About Pasco County
The earliest known residents of Pasco County were the Timucuans, a Native American tribe estimated to have lived here in the early 1200’s. Early settlers to Florida triggered the decline of the Timucuans with the introduction of various diseases brought to America wiping out the tribe. During the 1700’s a large exodus of Creek Indians from Georgia and Alabama migrated to Florida with one tribe known as the Seminoles settling the region. Early history shows that the Seminoles had good relations with the French, fought with the British against American settlers (as part of the First Seminole War) and had constant conflict with the Spanish until the sale of Florida to the U.S. in 1819. The U.S. military fell into conflict with the natives in the Second Seminole War that included the destruction of Fort Dade, of which Dade City is named in honor of.
On March 3, 1845 Florida was recognized as a state offering a unique and challenging frontier to the south with harsh climate, mosquitos, and diseases as well as the Third Seminole War ending in 1858. When Civil War broke out in 1861, with Florida joining with the Confederacy, Pasco County was too far to be affected by the war with major engagements or political impacts of the conflict. Men from Pasco served on both sides of the conflict and the closest engagements was Bayport, in Hernando County with militia elements and The Battle of Tampa, a minor naval engagement and blockade by the Union navy.
Pasco County is centrally located on Florida's West Coast, about 30 miles north of Tampa and 50 miles west of Orlando. This unique location places Pasco County within both a nine-county region referred to as the “Nature Coast” as well as the four-county Tampa St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area. The County contains a total area of 868 square miles, of which approximately 747 square miles are land and the balance is water area. Pasco County’s 592,669 permanent residents make it the 11th most populous county in Florida, with a 2022 population density of 793 residents per square land mile.
Pasco County was created by the Florida State Legislature on June 2, 1887, when Hernando County was divided into three parts, separating Citrus County to the north and Pasco County to the south. The County was named after Samuel Pasco in honor of his popular campaign for U.S. Senator when the original name proved to be unfavorable among members of the state legislature.
In recent decades, Pasco has seen tremendous growth, often called one of the fastest growing counties in Florida. Known for its citrus industry, retirement communities and enjoyable outdoor activities, Pasco attracts people annually from all over Florida – and beyond.
The 2022 census put the population in Pasco County at more than 590,000 residents. The county seat is Dade City and Pasco’s largest city is Zephyrhills. Government duties are conducted in Dade City and New Port Richey.
The Board of County Commissioners is Pasco County’s governing body. It consists of five members – a chair, vice chair and three commissioners.
There are six incorporated municipalities within Pasco County, and according to the 2022 census, they comprise of a total estimated population of 50,591. Zephyrhills is the largest city in the County with a population of 18,631. Dade City, the County seat, is the third largest city with a population of 7,779. The remaining four municipalities include Port Richey, New Port Richey, San Antonio, and St. Leo. Approximately 542,078 residents live within unincorporated Pasco County. For comparison purposes, this total would make unincorporated Pasco County the 2nd largest city in the State of Florida and the 6th largest "municipal" jurisdiction.
Pasco County, Florida, encompasses 868 square miles of Florida's over 65 thousand square miles on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. The County has 793 people per square mile, compared to 415 for Florida overall and more than 100 square miles of managed recreation facilities, including parks, preserves, artificial reefs, golf courses, and a network of hiking and biking trails. Pasco is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metro Statistical Area and is in the Eastern time zone. The average temperature ranges from highs in July in the 90's to January lows just under 50 degrees. On average, there are 244 sunny days per year to enjoy all that Pasco has to offer.
Life in Pasco
According to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, the labor force, individuals 18 years old and older, comprises 55% of the population in the County, compared to Florida's 60.6%. The Pasco unemployment rate is 3.0% vs. 2.9% for the State.
In 2020, the crime rate in the county was 1,589 per 100,000 population, lower than the 2,158 for the State for the same population. New commitments to prison in fiscal year 2021-2022 made up 623 of Florida's total of 25,362.
The first table to the left based on data from economic analysis done by Florida Polytechnic University shows cost of living for the surrounding counties as well as the average for the State of Florida. Also shown, from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, are the per capita personal income figures for the county and state over the past twenty years. It is important to note that the percent of the population in poverty in 2021 for all ages was 11.6% in the county and 13.2% in the State. For those under age 18, the rates were 16.8% and 18.4% respectively. For families with children ages 5 to 17, the rates were 16.1% and 17.5%.
Taxes
Florida has no state income tax on personal income, but the corporate income tax is currently 5.5%. The state sales tax is 6% and counties have the option to assess an additional amount. In Pasco, the local option sales tax is 1% on top of the State tax. These funds are used for land acquisition, infrastructure improvements, public safety, and economic development, among other initiatives. Proceeds are shared among the County, the School Board, and incorporated municipalities within the County.
Source: Pasco County Economic Development
