Lake County Florida   Located in Central Florida

Lake County Cities

Land area (rank): 954 square miles (18)
Population 1993 (rank): 167,167 (21)
Population density 1993 (rank): 175 persons per square mile (26)
Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 45.0% (21)

Physical Characteristics

Lake County is west and north of Orlando, and is bordered by Marion, Sumter, Polk, Orange, Seminole, and Volusia counties. The county has 202 square miles of water. The average January temperature is 59.7 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 82.4 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 47.57 inches.

History

Lake County was established in 1887 from portions of Sumter and Orange counties and named for its large number of lakes.

Population

In 1993 about half of Lake County's population was in unincorporated areas; the other half was in 14 incorporated places scattered throughout the county. Leesburg is the incorporated place with the greatest population (14,963 in 1993), followed by Eustis with a 1993 population of 13,711 and Lady Lake (11,117 persons). In 1993 Astatula, Clermont, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-in-the-Hills, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde, Mount Dora, Tavares, and Umatilla each had a population under 10,000. Lake County also has many unincorporated areas with populations between 1,000 and 3,000. In 1993, 90% of Lake County's population was white and 10% was nonwhite. In 1990, 2.8% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, 100.0% was due to net migration. The 1992 birth rate was 12.4 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 12.6 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 6.5 per 1,000. The leading causes of death in 1993 were heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Education

Of all 1992 high school graduates, 43.1% planned to continue their education. The 1992 high school dropout rate was 5.8%. In 1990, 70.6% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 12.7% had completed four or more years of college. Colleges and universities. Lake-Sumter Community College, Beacon College, Drew University Center, Leesburg.

Economy

The per capita income in Lake County for 1993 was $19,411 (17th highest in the state). The median household income in 1989 was $23,395. In 1989, 7.9% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 21.5% of personal income in Lake County was derived from transfer payments. In 1992 the greatest numbers of persons in Lake County were employed in the retail trade, services, and government sectors. The major employers in the retail trade sector were eating and drinking establishments, food stores, and auto dealers and service stations. In the services sector the major employers were medical and other health services, hotels and motels, and business services. In 1992 there were 1,320 farms in Lake County, totalling 199,096 acres (33% of land in the county). Lake County is among Florida's leading citrus producers and processors. Other crops grown in the county include cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peppers, radishes, squash, and watermelon. In 1991, 725 thousand board feet of softwood logs, 31,537 cords of softwood for pulp, and 3,926 cords of hardwood for pulp were produced.

Median value of a single-family home 1990: $67,800
Median monthly rent 1990: $311
Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 35.6
Housing starts 1992: 2,152
Housing starts 1993: 2,253

In 1992 the price level index for Lake County was 95.03 (30th highest in the state).

Local Government

In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 5.1350, and the total taxable value of property was $4,519,268,613. Taxable sales totalled $1086.00 million in 1992 and $1157.50 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $24,666 thousand in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Lake County's revenues totalled $80,434 thousand ($512.1 per capita) and its expenditures $110,836 thousand ($705.7 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 61.6% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these 40.7% were registered Democrat and 53.0% were registered Republican. In the 1992 presidential election 44.2% of the votes were cast for Bush, 33.2% for Clinton, and 22.4% for Perot.

Events and Places of Interest

Eustis International Folk Festival, November; Bowers Bluff Middens Archaeological District, Kimball Island Midden Archaeological Site, vicinity of Astor; Lakeside Inn, Mt. Dora; Florida Citrus Tower, Clermont; Umatilla Fall Festival and Christmas Parade, November.