Seminole County, Florida - Wikipedia
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| Seminole County, Florida | |
|---|---|
| County | |
 Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center | |
 Flag Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Florida | |
| Coordinates: 28°43′N 81°14′W / 28.71°N 81.23°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| Founded | April 25, 1913 |
| Named after | Seminole people |
| Seat | Sanford |
| Largest city | Sanford |
| Area | |
| • Total | 345 sq mi (890 km2) |
| • Land | 309 sq mi (800 km2) |
| • Water | 36 sq mi (93 km2) 10.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 470,856 |
| • Estimate (2024[1]) | 494,605  |
| • Density | 1,524/sq mi (588.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www.seminolecountyfl.gov |
Seminole County (/ˈsɛmɪnoʊl/, SEM-i-nohl) is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 470,856, making it the 13th-most populated county in Florida.[2][3] Its county seat and largest city is Sanford.[4] Seminole County is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
[edit]On July 21, 1821, two counties formed Florida: Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the east. In 1824, the area to the south of St. Johns County was designated Mosquito County, with its seat at Enterprise. The county's name was changed to Orange County in 1845 when Florida became a state, and over the next 70 years several other counties were created. Seminole County was one of the last to split.
Seminole County was created on April 25, 1913, out of the northern portion of Orange County by the Florida Legislature. It was named for the Seminole people who historically lived throughout the area. The name "Seminole" is thought to be derived from the Spanish word cimarron, meaning "wild" or "runaway".
Geography
[edit]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 345 square miles (890 km2), of which 309 square miles (800 km2) is land and 36 square miles (93 km2) (10.4%) is water.[5] It is Florida's fourth-smallest county by land area and third-smallest by total area.
Seminole County's location between Volusia County and Orange County has made it one of Florida's fastest-growing counties. The Greater Orlando Metropolitan District which includes Seminole, Osceola, and the surrounding counties of Lake and Orange counties, together with neighboring Volusia and Brevard counties create a viable, progressive, and diverse setting for economic growth and residential development.
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Brevard County, Florida - east
- Volusia County, Florida - north and east
- Orange County, Florida - south and west
- Lake County, Florida - west
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 10,986 | — | |
| 1930 | 18,735 | 70.5% | |
| 1940 | 22,304 | 19.0% | |
| 1950 | 26,883 | 20.5% | |
| 1960 | 54,947 | 104.4% | |
| 1970 | 83,692 | 52.3% | |
| 1980 | 179,752 | 114.8% | |
| 1990 | 287,529 | 60.0% | |
| 2000 | 365,196 | 27.0% | |
| 2010 | 422,718 | 15.8% | |
| 2020 | 470,856 | 11.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 494,605 | [1] | 5.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6]1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[2] 2022[10] | |||
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 470,856. The median age was 39.4 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.2 males age 18 and over.[11]
The racial makeup of the county was 61.5% White, 11.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 6.6% from some other race, and 14.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 22.6% of the population.[12]
96.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.2% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 182,420 households in the county, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 17.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 193,790 housing units, of which 5.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.0% were owner-occupied and 37.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.[11]
As of 2020, the Seminole County School District was the 12th largest school district in Florida and 60th nationally with more than 67,000 students and 10,000 employees.[14]
Racial and ethnic composition
[edit]| Race | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 280,452 | 264,072 | 66.34% | 56.08% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 44,196 | 50,276 | 10.46% | 10.68% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 995 | 765 | 0.24% | 0.16% |
| Asian (NH) | 15,451 | 25,164 | 3.66% | 5.34% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 194 | 243 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 1,202 | 2,975 | 0.28% | 0.63% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 7,771 | 20,822 | 1.84% | 4.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 72,457 | 106,539 | 17.14% | 22.63% |
| Total | 422,718 | 470,856 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2000 census
[edit]As of the census of 2000, there were 365,196 people, 139,572 households, and 97,281 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,185 inhabitants per square mile (458/km2). There were 147,079 housing units at an average density of 477 per square mile (184/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.4% White, 9.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 11.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 139,572 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07. The Department of Education states that in 2003, school enrollment was approximately 72,630. As of 2006, the Seminole County School District was the 52nd largest in the nation.[19]
Population was distributed with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,326, and the median income for a family was $56,895. Males had a median income of $40,001 versus $28,217 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,591. About 5.1% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over. As of March 2009, according to Workforce Central Florida, the unemployment rate for Seminole County is 9.2 percent.
Religion
[edit]The following reflects the latest year available for religious statistics, which was 2000.[20]
| Religion | Number |
|---|---|
| Did not claim a religious affiliation | 230,901 |
| Catholic | 60,191 |
| Evangelical Protestant | 48,430 |
| Mainline Protestant | 19,713 |
| Other | 5,487 |
| Orthodox | 474 |
Government and politics
[edit]Seminole County is part of the strongly Republican belt of central and southwest Florida that was the first portion of the state to politically distance itself from the "Solid South", until Joe Biden carried the county in 2020; the last Democratic Party candidate to win the county in a presidential election had been Harry Truman in 1948, and the last Democrat to win a majority of votes in the county being Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.[21] As of October 31, 2024[update], Republicans outnumbered Democrats 122,489 to 113,260, in registered voters.[22]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1916 | 155 | 15.56% | 706 | 70.88% | 135 | 13.55% |
| 1920 | 767 | 32.28% | 1,485 | 62.50% | 124 | 5.22% |
| 1924 | 372 | 23.46% | 945 | 59.58% | 269 | 16.96% |
| 1928 | 1,788 | 58.89% | 1,187 | 39.10% | 61 | 2.01% |
| 1932 | 948 | 30.68% | 2,142 | 69.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 897 | 25.80% | 2,580 | 74.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 1,369 | 30.29% | 3,150 | 69.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 1,352 | 31.50% | 2,940 | 68.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,665 | 33.25% | 2,261 | 45.16% | 1,081 | 21.59% |
| 1952 | 4,683 | 60.02% | 3,120 | 39.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 5,841 | 65.15% | 3,125 | 34.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 8,936 | 64.63% | 4,891 | 35.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 10,078 | 52.48% | 9,125 | 47.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 10,821 | 44.69% | 6,120 | 25.27% | 7,275 | 30.04% |
| 1972 | 27,658 | 80.84% | 6,503 | 19.01% | 51 | 0.15% |
| 1976 | 26,655 | 56.94% | 19,609 | 41.89% | 549 | 1.17% |
| 1980 | 39,989 | 66.16% | 17,443 | 28.86% | 3,007 | 4.98% |
| 1984 | 56,244 | 75.91% | 17,795 | 24.02% | 53 | 0.07% |
| 1988 | 60,401 | 72.20% | 22,635 | 27.06% | 622 | 0.74% |
| 1992 | 57,101 | 48.57% | 35,660 | 30.33% | 24,799 | 21.09% |
| 1996 | 59,797 | 52.04% | 45,058 | 39.21% | 10,049 | 8.75% |
| 2000 | 75,790 | 55.00% | 59,227 | 42.98% | 2,788 | 2.02% |
| 2004 | 108,172 | 58.10% | 76,971 | 41.34% | 1,052 | 0.56% |
| 2008 | 105,070 | 50.90% | 99,335 | 48.12% | 2,021 | 0.98% |
| 2012 | 109,943 | 52.57% | 96,445 | 46.12% | 2,732 | 1.31% |
| 2016 | 109,443 | 48.10% | 105,914 | 46.55% | 12,169 | 5.35% |
| 2020 | 125,241 | 47.89% | 132,528 | 50.67% | 3,764 | 1.44% |
| 2024 | 129,735 | 50.90% | 120,717 | 47.37% | 4,408 | 1.73% |
The government operates under a County Charter adopted in 1989 and amended in November 1994. Policymaking and the legislative authority are vested in the Board of County Commissioners, a five-member board elected to four-year terms in partisan, countywide elections and from single member districts. The board adopts the county budget, levies property taxes and other fees, and hires the county manager and county attorney. In addition to the board, five constitutional officers are elected to partisan, four-year terms in accordance with the constitution of the State of Florida.
The constitutional officers, clerk of the circuit and county courts, sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, and supervisor of elections, maintain separate accounting records and budgets. The board funds a portion or, in certain instances, all of the operating budgets of the county's constitutional officers.
The county provides a full range of services: the construction and maintenance of the county's infrastructure, public safety, recreation, health and human services, and development and protection of the physical and economic environment.
In addition to the county government described above, there are other political entities which are controlled by the county, but have their own appointed boards; the Seminole County Expressway Authority, the Seminole County Port Authority, the Fred R. Wilson Memorial Law Library and the US 17-92 Community Redevelopment Agency.
County elected officials
[edit]Republicans control all of Seminole County's partisan elected offices. In 2020, despite Joe Biden narrowly winning Seminole County in the presidential election, Republican candidates for county office won by wide margins over their Democratic opponents.[24]
| Seminole County Officials | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Incumbent | Next election |
| District 1 Commissioner | Bob Dallari | 2028 |
| District 2 Commissioner | Jay Zembower | 2026 |
| District 3 Commissioner | Lee Constantine | 2028 |
| District 4 Commissioner | Amy Lockhart | 2026 |
| District 5 Commissioner | Andria Herr | 2028 |
| Clerk of Courts and Comptroller | Grant Maloy | 2028 |
| Sheriff | Dennis Lemma | 2028 |
| Property Appraiser | David Johnson | 2028 |
| Tax Collector | J. R. Kroll | 2028 |
| Supervisor of Elections | Amy Pennock | 2028 |
| 18th Judicial Circuit State Attorney | Phil Archer | 2028 |
| 18th Judicial Circuit Public Defender | Blaise Trettis | 2028 |
Secondary officials
[edit]Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District
[edit]The Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District serves as an administrative role to conserve the environment within the county.[25]
The following officers are elected as indicated:
| Group | Name | Position | Election Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Jennifer Webb | Vice Chair & Public Relations | 2024 |
| Group 2 | Karen Hariot | Chairperson | 2026 |
| Group 3 | Megan Betche | Secretary | 2024 |
| Group 4 | Gabbie Milch | Treasurer | 2026 |
| Group 5 | Vacant | TBD | 2024 |
Law enforcement
[edit] Law enforcement agency| Seminole County Sheriff's Office | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | SCSO |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1913 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| General nature |
|
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Sanford, Florida |
| Agency executive |
|
| Facilities | |
| Stations | 4 |
| Website | |
| www.seminolesheriff.org | |
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Seminole County. As of 2022[update] the current sheriff is Dennis M. Lemma, who took office in 2017.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office is currently accredited by eight independent bodies:
- American Correctional Association (ACA)
- American Society of Crime Lab Directors Lab Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB)
- Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA)
- Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA)
- Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission (FCAC)
- National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC)
- National Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)
- Public Safety Communications Accreditation
Libraries
[edit] Main article: Seminole County Public Library SystemThe library system was founded in 1978 by the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners. It contains 500,000 volumes and has a circulation of 2.5 million books annually.[26] There are five branches, located in the cities of Casselberry, Sanford, Lake Mary, Oviedo, and Longwood.[27]
An online catalog is available including access to e-books and audio books. Library cards are restricted to county residents, property owners, students (enrolled in a county public school), or employed by the county government.[28]
Education
[edit]Seminole County Public Schools operates public schools.
Transportation
[edit]Interstates and expressways
[edit]
I-4
SR 417 (Seminole Expressway)
SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway)[29]
Surface roads
[edit] See also: List of county roads in Seminole County, Florida
US 17 / US 92 (French Avenue/Orlando Drive)
SR 46
CR 46A
SR 414
SR 415
SR 419
SR 426
CR 427
SR 434
SR 436
Airports
[edit]- Orlando Sanford International Airport
Passenger rail
[edit]The Amtrak Auto Train service, which transports both passengers and cars, has its southern terminus in Seminole County at the Sanford Amtrak station.[b] The train offers daily service between the Sanford station and a northern terminus in Lorton, Virginia.
The SunRail commuter rail service has stops in four counties in Central Florida, including Seminole County. Seminole County itself contains four SunRail stations: Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary, and Sanford.[b]
Public transportation
[edit]LYNX provides public bus service to three counties in Central Florida, including Seminole County. As of January 2026[update], LYNX operates 3 bus routes in the southern part of the county.[30][31]
In 2025, the county introduced a microtransit service, dubbed Scout, which replaced most of the county's LYNX routes in early 2026.[32] Scout offers on-demand service in five designated zones across the county, as well as to the University of Central Florida in neighboring Orange County. The service costs $4-14 per ride, depending on the number of zone boundaries crossed during a trip.[30]
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]- Altamonte Springs
- Casselberry
- Lake Mary
- Longwood
- Oviedo
- Sanford
- Winter Springs
Census-designated places
[edit]- Black Hammock
- Chuluota
- Fern Park
- Forest City
- Geneva
- Goldenrod (with Orange County)
- Heathrow
- Midway
- Wekiwa Springs
Unincorporated communities
[edit]- Bertha
- Indian Mound Village
- Lake Monroe
- Slavia
- Sanlando Springs
- Taintsville
- Tuskawilla
Former communities
[edit]- Markham
- Osceola
- Goldsboro
See also
[edit]
Florida portal
- Little Big Econ State Forest
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Seminole County, Florida
Notes
[edit]- ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[15][16]
- ^ a b Sanford has separate Amtrak and SunRail stations
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Resident Population in Seminole County, FL". fred.stlouisfed.org. March 14, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025. (US Census QuickFacts off-line)
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Florida Counties by Population". Florida Demographics By Cubit. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2002. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022". County Population Totals: 2020-2022. U.S. Census Bureau. March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ "Seminole County Public Schools". Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- ^ https://www.census.gov/ [not specific enough to verify]
- ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "National Center for Educations Statistics - 100 Largest School Districts in the United States". Retrieved July 31, 2008.
- ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | Maps & Reports". Thearda.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
- ^ "Voter Registration - by County and Party - Division of Elections - Florida Department of State".
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ "Official Election Results" (PDF). Seminole County Supervisor of Elections. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "Seminole Soil & Water Conservation District | Preserving Precious Resources". Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ "Seminole County Public Library: About Us". Seminole County Government. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
- ^ "Seminole County Public Library: Branch Information". Seminole County Government. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
- ^ "Seminole County Public Library: Obtaining a Library Card". Seminole County Government. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
- ^ Turner, Christy; Tutten, James (October 20, 2022). "New ramp connects drivers on westbound I-4 to SR-429 in Seminole County". WFTV. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Pedersen, Joe Mario (October 14, 2025). "Seminole County launches its Scout microtransit service this week". Central Florida Public Media. Community Communications. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "LYNX System Map, January 2026" (PDF). LYNX. Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority. January 11, 2026.
- ^ Winkelmann, Sarah (September 29, 2025). "Eight LYNX routes will be eliminated in Seminole County next year". Spectrum News 13. Charter Communications. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seminole County, Florida. - Seminole County Government / Board of County Commissioners
- Seminole County Government / Mosquito Control Program
- Photographs[permanent dead link] from the State Library & Archives of Florida.
- Seminole County Jail Information
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28°43′N 81°14′W / 28.71°N 81.23°W
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