Overview of Hillsborough County, Florida
– Hillsborough County was created on January 25, 1834, from Alachua and Monroe Counties during the U.S. territorial period.
– The county was named after Wills Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough, who served as British Secretary of State for the Colonies.
– Augustus Steele played a significant role in the creation of the county.
– The original 1834 area of the county included eight other present-day counties.
– Pinellas County was separated from Hillsborough County in 1911.
– Hillsborough County has a total area of 1,266 square miles, with 19.4% covered by water.
– The county has approximately 888 square miles of unincorporated area.
– The county is located along the west coast of Florida.
– A narrow portion of the county extends west to the Gulf of Mexico.
– Hillsborough County is home to several parks and natural springs.
Population and Demographics of Hillsborough County, Florida
– The population of Hillsborough County was 1,459,762 in the 2020 census.
– It is the fourth-most populous county in Florida.
– The county has a yearly growth rate of 1.34%.
– Hillsborough County is the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area.
– The county seat and largest city is Tampa.
– In the 2010 census, 71.3% of the population identified as White (non-Hispanic).
– Black (non-Hispanic) residents accounted for 16.7% of the population.
– Hispanics or Latinos made up 24.9% of the population.
– Asian residents comprised 3.4% of the population.
– The county had a diverse mix of ethnic and racial backgrounds.
– The median household income in Hillsborough County was $49,536.
– The median family income was $59,886.
– The poverty rate was 10.7% for families and 14.2% for the overall population.
– In 2010, 15.1% of the county’s population was foreign-born.
– The county had a relatively high percentage of naturalized American citizens.
Education in Hillsborough County, Florida
– Hillsborough County Public Schools operate the public schools in the county.
– Hillsborough County has the eighth-largest school district in the United States with 206 schools.
– In 2013, 12 of Hillsborough County’s public high schools were ranked in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools.
– In 2012 and 2013, all 27 public high schools were included on the Washington Post’s list of the 2000 most challenging schools in America.
– 29.0% of the population has a college/associate degree.
– 16.7% of the population has a bachelor’s degree.
– 8.4% of the population has a master’s or PhD.
– In total, 54.1% of the population has some level of higher education.
– Hillsborough County has higher levels of education compared to the state and national averages.
Government and Public Services in Hillsborough County, Florida
– Clerk of the Circuit Court: Cindy Stuart (D)
– Sheriff: Chad Chronister (R)
– Property Appraiser: Bob Henriquez (D)
– Tax Collector: Nancy Millan (D)
– Supervisor of Elections: Craig Latimer (D)
– Hillsborough County’s discretionary sales tax rate increased from 1% to 2.5% in January 2019.
– The combined tax rate with the state of Florida is 8.5%, the highest in the state.
– The tax rate includes surcharges approved by voter referendum in November 2018 for transportation and schools.
– The tax is only collected on the first $5000 of any large purchase.
– Hillsborough County has a dedicated fire rescue department.
– The county has a network of parks and recreational facilities.
– The county has a board of county commissioners.
– The county provides various community services.
– The county has an official website for accessing information.
Economy and Agriculture in Hillsborough County, Florida
– In the early 20th century, Hillsborough County’s economy was based on cigar-making and agriculture.
– In 2012, Hillsborough had the second-largest agricultural output among Florida’s counties.
– As of 2010, the average annual employment in Hillsborough County was 563,292.
– The largest industries in terms of employment were trade, transportation, and utilities; professional and business services; and education and health services.
– In 2011, sales of all agricultural commodities produced in Hillsborough County were over $832,410,300.
– The largest crop by value was strawberries at over $388 million.Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_County,_Florida
