Seffner, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seffner, Florida
Census-designated place
Post office
Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hillsborough
Area
• Total	3.81 sq mi (9.87 km2)
• Land	3.61 sq mi (9.34 km2)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)
Elevation	69 ft (21 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,362
• Density	2,318.27/sq mi (895.12/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33583-33584
Area code(s)	813
FIPS code	12-64925
GNIS feature ID	0290820

Seffner is a community in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a place that looks like a town but isn't officially governed as one.

In 2020, about 8,362 people lived in Seffner. This was more than the 7,579 people who lived there in 2010. Seffner is located about 13 miles (21 km) east of downtown Tampa. It is considered a suburb of Tampa.

Even though Seffner still has many tall live oak trees, strawberry farms, and lakes, it has been growing fast. New housing areas are being built where there used to be more open land.

Seffner's Story: A Look Back in Time

Some people believe that the streets of Seffner were first planned in 1862. However, these plans were not officially written down until 1885. Seffner got its first post office in 1884. This happened when a new railroad line was being built in the area.

The community was named after its first postmaster, Frederick P. Seffner. In the same year, Seffner's first school and a store opened. Seffner quickly became a busy small town. It had citrus farms, a hotel, a drug store, and other shops.

When a serious illness spread in Tampa in 1887 and 1888, many people from Tampa came to Seffner. They found temporary safety in the hotel. To keep everyone safe, mail and people arriving in Seffner were cleaned. A banker from Tampa even set up a temporary bank in Seffner during this time.

The main road going north and south was Lenna Avenue. The road going east and west was Highway Number 23. This road was later called Buffalo Avenue because buffalo once used it as a trail. In 1989, it was renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (Hwy 574).

Seffner, along with nearby Mango and Dover, were important towns along the South Florida Railroad line. This railroad connected Tampa and Plant City. These towns grew and became important shipping centers because of the railroad.

A very cold winter in 1894–1895 caused problems for Seffner. Many people left, but others stayed to rebuild. Seffner recovered and became successful again. Nice neighborhoods were built for new residents. By 1925, Seffner was the fourth-largest town in Hillsborough County.

Where is Seffner? Understanding its Location

Seffner is located in the northeast part of Hillsborough County. To its north is Thonotosassa. To the west is Mango. To the south is Brandon.

Interstate 4 forms the northern edge of Seffner. The southern edge follows State Road 574 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard). Plant City is about 10 miles (16 km) to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Seffner covers a total area of about 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²). Most of this area, about 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), is land. The rest, about 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), is water.

Who Lives in Seffner? A Look at the People

In 2000, there were 5,467 people living in Seffner. They lived in 2,075 homes. About 35% of these homes had children under 18 living there. Most homes (56%) were married couples living together.

The people in Seffner were spread out by age. About 26% were under 18 years old. About 12% were 65 years or older. The average age was 37 years.

The average income for a household in Seffner was $42,614. For families, it was $49,152. About 4.6% of the people lived below the poverty line. This included 4% of those under 18 and 7.5% of those 65 or older.

Fun Things to Do: Arts, Parks, and Wildlife

Seffner's Public Library

The Seffner-Mango Branch Library is located right in Seffner. It's a great place to find books and learn new things.

Parks and Recreation Spots

Seffner has six public parks where you can play and relax:

• Seffner-Mango Park
• Evans Recreation Center
• E.L. Bing Park
• Higginbotham Park
• Mango Dog Park
• Lakewood Park

Lake Weeks is a lake on the southeast side of Seffner. It's about 57 acres (23 hectares) big. People enjoy fishing there. You might also see Spanish moss hanging from the trees around the lake.

There are three recreation centers in Seffner:

• The Evans Recreation Center has special programs for kids aged 6–17. It has a basketball court, playground, hockey court, softball field, football field, and soccer field.
• The Mango Recreation Center has a large park with two basketball courts, two softball fields, a playground, and a 5-acre (2-hectare) dog park.
• The Seffner Civic Center is a historic spot. It has a basketball court, picnic tables, a playground, and a big open field.

The Rodney Colson Sports Complex is another park. It has an open field, a biking trail, and a walking trail.

Helping Wildlife: A Bird Sanctuary

The Life Fellowship Bird Sanctuary is in Seffner. It's connected to a local church. This sanctuary cares for birds and reptiles. It is well-known for successfully breeding rock iguanas there.

Learning in Seffner: Schools and Education

Hillsborough County Public Schools serves the students in Seffner.

Public Elementary Schools

• Colson Elementary
• Lopez Elementary
• McDonald Elementary
• Seffner Elementary
• Pruner Elementary

Public Middle Schools

• Gordon Burnett Middle School
• Jennings Middle School

Public High Schools

• Armwood High School

Private Schools

• Hillsborough Baptist
• Impact Academy
• Legacy Christian Academy
• Livingstone Academy
• Seffner Christian Academy

Famous People from Seffner

• Matt Joyce: A professional baseball player who grew up in Seffner.
• Andrew W.K.: A musician who lived in Seffner in 1999.

See also

In Spanish: Seffner (Florida) para niños