| Seminole County, Florida | ||
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Location in the state of Florida |
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Florida's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | April 25, 1913 | |
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| Seat | Sanford | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
344.87 sq mi (893 km²) 308.20 sq mi (798 km²) 36.67 sq mi (95 km²), 10.63% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
422,718 1,372/sq mi (529.72/km²) |
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| Website | www.seminolecountyfl.gov | |
Seminole County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Located between Orlando to the south and Deland and Daytona Beach to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford. As of the 2010 Census, Seminole County's population was 422,718, a 15.75% increase from 2000.[1]
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On July 21, 1821, there were two counties that formed Florida: Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the east. In 1824, the area to the south of St. Johns County was designated Mosquito County, with its seat at Enterprise. The county's name was changed to Orange County in 1845 when Florida became a state, and over the next 70 years several other counties were created. Seminole County was one of the last to split.
Seminole County was created on April 25, 1913 out of part of the northern portion of Orange County by the Florida Legislature. It was named for the Seminole people who historically lived throughout the area. The name "Seminole" is thought to be derived from the Spanish word cimarron, meaning "wild" or "runaway."
The government currently operates under a County Charter originally adopted in 1989 and amended in November, 1994. Policymaking and the legislative authority are vested in the Board of County Commissioners, a five-member board elected to four-year terms in partisan, countywide elections and from single member districts. The Board adopts the County budget, levies property taxes and other fees, and hires the County Manager and County Attorney. In addition to the Board there are five Constitutional Officers who are elected to partisan, four-year terms in accordance with the constitution of the State of Florida.
The Constitutional Officers, Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts, Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, and Supervisor of Elections, maintain separate accounting records and budgets. The Board funds a portion or, in certain instances, all of the operating budgets of the County's Constitutional Officers.
The County provides a full range of services; the construction and maintenance of the County's infrastructure, public safety, recreation, health and human services, and development and protection of the physical and economic environment.
In addition to the County Government described above, there are other political entities which are controlled by the County, but have their own appointed boards; the Seminole County Expressway Authority, the Seminole County Port Authority, the Fred R. Wilson Memorial Law Library and the US 17-92 Community Redevelopment Agency
The following officers are elected except as indicated:
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 344.87 square miles (893.2 km2), of which 308.20 square miles (798.2 km2) (or 89.37%) is land and 36.67 square miles (95.0 km2) (or 10.63%) is water.[2]
Seminole County's location between Volusia County and Orange County has made it one of the fastest growing counties in Florida. The Greater Orlando Metropolitan District which includes Seminole, Osceola, and the surrounding counties of Lake and Orange counties, together with neighboring Volusia and Brevard counties create a viable, progressive and diverse setting for economic growth and residential development.
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 10,986 |
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| 1930 | 18,735 | 70.5% | |
| 1940 | 22,304 | 19.0% | |
| 1950 | 26,883 | 20.5% | |
| 1960 | 54,947 | 104.4% | |
| 1970 | 83,692 | 52.3% | |
| 1980 | 179,752 | 114.8% | |
| 1990 | 287,529 | 60.0% | |
| 2000 | 365,196 | 27.0% | |
| 2010 | 422,718 | 15.8% | |
| [3][4] | |||
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 365,196 people, 139,572 households, and 97,281 families residing in the county. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of the County has grown to 394,878 by 2003. Current 2008 estimates put the population at more than 407,000. The population density was 1,185 people per square mile (458/km²). There were 147,079 housing units at an average density of 477 per square mile (184/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.41% White, 9.52% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.06% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. 11.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 139,572 households out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07. The Department of Education states that in 2003, school enrollment was approximately 72,630. As of 2006, the Seminole County School District was the 52nd largest in the nation.[6]
Population was distributed with 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 32.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,326, and the median income for a family was $56,895. Males had a median income of $40,001 versus $28,217 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,591. About 5.10% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over. As of March 2009, according to Workforce Central Florida, the unemployment rate for Seminole County is 9.2 percent.
Because of the massive urban sprawl in the area and outdated and unplanned transit infrastructure, traffic congestion is a growing concern. Fundamentally, the lack of east-west mobility in the area creates severe traffic issues every weekday. Many residents of Seminole County work in Orange County, and those in northern Volusia County commute through Seminole County daily to Orange County.
Ruth's Hospitality Group has its headquarters in Heathrow, unincorporated Seminole County.[7][8]
| Taxpayer | Type of Business | Assessed Valuation | Percent of Total Taxable Valuation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial Realty LP | Property Management / Development | $ 217,597,511 | 1.18% |
| Progress Energy Florida, Inc. | Electric Utility | 162,934,377 | .88% |
| BellSouth Telecommunications | Communications | 91,591,862 | .50% |
| Seminole Towne Centre LP | Shopping Mall | 87,867,747 | .48% |
| Altamonte Mall A Jt. Venture | Shopping Mall | 86,903,276 | .47% |
| Sprint Nextel Corp. | Communications | 83,090,520 | .45% |
| Convergys | Call Center Outsourcing | 68,774,402 | .37% |
| United Dominion Realty Tr | Property Management / Development | 61,467,400 | .33% |
| Rouse-Orlando Inc. | Shopping Mall | 60,318,083 | .33% |
Seminole County Public Schools operates public schools.
| Volusia County | ||||
| Orange County and Lake County | Volusia County | |||
| Seminole County, Florida | ||||
| Orange County | Brevard County |
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