Pasco County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pasco County
U.S. County
Pasco County Courthouse (2024)
Flag Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	June 2, 1887
Named for	Samuel Pasco
Seat	Dade City
Largest CDP	Wesley Chapel
Area
• Total	868 sq mi (2,250 km2)
• Land	747 sq mi (1,930 km2)
• Water	122 sq mi (320 km2)  14.0%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	561,891
• Estimate  (2023)	632,996
• Density	752/sq mi (290/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	12th, 15th

Pasco County is a place in Florida, a state in the United States. It is located on the west central coast of Florida. In 2020, about 561,691 people lived here. This makes it the eleventh-most populated county in Florida. The main government center, called the county seat, is Dade City. The biggest city is Wesley Chapel. The county is named after a person named Samuel Pasco.

Pasco County is part of the larger Tampa Bay Area. Many people who live here travel to work in nearby cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg. The county has many parks and trails. You can find them along rivers, the Gulf of Mexico, lakes, and old railroad paths. The western part of Pasco County has places for retired people. It also has areas for commercial fishing and suburbs of Tampa. Major roads like the Suncoast Parkway and Interstate 75 go through Pasco. The county is next to Polk and Sumter counties to the east. It is north of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Hernando County is to its north.

History of Pasco County

US Senator Samuel Pasco

Pasco County was created on June 2, 1887. It was formed from the southern part of Hernando County. At the same time, Citrus County was made from the northern part of Hernando County. The county was named after Samuel Pasco. He had just been chosen to be a U.S. Senator.

Dade City was first chosen as the temporary county seat. In 1889, people voted to make Dade City the permanent county seat. Later, some people in the western part of the county wanted to form their own county. They thought Dade City was too far away. This issue was solved in the late 1970s. Two government centers were built, one in Dade City and one in New Port Richey.

Some of the earliest towns were Anclote, Blanton, Dade City, and San Antonio. Growing citrus fruits was a big business when the county was new. But a big freeze in 1895 caused this industry to decline. Large sawmills also operated in the county in the early 1900s.

In the 1920s, during a time when Florida was growing fast, New Port Richey became popular. Silent movie star Thomas Meighan and golfer Gene Sarazen spent their winters there. Meighan even tried to get other Hollywood stars to visit. Pasco County has grown a lot since the 1960s. This growth first happened along the coast. Now, it is happening fastest in areas north of Tampa.

Geography and Climate

Pasco County covers a total area of about 868 square miles. About 747 square miles are land. The remaining 122 square miles (14%) are water.

Some parts of eastern Pasco County have rolling hills. The land here can be 100 to 160 feet high. This includes areas around San Antonio and St. Leo.

Neighboring Counties

• Hernando County—to the north
• Sumter County—to the northeast
• Polk County—to the southeast
• Hillsborough County—to the south
• Pinellas County—to the southwest

Weather in Pasco County

The county has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. Average temperatures in Dade City are around 59°F in January. They reach about 82°F in July and August. In Port Richey, January temperatures are similar, around 59°F. August temperatures are about 82°F.

Population Information

In 2020, there were 561,891 people living in Pasco County. There were 209,483 households and 139,278 families.

In 2000, the county had 344,765 people. The population density was about 463 people per square mile. About 20.2% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were about 92 males.

The average income for a household in 2000 was $32,969. For a family, it was $39,568. About 10.7% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 15.2% of those under 18.

Getting Around Pasco County

Airports

• Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH)
• Pilot Country Airport (X05)
• Tampa North Aero Park (X39)
• Hidden Lake Estates Airport (FA40, a private airport)

Bus Service

Pasco County Public Transportation offers bus service throughout Pasco County.

Railroads

CSX operates three train lines in the county. Dade City and Zephyrhills have a line from Plant City. Amtrak used to have passenger train service to Dade City. This service stopped in late 2004. Other lines include the Brooksville Subdivision and the Vitis Subdivision.

Many old railroad lines have been abandoned. Some of these have been turned into trails, like part of the Withlacoochee State Trail.

Main Roads

• Interstate 75 runs north and south through the eastern part of the county.
• Suncoast Parkway is a toll road. It connects Pasco County with Hillsborough County. It leads to Tampa International Airport.
• U.S. Route 19 is a major road along the Gulf of Mexico. It connects to cities like Tarpon Springs and Clearwater.
• U.S. Route 41 (Land o' Lakes Boulevard) is the main north-south U.S. Highway in Central Pasco County.
• U.S. Route 98 runs northwest and southeast. It is shared with US 301 in some parts.
• U.S. Route 301 (Fort King Highway/Gall Boulevard) is the main north-south U.S. highway in eastern Pasco County. It goes through Zephyrhills and Dade City.
• State Road 52 runs east–west through the middle of the county.
• State Road 54 runs east–west through southern Pasco County.
• State Road 56 connects Land o' Lakes to Wesley Chapel. It is planned to be extended.

Education in Pasco County

Public schools in Pasco County are run by Pasco County Schools. The number of students has grown a lot. From 1999 to 2008, student enrollment increased by over 40%. This means a new school is built almost every year. In 2020, there were 81,157 students and 10,151 staff members.

High Schools

Middle Schools

Elementary Schools

Special Education Centers

• F. K. Marchman Technical College - New Port Richey
• Harry Schwettman Education Center - New Port Richey
• James Irvin Education Center - Dade City

Charter Schools

• Academy at the Farm (K-8) - Dade City
• Imagine School at Land O' Lakes
• Classical Preparatory School (K-12) - Spring Hill

Magnet Schools

• Angeline Academy of Innovation
• Starkey Ranch K-8 school
• Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation

Private Schools

• Academy at the Lakes (JK–12) - Land o' Lakes
• Bishop Larkin Catholic School (EC–8) - Port Richey
• Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (9–12) - Spring Hill
• Center Academy (4-12) - Lutz
• East Pasco Adventist Academy (K–10) - Dade City
• First Christian Academy (K-8) - New Port Richey
• Genesis Preparatory School (6–12) - New Port Richey
• Saint Anthony Catholic School (K–8) - San Antonio

Colleges and Universities

• Pasco–Hernando State College
• Rasmussen College
• Saint Leo University
• Trinity College of Florida
• Webster College

Libraries

Pasco County Library Cooperative

The Pasco County Library Cooperative (PCLC) is the public library system for Pasco County. It has seven branch libraries and one partner, the Zephyrhills Public Library. The libraries lend out millions of items each year.

Pasco County Library Cooperative Libraries

• Centennial Park Branch Library
• Hudson Library
• Hugh Embry Branch Library
• Land o' Lakes Branch Library
• New River Branch Library
• Regency Park Branch Library
• Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center
• South Holiday Branch Library
• Zephyrhills Public Library

New Port Richey Public Library

The New Port Richey Public Library is in New Port Richey. It is the only public library in Pasco County that is not part of the Pasco County Library Cooperative. You can get a free library card if you live in Pasco County or pay property taxes in New Port Richey.

Parks and Fun Things to Do

Pasco County has many places for recreation. These include Hudson Beach and the New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center. Other parks are Odessa Community Park, Moon Lake Park, and Land o' Lakes Heritage Park. You can also visit Jay Starkey Preserve and Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park.

There are also parts of the Suncoast Trail and the Withlacoochee State Trail. People enjoy kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and fishing along the coast. Many large areas are protected from building to keep them natural.

Places saved for nature include Aripeka Sandhills Preserve and Cypress Creek Preserve, Pasco County.

Towns and Communities

Cities and towns in Pasco County.

County map from the U.S. Census.

Other Communities (Unincorporated)

• Blanton
• Branchborough
• Darby
• Gulf Harbors
• Hudson Beach
• Jessamine
• Lumberton
• Richland
• Seven Springs
• St. Joseph
• Starkey Ranch
• Trilacoochee
• Vitis

Famous People from Pasco County

• The Bellamy Brothers, a country music duo from Darby. They are known for their song "Let Your Love Flow".
• John Cena, an actor and professional wrestler. He lives in Land o' Lakes.
• Debbie Deb, a freestyle singer. She lives in New Port Richey.
• Mudcat Grant, a professional baseball player.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Pasco para niños