New Port Richey, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Port Richey, Florida
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| City of New Port Richey | |
Photo of Main Street & US-19 showcasing the Historic Downtown New Port Richey sign.
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Location in Pasco County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States of America |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Pasco |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.61 sq mi (11.93 km2) |
| • Land | 4.55 sq mi (11.80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2) |
| Elevation | 16 ft (5 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,728 |
| • Density | 3,672.45/sq mi (1,417.82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
34652-34656
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| Area code(s) | 727 |
| FIPS code | 12-48500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0287669 |
| Website | City of New Port Richey |
New Port Richey is a city located in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It's a suburban city that is part of the larger Tampa Bay area. In 2020, about 16,728 people lived there.
Contents
History of New Port Richey
By 1914, the area around Orange Lake was known as "New Port Richey." The older part of the town was called "Old Port Richey." In 1915, a new post office was opened for the people living in the southern part of Port Richey. This post office was officially named New Port Richey. Gerben DeVries was the first postmaster. The city really started to grow after George Sims bought the Port Richey Land Company. He built his home in New Port Richey in 1916.
The first Chasco Fiesta was held in 1922. This event helped raise money for the local library. The festival was brought back in 1947 and has been held every year since then. It includes a big street parade and a boat parade on different Saturdays.
In 1924, New Port Richey officially became a city. The first mayor was Dr. Elroy M. Avery. He was an educator, historian, and writer who moved to New Port Richey in 1919 after he retired.
The first thing the city council did was accept Enchantment Park as a gift from George Sims. The park was later renamed Sims Park. The main attractions of the city were this park, the Pithlachascotee River, and Orange Lake.
In the mid-1920s, the city hoped to become a winter home for famous Hollywood stars. For example, Thomas Meighan, a popular actor in silent movies, built a large house on the river in 1928. He spent his winters there and hoped to make movies in New Port Richey. Gene Sarazen, a top golfer from the 1920s, also built a home in the city. He even invented the modern sand wedge in a garage there. Other Hollywood figures like Ed Wynn visited New Port Richey. Songwriter Irving Berlin and bandleader Paul Whiteman also planned to build homes, but they didn't. In 1926, a new theater named after Thomas Meighan opened. In 1927, the Hacienda Hotel, a fancy Spanish-style hotel with 55 rooms, was finished. Moon Lake Gardens and Dude Ranch, which had a private game preserve of 7,000 acres, opened in the 1930s.
The dream of New Port Richey becoming a Hollywood celebrity spot ended with the Florida land boom in the late 1920s. The Great Depression also hit the town very hard. By 1938, the town lost its passenger train connection to the Seaboard Air Line Railway network. This was a big problem before Interstates and jet airplanes existed.
Starting in the late 1960s, the western part of Pasco County began to grow very quickly. However, the population of New Port Richey itself didn't grow much because the city area is small. Most of the people in western Pasco County live in areas that are not officially part of a city. Pasco-Hernando State College started offering classes in New Port Richey in 1972. They finished building a campus there in 1976. Gulf View Square shopping mall opened in 1980. In 1995, New Port Richey became sister cities with Cavalaire-sur-Mer in France. Cavalaire Square in downtown was named to celebrate this friendship. In 2004, President George W. Bush visited Sims Park to speak to his supporters during his re-election campaign.
Geography and Location
New Port Richey is located at 28°14′56″N 82°43′04″W / 28.248918°N 82.717685°W.
The United States Census Bureau says the city covers a total area of about 4.6 square miles (11.9 km2). Most of this area, about 4.5 square miles (11.7 km2), is land. The rest, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), is water.
The Pithlachascotee River flows through the downtown area of New Port Richey. It then continues on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Population and Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 758 | — | |
| 1940 | 920 | 21.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,512 | 64.3% | |
| 1960 | 3,520 | 132.8% | |
| 1970 | 6,098 | 73.2% | |
| 1980 | 11,196 | 83.6% | |
| 1990 | 14,044 | 25.4% | |
| 2000 | 16,117 | 14.8% | |
| 2010 | 14,911 | −7.5% | |
| 2020 | 16,728 | 12.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The table below shows the different groups of people living in New Port Richey. This information comes from the 2010 and 2020 United States censuses.
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 12,289 | 12,447 | 82.42% | 74.41% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 387 | 731 | 2.60% | 4.37% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 54 | 62 | 0.36% | 0.37% |
| Asian (NH) | 211 | 234 | 1.42% | 1.40% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 3 | 13 | 0.02% | 0.08% |
| Some other race (NH) | 20 | 70 | 0.13% | 0.42% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 276 | 731 | 1.85% | 4.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,671 | 2,440 | 11.21% | 14.59% |
| Total | 14,911 | 16,728 |
In 2020, there were 16,728 people living in New Port Richey. There were 7,595 households and 4,145 families. In 2010, the city had 14,911 people, 7,030 households, and 3,624 families.
Education in New Port Richey
New Port Richey has several schools for students of all ages.
Elementary Schools
- Achieve Center at Richey: 6915 Madison Street, New Port Richey, FL 34652
- Anclote Elementary School: 3610 Madison Street, New Port Richey, FL 34652
- Calusa Elementary School: 7520 Orchid Lake Road, New Port Richey, FL 34653
- Cotee River Elementary School: 7515 Plathe Road, New Port Richey, FL 34653
- Cypress Elementary School: 10055 Sweet Bay Court, New Port Richey, FL 34654
- Deer Park Elementary School: 8636 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey, FL 34653
Middle Schools
- Bayonet Point Middle School: 11125 Little Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654
- Chasco Middle School: 7702 Ridge Road, Port Richey, FL 34668
- Gulf Middle School: 6419 Louisiana Avenue, New Port Richey, FL 34653
High Schools
- Gulf High School: 5355 School Road, New Port Richey, FL 34652
- Wendell Krinn Technical High School: 7650 Orchid Lake Road, New Port Richey, FL 34653
- River Ridge High School: 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654
- Anclote High School: 1540 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday, FL 34691
Colleges and Technical Schools
- Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC): 10230 Ridge Rd, New Port Richey, FL 34654
- Marchman Technical College: 7825 Campus Drive New Port Richey, FL 34653
- A campus of Keiser University is also located in the city.
Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, Calusa Elementary and the Chasco Elementary and Middle schools will combine to form Chasco K-8.
Museums and Libraries
- New Port Richey Public Library
- West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library
Parks and Recreation
New Port Richey offers many parks and recreational areas for residents and visitors to enjoy.
- Sims Park and Orange Lake Park
- Cotee River Park
- Frances Avenue Park
- Grand Boulevard Park
- James E. Grey Preserve
- Jasmin Park
- Meadows Dog Park
- Russ Park
Economy and Top Employers
The economy of New Port Richey is supported by various businesses and organizations.
Leading Employers
According to the city's 2021 financial report, these were the top employers:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
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| 1 | North Bay Hospital/Morton Plant | 806 |
| 2 | Baycare Behavioral Health, Inc. | 332 |
| 3 | Madison Pointe Rehab & Health | 186 |
| 4 | Orchard Ridge Nursing Center | 156 |
| 5 | Med-Fleet Systems, Inc. | 152 |
| 6 | Cracker Barrel | 121 |
| 7 | Publix Supermarket #1020 (Southgate) | 136 |
| 8 | Heather Hills Nursing Home | 119 |
| 9 | Applicant Insight, Inc. | 118 |
Notable People from New Port Richey
- Chris Trousdale (1985–2020), an actor and singer.
- Joshua Colley, an actor and singer.
- R. C. Enerson, a racing driver.
- Leon Orr, a former American football player.
- Josiah Queen, an American Contemporary Christian Musician.
See also
In Spanish: New Port Richey para niños
