Learn About Hillsborough County

Located along the west coast of Florida, Hillsborough County is the fourth most populous city in the state. As of 2017, the county’s estimated population is 1,408,566, which is up almost 200,000 from 2010. Tampa is the largest city in this county, and it currently serves as the county seat. If you are interested, take some time to learn about the history of Hillsborough County, and check out some other interesting facts.

The County’s History

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The land Hillsborough County is settled on was originally mapped by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. Over the span of three centuries, the land that would eventually become Florida was ruled by Spain, France, and Great Britain, before it finally ended up in the hands of the United States in 1821. The county was officially created on January 25th, 1834, and was named after Wills Hill, then known as the Earl of Hillsborough.

At its initial creation, Hillsborough County was much larger, as it contained land that would eventually become the Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee counties. Though the area was quite large overall, Hillsborough’s population was only 836 at this time. Hillsborough would develop in time, and it is now one of Florida’s most populated areas.

General Information & Transportation

Source: Wikimedia Commons

As of 2016, the estimated median household income for citizens of Hillsborough County is $51,681. Along with Tampa, the county seat, Temple Terrace and Plant City are also incorporated cities in Hillsborough County. One of the county’s most well-known landmarks is the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a large bridge that connects St. Petersburg and Terra Ceia. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, also known as HART, supplies the county’s citizens with affordable methods of transportation, including bus services. Some of Hillsborough County’s major roadways include Interstate 4, Interstate 75, and Interstate 275. If you need to fly out of state, Tampa International Airport is the primary airport for this county.

School Information for Hillsborough

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Hillsborough County Public Schools district serves as the county’s main educational body. Serving over 200,000 students across 250 schools, it is currently the third largest school district in Florida, and the eighth largest school district in the United States. Currently, niche.com rates the district as the 15th best school district in the entire state of Florida.

According to patch.com, Hillsborough’s high schools rank among the best schools across the state and the entire nation. Some of the high performing schools include Plant High School and Newsome High School. Hillsborough County is also home to some of Florida’s well-regarded colleges and universities, including the University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College, and the University of Tampa.

Local Events & Attractions

Source: Yelp

Hillsborough County features a large collection of attractions that make it very popular with tourists and residents. One of these attractions is the Tampa Museum of Art, which houses an extensive collection of classic antiquities. The Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa Bay is another popular destination, hosting rides, animal exhibits, and live entertainment. Another interesting building is the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum in Plant City, a museum housing railroad memorabilia from Florida.

Adding to this, the county hosts a selection of events throughout the year. One of Tampa’s most well-known events is the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which involves performers putting on a mock pirate invasion. There is also the Tampa-Hillsborough County Storytelling Festival that takes place in spring. During this event, upstarting writers can showcase their works to a wide selection of people. There are a lot of things to do in Hillsborough County, so look around to see what the county has to offer.

Garden Communities operates apartment rentals at two communities in Hillsborough County, Compton Place and Landings at Cypress Meadows. Want to learn about them?