Seminole County, with its population of approximately 394,196, is one of the fastest growing counties in the State. The county has so much to offer, from fascinating historical areas and prestigious golf communities to excellent high tech job opportunities and the best education in the State. Beaches and renowned entertainment attractions are within easy reach, and first-class shopping and dining are at your doorstep. Whether you want small-town quiet and relaxation or the excitement of the big city, it is all available here in Seminole County.
Location
Seminole County is one of 67 Florida counties, and is located in the Orlando metro area. It is situated in eastern central Florida with Orlando to the south and Daytona Beach to the north. The county seat is Sanford. The County is bordered by Brevard County to the southeast, Volusia County to the north and east, Orange County to the west and south, and Lake County to the west.
Geography/Terrain
Covering a total area of 345 square miles, Seminole County has 308 square miles of land, and 37 square miles of water. The terrain is mainly flat and lakes abound here. The central Florida area has over 2,000 of them. The Atlantic Ocean is approximately 30 miles to the east of the County, and the Gulf of Mexico is about 80 miles to the west.
Distance to 3 closest major cities
Seminole County is approximately 19 miles north of Orlando, 108 miles south of Jacksonville, FL, and 219 miles north of Miami, FL.
Jobs
The economy in Seminole County is strong and growing, with abundant opportunities for business and development. The area is known for its skilled workforce and its high paying employment. It has a high number of technology-based jobs and several large, well-known employers such as Sprint, Bank One, AT&T, Fiserv, AAA, and Veritas. Some of the other major private employers in the County include Convergys, JP Morgan Chase, Florida Hospital Altamonte, Analog Modules, Sentinel Communications, Siemens Communications, Tri-City Electrical Contractors, and Central Florida Regional Hospital.
Educational, health and social services provide 17.3% of the employment in the area, retail trade provides 13.7%, and professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services provide13.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.4% and the average time to commute to work is 27minutes. The median household income is $53, 675.
Housing
The inventory of homes and the diversity of housing options in Seminole County are growing, to meet the increasing demand. The market is strong and it is currently a buyers market. There is new construction throughout the county of single-family homes, condos, and town homes. For example, the city of Sanford has plans to build fantastic condominiums and town homes on the waterfront, and new communities are developing on the outskirts of the city. Lake Mary is experiencing redevelopment of its downtown area. Here in Seminole County you can find housing to meet your needs, everything from modest homes to exclusive gated golf course communities and estates with lakeshore frontage.
Parks and Recreation
Seminole County is rich with natural beauty; sparkling lakes, massive trees, scenic rivers, and fields of wildflowers. There are 24 public parks and 6,500 acres of nature preserves, including five Wilderness Areas and one Preserve. The Wilderness Areas include: Chuluota, Econ River, Geneva, Lake Jesup, Lake Proctor, and Spring Hammock. These lands allow for activities such as hiking, biking, birding, fishing and horseback riding. Many of the parks have elevated boardwalks extending through the wetlands. Some parks are areas of mixed hardwood swamps, as well as highlands thick with oak and pine. Tennis, volleyball, racquetball, soccer basketball and softball are available at some of the county parks. 40-acre Sanlando Park has 25 tennis courts nestled among the trees.
There are over 2,000 freshwater lakes and rivers in the county, including 342-mile long St. Johns River, which is Florida's longest. You can fish, water-ski or lie back and enjoy the beauty. Lake Jesup in Oviedo covers ten thousand acres and is over 100,000 years old, home to some of Florida's most unique wildlife. It has the highest population of alligators of any lake in Florida. There are numerous water excursions you can enjoy, including bass fishing, canoeing down the Wekiva River or simply touring. You can take airboat tours, fishing charters or guided outback adventure tours.
Little Big Econ State Forest offers many recreational opportunities such as; canoeing, fishing, and trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Many miles of new trails provide visitors and residents ample opportunities to hike, bike, or rollerblade through the County. The Florida National Scenic Trail is a 1300-mile unpaved trail that extends from the panhandle to the Everglades, and the Seminole Wekiva Trail is a paved trail.
Seminole County has an impressive range of golf courses to challenge every skill level. Casselberry is home to Casselberry Golf Club and The Deer Run Country Club. Sanford has the historic Mayfair Country Club where Arnold Palmer won his first PGA Tournament. In Lake Mary, there is the Timacuan Golf and Country Club, a fantastic championship course, which ranked "14th Best in the State." Oviedo is home to the semi-private Twin Rivers Country Club, which is surrounded by areas of natural plants and wildlife. The private Tuscawilla Country Club and semi-private Winter Springs Golf Club are both located in Winter Springs.
Special Attractions/Events
There is so much to see and do in Seminole County. There are a number of outstanding art galleries to visit, such as Gallery on First and Jeanine Taylor Folk Art in Sanford, or Steinway Galleries in Altamonte Springs. At the Helen Stairs Theatre for the Performing Arts in Sanford, a restored historic Vaudeville Theatre, you can attend a wide range of performances: plays, musicals, ballets, operas, recitals, pageants, and lectures.
Sanford is home to three museums and abounds in historically significant architecture. Wander the streets and you will find Victorian homes, antiques shops and historic Museums. At the Museum of Seminole County History, you can learn about the area’s agricultural history and lifestyle through its period antiques, historical photographs and exhibits of early Florida agriculture and transportation. The Seminole County School Museum is the fourth oldest school in constant use in the State, as well as the first high school in the Orange County of that time.
The county has a great deal of fast-growing redevelopment, such as the Orlando Sanford International Airport and the new Sanford Riverwalk, which has sidewalks, bike trails, and shopping along the shores of Lake Monroe.
A must-see is the Central Florida Zoological Park in Sanford, where there are winding pathways through hundreds of mammals, reptiles and birds. Seminole County’s location also allows easy accessibility to the famous theme parks and the coastal beaches. Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and Sea World are a short drive away.
For those who love to shop, there are three major regional malls, America's largest flea market, and two historic-district areas with antique shops, several factory outlet stores and trendy upscale boutiques. The Seminole Towne Center has 120 specialty shops, while the Altamonte Mall has 180. Flea World, Americas largest Flea Market, has over 1700 booths, and is home to Fun World and Antique World.
Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
Seminole County was named for the Seminole Indians. The name "Seminole" is believed to come from the Spanish word cimarron, which means "wild" or "runaway."
American involvement in the County’s history begins in1821, when the United States acquired Florida from Spain. General Andrew Jackson was named Provisional Governor of the territory. In 1836, an army garrison called Camp Monroe was built on the shore of Lake Monroe in order to keep the Seminole Indians in check. After a violent Seminole attack in which Captain Charles Mellon was killed, the garrison was renamed Fort Mellon. In 1840, the federal government enticed settlers to the area, offering food and supplies. When Florida became a state in1845, Mellonville was chosen to be the county seat of then Orange County.
A large general store was built, Mellonville became a trading center, and in time, the first orange groves were planted. A doctor came to the area in 1867, and in 1869, the first fruit packing plant was built. In 1870, General Henry Shelton Sanford, former Minister to Belgium, purchased 12,535 acres of land, calling the settlement Sanford.
The South Florida railroad connected the towns of Sanford, Lake Mary, Longwood and Altamonte Springs with Jacksonville in1884, and in the same year, the area's first bank was opened. The area became the largest shipper of oranges in the world, and prospered.
However, in 1887 hard times hit the area. There was a fire, which destroyed all of the wooden buildings in downtown Sanford. The following year there was a yellow fever epidemic. In 1894 and 1895, the town's citrus industry was destroyed by two freezes.
Seminole County was officially created on April 25, 1913, from a part of Orange County. Between the years of 1900 to 1940, agriculture was the foundation of the County's economy. However, the arrival of Martin Marietta Corporation's aerospace factory in the 1950’s and Disney World in the 1970 has created amazing growth in both industry and tourism in Orange County, which flowed over into Seminole County.
- NUMBER1EXPERTS™ 
