H illsborough County, Florida is located midway along the beautiful west coast of Florida, the county has 1,048 square miles of land and 24 square miles of inland water area for a total of 1,072 square miles. The unincorporated area encompasses 931 square miles, or more than 86 percent of the total county area. Incorporated cities are Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City. The total population within the county is 1,088,520 residents.

Hillsborough County, which takes its name from the British Colonial Secretary of 1772, was first mapped and explored by the Spanish in the early 16th century. Between 1559 and 1819, the area now called Florida was under the rule of four nations: Spain, France, Great Britain and, finally, the United States. The United States purchased Florida from Spain in 1821 for $5 million. On Jan. 25, 1834, the U.S. Legislative Council for the Territory of Florida approved an act organizing Hillsborough as Florida's 19th county. In 1845, Florida was granted statehood.

The City of Tampa is the largest city in Hillsborough County, is the county seat and is the third most populous city in Florida with 321,490 residents. The population of the city represents approximately one-third of the total population of Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the stunning west coast of Florida, approximately 200 miles northwest of Miami, 180 southwest of Jacksonville, and 20 miles northeast of St. Petersburg.

Tampa's economy is founded on a diverse base that includes tourism, agriculture, construction, finance, health care, government, technology, and the port of Tampa. Contributing to the success of the community is the way businesses, city government, and residents all work together to make Tampa a better place to live. Tampa is one of the most interesting and enjoyable Florida tropical areas. Residents enjoy the quality of life in this highly cultural area that features plenty of sunshine, gorgeous ocean and lake views, and a variety of housing options. The median household income is $34,415 per year and the median price for a single-family home is $158,200.

Plant City has a rich history dating back to the mid-1800s when settlers first began to populate Florida. Plant City was incorporated in 1885, 16 years after the state was chartered. Plant City derives its name not from the surrounding agricultural industry that greatly added to the city's growth, but from Henry Bradley Plant. The city has grown over the past 110 years to its present size of 26 square miles and 31,930 residents. Plant City is ideally located in the heart of Central Florida situated in the northeastern corner of Hillsborough County. Serviced by four major interchanges on Interstate-4. Plant City offers easy access to all Florida interstates and state highways.

Its major crop is strawberries and has brought the city national recognition. Today, over three-quarters of the nation's midwinter strawberries come from Plant City. At the Strawberry Festival, held each winter, residents enjoy some of the finest shortcake, pie and cobblers made from the freshest strawberries in the land.

Temple Terrace is the smallest of the cities in Hillsborough County with 21,790 residents. Predominantly a residential area of approximately 6 square miles and around a 15-minute commute, Temple Terrace is a growing northeast community of Tampa. Contributing to the attraction of living there is the University of South Florida. Old time splendor can still be found in the large Mediterranean-style and Florida Cracker-style homes that were popular in the 1920s and 1930s in Florida. The average home selling price is around $171,500.

The name of Temple Terrace was derived from a new type of orange introduced in Florida called the temple. In 1922, the town was the largest orange grove in the world until a hard freeze in 1928 leveled it. The original concept for the development of Temple Terrace was that it would be a golf course community targeted exclusively towards the wealthy, retired elite of the North. Some of the most famous names in the architectural world were involved in its planning. Presently, local leaders are pursuing a revival of a walk able downtown area very much like it was envisioned almost 80 years ago but never built in the face of the encroaching Depression. Lofts, office space, retail shops and a new park will all connect outward to its residential neighborhoods. The median household income is $44,508 annually in Temple Terrace.

Hillsborough County has a lot to offer residents. Attractions include Adventure Island, Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo, Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa Museum of Art, Florida Aquarium and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Recreational activities abound with deep-sea fishing, hiking, swimming, golf, boating, tennis and camping.

The county education system is strong and has a fine reputation. School District of Hillsborough County, SDHC, administers 193 schools including 126 elementary, 40 middle, 4 K-8, and 23 high schools. Hillsborough County's controlled choice plan gives parents at least three schools to choose from for their children with bus transportation provided by the district. In addition, the plan features new programs such as attractor schools and elementary academies. Such programs are designed to encourage students who live in the city to attend school in the suburbs, and students who live in the suburbs to attend school in the city. The county also offers superb universities and colleges including University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College, University of Tampa, and Florida Metropolitan University to name just a few.

Hillsborough County is an excellent place to live, work, retire or raise a family. If you are considering moving to this beautiful Florida county, or would like more information, please feel free to request a "free relocation package" today!