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Preface

This is the 11th edition of the Hernando County Statistical Abstract. The data herein has been collected by different entities both private and public, from local, state, and federal levels. This Abstract and other monthly updates are available online at: (http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan/)

Size of Local Government by population served: Hernando County is # 29 of 475:

Since budget size is often related to the size of the population served it is noteworthy that of 475 city and county governments in Florida, Hernando County ranked # 29 as of April 1, 2002. (See Table 1.02B) Many counties in Florida with larger populations are subdivided among numerous small city governments. With few sizable cities, the budget for Hernando County government serves 129,212 residents in the unincorporated area of the County.

Unprecedented Census detail available for Hernando County businesses and organizations:

Census 2000 details of the Hernando County market are now available on the internet at http://factfinder.census.gov/ This Abstract highlights some of that data from a local perspective. For example, in Census Tract 415 lying west of US 19 and south of the Weeki Wachee River:

55 households had an income over $200,000
949 persons have a Bachelor=s degree or higher, and
81 persons were employed in the construction occupations.

Every Census 2000 question applies to the administration of some government program. But the data is also available to the private and not-for-profit sectors on the above websites.

Hernando County grows eight-fold since 1970:

The County population was just 17,004 in 1970. It has risen to 136,484 in April 2002, an eight-fold increase. From April 1990 to April 2002 the net population growth in Hernando County averaged 2,947 per year. Based upon recent housing completion data from the County, the local estimated population as of August 31, 2002 was 138,435.

Suncoast Parkway opens:

The Turnpike District of the Florida Department of Transportation began construction of the

42-mile Suncoast Parkway in the summer of 1998. Portions of the Parkway opened to traffic on February 4, and August 10, 2001. Interchanges in Hernando County are at County Line Road, Spring Hill Drive, SR 50, and U.S. 98. Adjacent to the Parkway, the Turnpike District has developed the Suncoast Parkway Trail, a paved recreational trail 12 feet in width. The Public Information Office for the Suncoast Parkway is located at the toll plaza in northern Pasco County. (813/558-1117 Ext.12) Toll information and Parkway maps are available at: http://www.sunpass.com or http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan/

Hernando County is part of the 9-County ANature Coast@:

The vision for the Hernando County community includes a distinctive effort to capitalize on the AClose to Home, Room to Roam@ aspects of this transitional rural/suburban county. More than 27% of Hernando County lands are in conservation land-use including the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, three tracts of the Withlacoochee State Forest, and the recently purchased Weeki Wachee Preserve, Annuteliga Hammock, and APK Ranch@ by the State of Florida. At the local level, in 1988 voters said yes to the Environmentally Sensitive Lands program (ESL) to purchase additional Alands and habitats for endangered species, threatened species, and species of special concern.@

Hernando County is part of the 4-county Tampa Bay MSA:

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Hernando County is part of the 4-county Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area. (MSA) The Tampa Bay MSA checked in with a April 2001 population of 2,441,256 up from 820,443 in 1960. [Table 1.02A] The Tampa Bay MSA ranked as the 21st largest metro area in the nation at the time of the Census 2000. Hernando County=s rate of growth was even faster for that time period--a jump of 1085% from 1960 to 2001. [Table 1.02A]

Urbanized Area (UA) nearly doubles and has a new name:

As of Census 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau has designated the Brooksville Urbanized Area with a population of 102,193. [See map - p. 10] This replaces the former Spring Hill UA (1990 Census population of 52,056) as per naming criteria published in the Federal Register giving priority to incorporated cities. Urbanized Areas require a minimum population of 50,000 people as well as densities exceeding 500 per square mile. The Brooksville UA includes a Pasco County portion in the Shady Hills area with a population of 5,377. The balance of population in the UA lying within Hernando County is 96,816.

Hernando County growth is due to In-migration:

In recent years, 100% of the County=s population growth has been attributed to those moving in--since the number of deaths continues to exceed the number of births. [Table 1.08B] That trend is also occurring in the Florida counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Flagler, Franklin, Glades, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Martin, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwanee, Union, and Volusia. The migration from other states into Florida can be tracked via the 2000 Florida motor vehicle registrations. In order, the five leading exit states into Florida were Georgia-58,551; New York-46,381; Alabama-28,080; New Jersey-26,768; and Ohio-26,349.

Further information is available at the back of this abstract under Links For Further Reference. The Planning Department homepage can be found at: http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan/