Sumter County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sumter County
U.S. county
Sumter County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	January 8, 1853
Named for	Thomas Sumter
Seat	Bushnell
Largest city	Wildwood
Area
• Total	580 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Land	557 sq mi (1,440 km2)
• Water	33 sq mi (90 km2)  5.7%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	129,752
• Density	233/sq mi (90/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	11th

Sumter County is a county located in the central part of Florida, a U.S. state. In 2020, about 129,752 people lived here. It is known for having the oldest average age of people in any U.S. county. More than half of its residents are 65 years or older.

The main town where the county government is located is Bushnell. The biggest city is Wildwood. A large community called The Villages has many residents, but it is not an official city. It is part of the county's unincorporated area.

Sumter County is also part of a larger area called the Wildwood-The Villages, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is then included in the even bigger Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona, FL Combined Statistical Area.

History

Sumter County was created in 1853. It was named after General Thomas Sumter. He was a brave general in the American Revolutionary War. For a long time, people have called the county "Hog County." This is probably because many wild hogs live there. Hunting wild hogs is still a popular activity for people in the countryside parts of the county.

For many years, Sumter County was mostly rural, meaning it had a lot of farms and open land. But recently, many more people have moved in. This big increase in population is mostly because of the growth of The Villages. This is a large community for retired people. A big part of The Villages is located in Sumter County. This growth has changed the county a lot and brought in more money.

In 2007, a big storm hit central Florida. Sumter County was affected by these strong tornadoes. Because of the damage, a state of emergency was announced.

Geography

Sumter County covers about 580 square miles. Most of this area, about 547 square miles, is land. The rest, about 33 square miles, is water. This means about 5.7% of the county is water.

The Wildwood-The Villages, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes all of Sumter County. The main cities in this area are Wildwood and The Villages. This area was first called a "Micropolitan Statistical Area" around 2003. It became a larger "Metropolitan Statistical Area" around 2013. In 2023, Wildwood was also named a main city in the MSA.

Neighboring Counties

Sumter County shares its borders with several other counties:

• Marion County is to the north.
• Lake County is to the east.
• Polk County is to the southeast.
• Pasco County is to the southwest.
• Hernando County is to the west.
• Citrus County is to the northwest.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 129,752 people living in Sumter County. There were 59,076 households and 39,605 families.

In 2000, there were 53,345 people. About 18.80% of households had children under 18. Most households (60.90%) were married couples. About 27.40% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age was 49 years.

Law Enforcement

The Sumter County Sheriff's Office helps keep the peace in the county. It is recognized by important groups for its good work. The Sheriff's Office mainly patrols the areas of Sumter County that are not part of a city.

The Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman is also located in the county. This is a large prison complex run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). It includes several different prisons:

• Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Low (FCI Coleman Low)
• Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Medium (FCI Coleman Medium)
• United States Penitentiary I, Coleman (Coleman USP I)
• United States Penitentiary II, Coleman (Coleman USP II)

Transportation

Railroads

The CSX company operates one train line in Sumter County. In the past, Amtrak passenger trains used to stop in Wildwood. However, this stop ended in late 2004. Other train lines used to run through the county. For example, one line went from Coleman towards Auburndale. Part of this old line is now the General James A. Van Fleet State Trail.

Major Roads

Many important roads run through Sumter County.

• I-75 is a major highway that goes north and south. It crosses the western and northern parts of the county.
• Florida's Turnpike (Florida's Turnpike) also runs north and south. It connects Sumter County to other parts of central and southeastern Florida.
• US 301 is a main local road. It runs from the southwest to the northeast through the county.
• SR 44 goes east and west through the northern part of the county.
• CR 470 runs east and west. It goes along the west side of Lake Panasoffkee.
• CR 48 also runs mostly east and west through the middle of the county.
• SR 50 crosses the southern part of the county from east to west.

Entering Sumter County over the Withlacoochee River on County Road 48

Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway

A special route called the Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway runs for 62 miles through Sumter County. This route was chosen by the state of Florida as a "Florida Scenic Highway" in 2013. Many local groups and people worked together to make this happen. Along this scenic road, you can visit interesting places like the Dade Battlefield State Historic Site and the Sumter County Farmer's Market.

Public Transportation

Sumter County has its own public transportation system called Sumter County Transit. It offers bus services on three main routes. It also provides special transportation for people who need it.

Education

Sumter District Schools is in charge of the public and private schools in Sumter County.

The Villages Charter Schools is a special school for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. It is located in the northern part of Sumter County, in The Villages community. Children can go to this school if one or both of their parents work for The Villages.

Other schools in the county include South Sumter Middle School. This school is for students in grades 6 to 8. Lake-Sumter State College also has a campus in Sumterville. This college campus serves the local community.

Libraries

Sumter County has five public libraries. There is also a library at the Lake-Sumter State College campus that anyone can use.

• Bushnell Public Library
• E.C. Rowell Public Library
• Panasoffkee Community Library
• Villages Public Library (Belvedere)
• Villages Public Library (Pinellas Plaza)
• Lake-Sumter State College Library (Sumterville)

Since 2008, Sumter County Library Services has also offered a "Library on Wheels" program. This program brings books and services to smaller communities like Wahoo and Center Hill.

Communities

Cities

• Bushnell
• Center Hill
• Coleman
• Webster
• Wildwood

Census-designated places

• Lake Panasoffkee
• The Villages

Other unincorporated communities

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Sumter (Florida) para niños