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Lake County, Florida

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

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.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Tavares,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> and its largest city is Clermont. Lake County is included in the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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Lake County was created in 1887 from portions of Sumter and Orange counties. It was named for the many lakes contained within its borders<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (250 named lakes and 1,735 other bodies of water<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>).

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Throughout the 1940s and 50s, citrus production increased and grew into the area's leading industry.Template:Citation needed 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.<ref name="Sentinel">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (18.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Sugarloaf Mountain is the highest point in peninsular Florida, at 312 feet (95 m) above sea level.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Adjacent counties

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National protected areas

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

Lake County racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)Template:Efn
Race Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> % 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<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 297,047 people and 130,190 households residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 163,586 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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

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Lake County is represented in the United States Senate by Republican senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody.

Since redistricting following the 2020 U.S. Census, Lake County has been part of Florida's 6th and 11th congressional districts. They are represented by Republicans Randy Fine and Daniel Webster, respectively.

Elected officials

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List of current elected officials:

County commissioners:

  • District 1 – Anthony Sabatini<ref name=LCBCC>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • District 2 – Sean M. Parks<ref name=LCBCC/>
  • District 3 – Kirby Smith<ref name=LCBCC/>
  • District 4 – Leslie Campione<ref name=LCBCC/>
  • District 5 – Timothy Morris<ref name=LCBCC/>

School board members:

  • District 1 - Bill Mathias (vice chair)<ref name=LCSB>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • District 2 - Tyler Brandeburg (chair)<ref name=LCSB/>
  • District 3 - Marc Dodd<ref name=LCSB/>
  • District 4 - Mollie Cunningham<ref name=LCSB/>
  • District 5 - Stephanie Luke<ref name=LCSB/>

County constitutional officers:

The county lies within one state senatorial district:

The county lies within three state representative districts:

  • the 27th (covering the northeastern part of the county, held by Republican Richard Gentry)
  • the 26th (covering the north-central part of the county, held by Republican Nan Cobb)
  • the 25th (covering the central and southern part of the county, held by Republican Taylor Yarkosky)

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.<ref>"Region III – Correctional Facility Office Template:Webarchive." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.</ref><ref>"Lake Correctional Institution." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.</ref>

Libraries

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The Lake County Library System was established in 1982 by Lake County Ordinance 1982-18 following the establishment of the Lake County Library Planning Advisory Board in 1975. 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 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.<ref>Bloodsworth, Doris. A Library Love Affair: How the Love of Books Helped Shape the History of Clermont, Florida. Florida Libraries. Vol. 53, No. 2, Fall 2010. pp. 4–6.</ref>
  • East Lake County Library, Sorrento
  • Eustis Memorial Library, Eustis<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Fruitland Park Library first began in 1916 from the donation of books from the Bosanquet and Dwight families.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Leesburg Public Library, Leesburg<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Marion Baysinger Memorial Library, Groveland<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Minneola Schoolhouse Library, Minneola<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Paisley County Library, Paisley
  • Tavares Public Library, Tavares<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Umatilla Public Library, Umatilla<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Lake County Library System. Online, available: https://www.mylakelibrary.org/ Template:Webarchive</ref>

Elections

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Lake County has voted Republican in U.S. presidential races since 1948.<ref name="Leip"/> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Voter registration

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Data comes from the Florida Division of Elections.<ref>Voter Registration - By County and Party dos.myflorida, August 31, 2022</ref>

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

Education

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Template:Clarify Template:Main There are a number of public schools in the county.

Colleges

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The following colleges are in the county:

Transportation

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Aviation

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The Tavares Seaplane Base<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> is a city-owned, public-use seaplane base on Lake Dora in Tavares.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Tavares Marina.JPG
Panorama of the Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina on Lake Dora

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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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

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Template:See also

  • File:Florida's Turnpike shield.svg 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).
  • File:US 27.svg US 27 is the main local road through western Lake County, running south to north. It spans from Four Corners to The Villages.
  • File:US 441.svg 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.
  • File:Florida 19.svg SR 19 is a mostly scenic north and south road from SR 50 in Groveland through Tavares, Eustis, and Ocala National Forest.
  • File:Florida 33.svg 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.
  • File:Florida 40.svg SR 40 is the northernmost east–west route in Lake County, and runs through Ocala National Forest.
  • File:Florida 44.svg 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.
  • File:Florida 46.svg 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.
  • File:Florida 50.svg SR 50 is the main east–west road through southern Lake County.

Public transportation

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

Communities

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Cities

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File:Citrus Tower in June 2024.jpg
Florida Citrus Tower, an historic landmark located in Clermont

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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Notable people

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See also

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Notes

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References

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Government links/Constitutional offices

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Special districts

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Judicial branch

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