largo Public Library

The Largo Public Library first opened in 1916 in the basement of the Town Hall. It had about 560 books. Over the years, the library grew and moved to bigger locations. In 1977, a new library was built on land that was given to the city. After an expansion in 1989, it held 250,000 items! The library's current building opened in 2005 and is a modern place for learning and reading.

Education in Largo

Pinellas County Schools manages all the public schools in Largo, from kindergarten to 12th grade. The main office for the school district is in Largo.

Students in high school attend Largo High School. Their mascot is the razorback boar, and their sports teams are called the Packers. This name comes from the city's history as a citrus packing center.

Middle school students in Largo go to Largo Middle School.

Schiller International University also has its main campus in Largo.

There are also private schools in Largo, like St. Patrick Catholic School and Veritas Academy.

Transportation in Largo

Largo is served by two international airports. St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport is about 6 miles east of downtown. Tampa International Airport is about 20 miles east, across Tampa Bay.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides bus service throughout Pinellas County and express service to Tampa. Major roads like State Roads 686 and 688 connect Largo to Interstate 275. US 19 and US 19 Alternate run north and south through the city. Many local roads connect Largo to its neighboring communities.

Notable People from Largo

Beth Bauer, a former professional golfer
Michael Bradley, a current professional golfer
Irene Cara (1959–2022), a famous singer and actress who lived in Largo
Al Conover, a former American football player and coach
Sarah Mavis Dabbs, a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
D'Qwell Jackson, an NFL linebacker
Chloe Lowery, a singer-songwriter
Dexter McCluster, an NFL running back/wide receiver
Brittney McConn, a retired figure skater
Casey Moore, a college football coach
Lanny Poffo, a professional wrestler
Leonard T. Schroeder, a retired U.S. Army colonel, known for being the first American soldier ashore on D-Day in World War II
John Stansel Taylor, a Florida state senator
Bill Young, a U.S. Congressman
Anastasija Zolotic, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in Taekwondo

Sister Cities

A stone plaque in Largo Central Park celebrates 40 years of friendship between Largo and Kami, Japan.

Largo has a special friendship with the city of Kami in Kōchi, Japan. They have been sister cities since 1969.

Images for kids

An old map of Largo from 1925.
Taylor Lake Park is a county park in Largo.

Largo, Florida facts for kids

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