Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pasco County, Florida, United States. Wesley Chapel is considered part of the Tampa Bay Area metro. The population was 44,092 at the 2010 census. In 2003, some residents of Wesley Chapel started a movement to incorporate the community (including areas not in the official CDP). This “city,” which would have been the largest and most populous in Pasco County, never materialized. Wesley Chapel is located at 28°10′43″N 82°21′2″W (28.178688, -82.350676).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.1 square miles (16 km2), of which, 6.1 square miles (16 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.49%) is water.

Residents choose the area because of its proximity to Interstate 75 and Interstate 275, 25 miles north of Downtown Tampa, and other major locales. Adjacent to its south is the region of New Tampa, part of incorporated Tampa.

History

Pasco County was created on June 2, 1887, from the southern third of Hernando County. The same legislation also created Citrus County from the northern third of Hernando County. The county was named for Samuel Pasco, who had just been elected to the United States Senate. Dade City was named the temporary county seat until a popular vote was held in 1889, at which time voters made Dade City the permanent county seat. As early as 1917, residents of the western part of the county proposed forming a separate county or merging with Pinellas County, as Dade City was not centrally located in the county. The issue was finally resolved in the late 1970s with the construction of identical government centers in both Dade City and New Port Richey.

The earliest towns were Anclote, Blanton, Dade City, Earnestville, Fort Dade, Macon (Trilby), Lacoochee and San Antonio. Citrus was an important industry when the county was formed, although a decline followed a freeze in 1895. Several large sawmills operated in the county in the early part of the twentieth century. During the Florida land boom of the 1920s, New Port Richey became the winter home of silent screen star Thomas Meighan and golfer Gene Sarazen; Meighan attempted to bring other Hollywood figures to the city. The county has experienced significant population growth since the 1960s. The growth began along the Gulf coast but is now occurring most rapidly in areas north of Tampa.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 867.95 square miles (2,248.0 km2), of which 744.85 square miles (1,929.2 km2) (or 85.82%) is land and 123.10 square miles (318.8 km2) (or 14.18%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

There were 147,566 households out of which 23.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.77.As of the census of 2000, there were 344,765 people, 147,566 households, and 99,016 families residing in the county. The population density was 463 people per square mile (179/km²). There were 173,717 housing units at an average density of 233 per square mile (90/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.70% White, 2.07% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.52% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 5.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the county the population was spread out with 20.20% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 26.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,969, and the median income for a family was $39,568. Males had a median income of $30,974 versus $23,802 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,439. About 7.60% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Recreational areas include Hudson Beach, The New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center, Veterans Memorial Park, J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex F/K/A Holiday Rec Complex, the Jay Starkey Preserve, Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, a section of the Suncoast Trail, a section of the Withlacoochee State Trail, Conner Preserve, Cypress Creek Preserve, Withlacoochee River Park, and Crews Lake Wilderness Park. Kayaking, canoeing, sailing, power boating, jet skiing, and fishing are popular along the coast and large tracts are preserved from development.

Pasco County, with its accommodating laws, is home to a number of Florida’s nudist parks and resorts. While there is not a clothing-optional beach in the county, there are no fewer than 8 nudist parks. The oldest is Lake Como Club just north of Tampa, while a world-class resort known as Caliente, was opened several years ago, the nudist industry and its related tourism is a significant source of tax revenue for the county.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia.