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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 383,956. Its county seat is Tavares, and its largest city is Clermont. Lake County is included in the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Lake County was created in 1887 from portions of Sumter and Orange counties. It was named for the many lakes contained within its borders (250 named lakes and 1,735 other bodies of water).

In the 1800s, the two main industries in the area were growing cotton and breeding cattle. In the latter part of the 19th century, people started to grow citrus trees. Citrus was introduced by Melton Haynes. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, citrus production increased and grew into the area's leading industry. The December 1989 United States cold wave destroyed most of the citrus groves, dealing an economic blow from which many growers could not recover. Grove owners sold massive amounts of land to developers, resulting in increasing urban sprawl.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,157 square miles (3,000 km), of which 938 square miles (2,430 km) is land and 219 square miles (570 km) (18.9%) is water.

Sugarloaf Mountain is the highest point in peninsular Florida, at 312 feet (95 m) above sea level.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18908,034—
19007,467−7.1%
19109,50927.3%
192012,74434.0%
193023,16181.7%
194027,25517.7%
195036,34033.3%
196057,38357.9%
197069,30520.8%
1980104,87051.3%
1990152,10445.0%
2000210,52838.4%
2010297,05241.1%
2020383,95629.3%
2023 (est.)424,46210.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2019
Lake County racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 221,365 253,214 74.52% 65.95%
Black or African American (NH) 27,796 37,883 9.36% 9.87%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 965 1,016 0.32% 0.26%
Asian (NH) 5,055 8,362 1.7% 2.18%
Pacific Islander (NH) 194 317 0.07% 0.08%
Some Other Race (NH) 1,052 2,916 0.35% 0.76%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 4,616 14,873 1.55% 3.87%
Hispanic or Latino 36,009 65,375 12.12% 17.03%
Total 297,052 383,956 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 383,956 people, 137,446 households, and 94,332 families residing in the county.

As of the census of 2010, there were 297,047 people and 130,190 households residing in the county. The population density was 316.6 inhabitants per square mile (122.2/km). There were 163,586 housing units at an average density of 174.3 per square mile (67.3/km). The racial makeup of the county was 83.4% White (68.7% non-Hispanic White), 11.5% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 2.1% from two or more races. 16.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 88,413 households, out of which 23.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.30% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 26.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,903, and the median income for a family was $42,577. Males had a median income of $31,475 versus $23,545 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,199. About 6.90% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Lake County is represented by U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, and U.S. Representatives Michael Waltz (R-FL6), Daniel Webster (R-FL11), and Scott Franklin (R-FL15).

In the Florida Senate, Lake County is represented by Senators Dennis Baxley (R-FL12), and Kelli Stargel (R-FL22) . In the Florida House, Lake County is represented by Florida Representatives Keith Truenow (R-FL31), Anthony Sabatini (R-FL32), and Brett Hage (R-FL33).

Lake County has five Constitutional Officers: Gary Cooney (Clerk of the Court and Comptroller), Peyton Grinnell (Sheriff), Cary Baker (Property Appraiser), David Jordan (Tax Collector), and Alan Hays (Supervisor of Elections), and five County Commissioners: Doug Shields (R-District 1), Sean Parks (R-District 2), Kirby Smith (R-District 3), Leslie Campione (R-District 4), and Josh Blake (R-District 5).

The Florida Department of Corrections has Region III Correctional Facility Office on the grounds of the Lake Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in Lake County.

Libraries

The Lake County Library System was established in 1975 following the establishment of the Lake County Library Planning Advisory Board. Today it is governed by the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. The library system is made up of 6 branch libraries and 10 municipal libraries:

  • Astor County Library, Astor
  • Cagan Crossings Community Library, built in 2008 in Clermont
  • Cooper Memorial Library: The Cooper Memorial Library's history began in 1905 when a traveling salesman stopped by a boarding house run by the Benjamin McCain family and promised to donate enough books to start a town library if he was able to sell his Chautauqua lectures. Money was contributed, but very few lectures occurred, and books were never donated. Money that was to be used for the final payment for the lecture series was instead used to start a library. The first librarian of the library was Ms. Payson Pierce, who offered her own home for book storage as well as opened her home to the public. In 1914, a permanent structure was built. Women of the Library Club supported the library until 1936 when the Clermont City Council agreed to maintain it. In 2002, Cooper Memorial became a branch of the Lake County Library System.
  • East Lake County Library, Sorrento
  • Eustis Memorial Library, Eustis
  • Fruitland Park Library first began in 1916 from the donation of books from the Bosanquet and Dwight families. Twenty years later, under the joint support of the women of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Community Methodist Church, it became a community library. In 1970, Fruitland Park Library employed its first salaried librarian.
  • Helen Lehmann Memorial Library, Montverde
  • Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake
  • Leesburg Public Library, Leesburg
  • Marianne Beck Memorial Library: The Marianne Beck Memorial Library began in 1989 as an Eagle Scout project in a former carport in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. The local community raised $50,000 to remodel a former convenience store that was purchased by the town for the new library.
  • Marion Baysinger Memorial Library, Groveland
  • Minneola Schoolhouse Library, Minneola
  • Paisley County Library, Paisley
  • Tavares Public Library, Tavares
  • Umatilla Public Library, Umatilla
  • W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

Elections

Lake County has voted Republican in U.S. presidential races since 1948.

United States presidential election results for Lake County, Florida
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 125,859 59.56% 83,505 39.52% 1,950 0.92%
2016 102,188 59.48% 62,838 36.58% 6,773 3.94%
2012 87,643 57.99% 61,799 40.89% 1,702 1.13%
2008 82,802 56.19% 62,948 42.71% 1,621 1.10%
2004 74,389 60.02% 48,221 38.90% 1,340 1.08%
2000 50,010 56.44% 36,571 41.27% 2,030 2.29%
1996 35,097 47.48% 29,752 40.25% 9,074 12.27%
1992 30,825 44.17% 23,200 33.24% 15,762 22.59%
1988 37,327 68.40% 16,766 30.72% 479 0.88%
1984 35,319 74.29% 12,217 25.70% 7 0.01%
1980 26,798 64.53% 13,128 31.61% 1,602 3.86%
1976 19,976 57.42% 14,369 41.31% 442 1.27%
1972 23,079 82.63% 4,803 17.20% 48 0.17%
1968 11,763 47.42% 4,599 18.54% 8,442 34.03%
1964 12,897 62.39% 7,773 37.61% 0 0.00%
1960 12,979 72.45% 4,936 27.55% 0 0.00%
1956 10,888 71.57% 4,326 28.43% 0 0.00%
1952 9,132 70.63% 3,797 29.37% 0 0.00%
1948 3,579 43.23% 3,474 41.96% 1,226 14.81%
1944 2,693 38.38% 4,323 61.62% 0 0.00%
1940 2,659 33.32% 5,322 66.68% 0 0.00%
1936 2,034 33.46% 4,045 66.54% 0 0.00%
1932 1,867 37.82% 3,070 62.18% 0 0.00%
1928 3,383 68.08% 1,474 29.66% 112 2.25%
1924 948 36.46% 1,381 53.12% 271 10.42%
1920 734 28.90% 1,720 67.72% 86 3.39%
1916 330 25.25% 886 67.79% 91 6.96%
1912 92 11.34% 596 73.49% 123 15.17%
1908 200 24.01% 487 58.46% 146 17.53%
1904 148 20.33% 529 72.66% 51 7.01%
1900 143 20.58% 492 70.79% 60 8.63%
1896 302 24.35% 870 70.16% 68 5.48%
1892 0 0.00% 1,137 85.68% 190 14.32%

Voter registration

Data comes from the Florida Division of Elections.

Party Registration and Enrollment (August 31, 2022)
Party Number of registered voters %
Republican 119,865 43.8
Democratic 76,315 27.9
Independent 73,278 26.8
Minor parties 4,357 1.6
Total 273,815 100

Education

Main article: Lake County Schools

There are a number of public schools in the county.

Colleges

The following colleges are in the county:

Transportation

Aviation

The Tavares Seaplane Base is a city-owned, public-use seaplane base on Lake Dora in Tavares.

Panorama of the Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina on Lake Dora

The Leesburg International Airport is a former Army Airfield and municipal airport along Lake Harris east of downtown Leesburg, Florida.

Mid Florida Air Service Airport is on State Road 44 east of Eustis.

Major highways

See also: List of county roads in Lake County, Florida
  • Florida's Turnpike runs north and south from Southeastern and Central Florida. Four interchanges exist in the county; Hancock Road (Exit 278), US 27/SR 19 (Exit 285), southbound US 27 (Exit 289) and County Road 470 (Exit 296).
  • US 27 is the main local road through western Lake County, running south to north. It spans from Four Corners to The Villages.
  • US 441 is another south to north US highway running through Mount Dora from Orange County around Lake Dora, where it merges with SR 44, has a wrong-way concurrency with SR 19 in Tavares, and lets go of SR 44 in Leesburg only to join US 27 as they both head into Marion County.
  • SR 19 is a mostly scenic north and south road from SR 50 in Groveland through Tavares, Eustis, and Ocala National Forest.
  • SR 33 is the north–south road from Lakeland in Polk County to Groveland. A county extension exists as a hidden route along SR 50 to Mascotte, where it becomes an exposed county road leading to US 27 in Okahumpka.
  • SR 40 is the northernmost east–west route in Lake County, and runs through Ocala National Forest.
  • SR 44 runs east and west through Central Lake County from west of Leesburg where it joins southbound US 441 until it breaks away near Mount Dora and heads northeast into Volusia County.
  • SR 46 starts at an interchange with US 441 and County Road 46 in Mount Dora and through Sorrento and Mount Plymouth along the northern border of Orange County.
  • SR 50 is the main east–west road through southern Lake County.

Public transportation

LakeXpress is the public transportation agency that serves the Lake County, Florida area since 2007.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also