Preface

Preface

This is the 15th 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 annual abstract and the Monthly Demographics Update (MDU) are available online at: http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/PlanningStats.htm

Size of Local Government by population served: Hernando County is #29 of 476:

Since budget size is often related to the size of the population served it is noteworthy that of 476 city and county governments in Florida, Hernando County ranked # 29 as of April 1, 2006. This is the top 6%Bor put another way, 94% of Florida governments serve fewer people. (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 149,676 residents in the unincorporated area of the County. (See Table 1.09) Also, in the United States, 87% of the counties have a smaller overall population than Hernando County.

Mega-growth of past few years: slowing dramatically...

October 2006 residential building permits were down to 140 from a peak in December 2005 of 796. In the recent past however, the U.S. Census Bureau had ranked Hernando County at # 83 for numeric change and # 95 for rate of growth out of 3,141 U.S. Counties. According to the Census Bureau, for the period from July 2004 to July 2005, Hernando County was growing by:
21 more permanent residents each day 151 more permanent residents each week
656 more permanent residents each month 7,869 more permanent residents each year

This does not include the family and friends who visit those new residents and drive on SR 50!Growth Example: When you turn on the water faucet expecting to get clean water from somewhere, 7,869 additional residents will also have that same expectation compared to one year earlier. http://www.census.gov/ http://factfinder.census.gov/ http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/006563.html

Changes in mapping technology with little cost to public:

Hernando County data is frequently shown Aat a glance@ by way of .pdf maps. With the availability of Adobe Reader in the public domain, tremendous map detail can now be viewed online and printed via Portable Document Format .pdf maps. Adobe Reader is free at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Suncoast Parkway:

The Turnpike District of the Florida Department of Transportation opened the 42-mile Suncoast Parkway in 2001. Adjacent to the Parkway, the Turnpike District has developed the Suncoast Parkway Trail, a paved recreational trail 12 feet in width. http://www.floridasturnpike.com http://www.sunpass.com http://www.suncoastparkway2.com

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, the State of Florida=s Annuteliga Hammock, APK Ranch@, and the Weeki Wachee Preserve. At the local level, in 1988 voters said yes to the Environmentally Sensitive Lands program to purchase additional Alands and habitats for endangered species, threatened species, and species of special concern.@

Hernando County is also 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 an April 2006 population of 2,693,888 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 1,301% from 1960 to 2006. [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. 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 Census 2000 balance-of-population in the UA lying within Hernando County was 96,816 and through June 2005 has increased to 121,159.

Hernando County growth is Aperpetually@ due to In-migration:

For more than 25 years, 100% of the County=s population growth has been attributed to those moving in--since the number of deaths each year exceeds the number of births. [Table 1.90] That trend also occurred in 2005 for the Florida counties of Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Flagler, Franklin, Glades, Gulf, Highlands, Indian River, Jefferson, Lake, Levy, Marion, Martin, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Sumter, Union, Volusia, and Washington. In addition, the migration from other states into Florida can be tracked via the 2005 Florida motor vehicle registrations. In order, the five leading exit states into Florida were: New York-61,978; Georgia-58,737; New Jersey-35,234; Ohio-30,979; and Pennsylvania-29,213.

Further information is available at the back of this abstract under ALinks For Further Reference@. The Planning Department homepage can be found at:
http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/