Pasco County, Florida Totally Explained

Everything about Pasco County Florida totally explained

Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The 2006 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 450,171. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida. It is the 38th fastest growing county in the country with a 30.6% increase and has grown by 105,403 residents since the year 2000. Pasco, along with Hernando, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, comprise the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Pasco County was created in 1887 from the southern part of Hernando County. It was named for Samuel Pasco, who served in the Confederate Army, the state legislature and in the United States Senate from 1887 to 1899. The earliest towns were Anclote, Blanton, Dade City, Earnestville, Fort Dade, Macon (Trilby), Lacoochee and San Antonio. Citrus was an important industry when the county was formed, although a decline followed a freeze in 1895. Several large sawmills operated in the county in the early part of the twentieth century. During the Florida land boom of the 1920s, New Port Richey became the winter home of silent screen star Thomas Meighan and golfer Gene Sarazen; Meighan attempted to bring other Hollywood figures to the city. The county has experienced significant population growth since the 1960s. The growth began along the Gulf coast but is now occurring most rapidly in areas north of Tampa. In 2008 the county government was notified that the county was being sued for the death of Victor Guerrero, a Tampa Police officer allegedly killed by a county employee driving a county truck.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 868 square miles (2,248 km²), of which, 745 square miles (1,929 km²) of it's land and 123 square miles (319 km²) of it (14.18%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 344,765 people, 147,566 households, and 99,016 families residing in the county. The population density was 463 people per square mile (179/km²). There were 173,717 housing units at an average density of 233 per square mile (90/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.70% White, 2.07% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.52% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 5.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
   There were 147,566 households out of which 23.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.77.
   In the county the population was spread out with 20.20% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 26.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
   The median income for a household in the county was $32,969, and the median income for a family was $39,568. Males had a median income of $30,974 versus $23,802 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,439. About 7.60% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Municipalities

Incorporated

City of Dade City

City of New Port Richey

City of Port Richey

City of San Antonio

Town of St. Leo

City of Zephyrhills

Unincorporated

Aripeka

Blanton

Elfers

Holiday

Hudson

Odessa

Trinity

Zephyrhills West

Unincorporated Communities Not CDPs

Gulf Harbors

Hudson Beach

Moon Lake

Transportation

Aviation

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH) website

Pilot Country Airport (X05) website

Tampa North Aero Park (X39) website

Hidden Lake Estates Airport (FA40, private airport near Moon Lake) website

Bus service

Pasco County Public Transportation provides bus service in West Pasco, Dade City and Zephyrhills.

Railroads

CSX operates three rail lines within the county. Amtrak formerly provided passenger rail service to Dade City, but the stop was terminated in late 2004.

Major roads

Interstate 75 runs north and south across the eastern part of the county. Once a major connecting point with Tampa, I-75 has been made obsolete for western residents of the county by the Suncoast Parkway.

Suncoast Parkway enters the county in the south halfway between Gunn Highway and US 41, and ends in the far northern part of the county at County Line Road (Exit 37), The Suncoast Parkway is a recently-constructed toll road that connects Pasco County with Hillsborough County, where it becomes the Veterans Expressway and heads directly into Tampa International Airport before reaching Interstate 275. SR 589 has four Pasco County exits: SR 54 (Exit 19), Ridge Road Extension (Future Exit 24), SR 52 (Exit 27), and County Line Road(Exit 37).

U.S. Route 19 is a major commercial center running beside to the Gulf of Mexico on the western edge of the county, and used as a primary connecting route to cities down the west coast of Florida, including Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg, as well as Spring Hill, Weeki Wachee, Homosassa and Crystal River to the north.

Alternate 19 is a former section of US 19 that runs closer to the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas and southern Pasco County than US 19.

U.S. Route 41 (Land O' Lakes Bouelvard)

U.S. Route 98 runs northwest and southeast from Hernando County to Polk County. Concurrent with US 301 between Trilacoochee and Clinton Heights.

U.S. Route 301(Fort King Highway/Gall Boulevard)

State Road 39 runs northwest and southeast from Plant City into US 301 in Zephyrhills

County Road 41 (Fort King Highway/17th Street/21st Street/Blanton Road)

County Line Road (CR 578)

State Road 52 (Colonel Schrader Memorial Highway) an east-west route that runs primarily through the center of the county from US 19 in Bayonet Point to US 98-301 in Dade City.

State Road 54 (Gunn Highway/Fifth Avenue)

State Road 56 recently constructed road between SR 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. Planned to be extended to US 301 south of Zephyrhills.

State Road 575 the northernmost state road in Pasco County.

Bruce B. Downs Boulevard

Rowan Road/East Lake Road (CR 77)

Dale Mabry Highway

Moon Lake Road/Decubellis Road/Massachusetts Avenue (Pasco CR 587) (N)

Gunn Highway (CR 587) (S)

Little Road (CR 1) Major four to six lane county road in western Pasco County bypassing US 19 between southeast of Aripeka and Trinity.

Trinity Boulevard(Pasco-Pinellas CR 996)

Education

High Schools

Gulf High School - New Port Richey

Hudson High School - Hudson

Land O Lakes High School - Land O' Lakes

J. W. Mitchell High School - New Port Richey

Pasco High School - Dade City

Ridgewood High School - New Port Richey

River Ridge High School - New Port Richey

Sunlake High School - Land O' Lakes

Wesley Chapel High School - Wesley Chapel

Wiregrass Ranch High School - Wesley Chapel

Zephyrhills High School - Zephyrhills

Middle Schools

Bayonet Point Middle School - New Port Richey

Centennial Middle School - Dade City

Crews Lake Middle School - Spring Hill (Opening August 2008)

Chasco Middle School - Port Richey

Gulf Middle School - New Port Richey

Hudson Middle School - Hudson

Dr. John Long Middle School - Wesley Chapel

Pasco Middle School - Dade City

Pine View Middle School - Land O' Lakes

River Ridge Middle School - New Port Richey

Charles S. Rushe Middle School - Land O' Lakes

Seven Springs Middle School - New Port Richey

Paul R. Smith Middle School - Holiday

Raymond B. Stewart Middle School - Zephyrhills

Thomas E. Weightman Middle School - Wesley Chapel

Elementary Schools

Anclote Elementary School - New Port Richey

Calusa Elementary School - New Port Richey

Centennial Elementary School - Dade City

Chasco Elementary School - Port Richey

Cotee River Elementary School - New Port Richey

R. B. Cox Elementary School - Dade City

Cypress Elementary School - New Port Richey

Deer Park Elementary School - New Port Richey

Denham Oaks Elementary School - Lutz

Double Branch Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

Fox Hollow Elementary School - Port Richey

Mary Giella Elementary School - Spring Hill

Gulf Highlands Elementary School - Port Richey

Gulfside Elementary School - Holiday

Gulf Trace Elementary School - Holiday

Hudson Elementary School - Hudson

Lacoochee Elementary School - Dade City

Lake Myrtle Elementary School - Land O' Lakes

Longleaf Elementary School - New Port Richey

M. P. Locke Elementary School - New Port Richey

J. M. Marlowe Elementary School - New Port Richey

Moon Lake Elementary School - New Port Richey

New River Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

Northwest Elementary School - Hudson

Oaksted Elementary School - Land O' Lakes

Pasco Elementary School - Dade City

Pine View Elementary School - Land O' Lakes

Quail Hollow Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

Richey Elementary School - New Port Richey

San Antonio Elementary School - Dade City

Sand Pine Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

Sanders Memorial Elementary School - Land O' Lakes

Schrader Elementary School - New Port Richey

Seven Oaks Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

Seven Springs Elementary School - New Port Richey

Shady Hills Elementary School - Spring Hill

Sunray Elementary School - Holiday

C. W. Taylor Elementary School - Zephyrhills

Trinity Elementary School - New Port Richey

Trinity Oaks Elementary School - New Port Richey

Veterans Elementary School - Wesley Chapel (Opening August 2008)

Wesley Chapel Elementary School - Wesley Chapel

West Zephyrhills Elementary School - Zephyrhills

Woodland Elementary School - Zephyrhills

Special Education Centers

James Irvin Education Center - Dade City

F. K. Marchman Technical Education Center - New Port Richey

Moore Mickens Education Center - Dade City

Harry Schwettman Education Center - New Port Richey Pasco County has seen explosive growth in its student enrolment, increasing from 46,458 students in the 1999-2000 year to 64,032 in the 2006-2007 year. The enrolment has grown at an average of 2510 over the past 7 years or 5.4% each year. The projected increase for the next school year is projected to grow by 1219 to reach 65,251 or 1.9%.

Colleges / Universities

Pasco-Hernando Community College

Saint Leo University

Trinity College of Florida

Webster CollegeFurther Information

Get more info on 'Pasco County Florida'.

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