Overview

Seminole County is known for its natural beauty. The lakes, lush tropical growth, pine and oak trees, clean, fresh air; these are the things that make living here special, and one of the most desirable areas to live in Central Florida.

There are seven incorporated communities in Seminole County: Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary, Longwood, Oviedo, Sanford and Winter Springs. Sanford is the county seat.

Seminole has some of the finest residential neighborhoods to be found in Central Florida. The Seminole County school system is rated number one in the state of Florida. You'll, also, find a wide variety of recreational, cultural, and civic activities in Seminole County.

Seminole is one of the fastest growing county's in Florida, and also one of the smallest in size, 321 square miles.

Seminole is located in the northwest area of Greater Orlando. The western boundary is the Wekiva River, to the north Lake Monroe, to the east the St. John's River and to the south Orange County.

Although there is great commercial expansion underway, Seminole County is predominantly a residential community. About 70% of Seminole residents work outside the county.

Seminole, is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States, due to its great economic potential and excellent quality of life. It is also one of the most affluent communities, with a median household (effective buying income-EBI) income of $40,549. Seminole County has 37.1% with an EBI of $50,000; 21.4% with EBI of $35,000 to $49,900; and 22% with EBI of $20,000 to $34,900.

It is a young community, with 35% of the population under 25, and 69% under 45 years of age.

Growth

Commercial and residential expansion is in full bloom!

This is a high growth area.

The Central Florida Regional Airport, east of the GreenWay's Lake Mary Blvd. exit in Sanford,has international arrival and departure terminals. There is an access road to the GreeneWay. Like Orlando International Airport, the Central Florida Airport was a former military base and features "runways that can handle any kind of air traffic.

The Seminole Town Center, completed in the fall of 1995 is a 1.2 million square foot mall. The mall, off of I-4 and Route 46 in Sanford is the second largest enclosed mall in Florida, Altamonte Mall is the first. Both are in Seminole County.

This is one of the hottest areas in the Metro Orlando area right now. The I-4 and Route 46 corridor is home to major construction of retail businesses and new home communities. It is ideally located: A 30 minute drive into Orlando, 35 minutes to Daytona Beach, I-4 and the Seminole Town Center at your doorstep, major companies in Lake Mary a few minutes away; Yes! An ideal location!

Each city in the county is taking an active role in its economic development, paying special attention to their downtown areas. See City information for more details.

Although, retail and construction are the bright lights of Seminole's economy, it is attracting more corporate headquarters and hi-tech companies. Agriculture still plays an important role.

Employers

The top companies:

• Seminole County Schools, 5317
• Publix Supermarkets ,1,630
• American Automobile Association (AAA), 1,200
• Siemens Stromberg-Carlson, 1,200
• Florida Hospital,850
• HCA Central Florida Regional Hospital, 750
• Tri-City Electric Contractors, Inc. 705
• Sprint/United Telephone-Florida, 700
• AT&T, 600

The American Automobile Association moved their national headquarters to Heathrow in 1989. They brought 500 employees with them and hired 100 more. They currently employ over 1200 people.

Spectrum Healthcare Solutions formerly Baxter-Travenol, moved their corporate headquarters from Long Island, NY to Longwood.

The Postal Service built a 400,000 square foot mail-sorting center in Lake Mary, and A.T.&T. Settled int NCR's former building at Technology Park. They are expected to employ about 4,000. Dixon-Ticonderoga, 200 year old paper and art products manufacturer, moved to Heathrow last year.

Work-Labor Overview

According to a recent study by a top research firm, the Seminole County work force is the best educated in the region and number one in available managerial skills. Seminole has the highest regional concentration of adults with college degrees. The overall work force has considerable professional skills. The population growth rate ensures a steady influx of new entrants to the labor force. Because of the superior labor force and competitive wage rate companies find Seminole county extremely attractive for relocation.

Taxation

There are no state or local personal income taxes in Florida. The sales tax in Seminole County is 7%. For millage rates in the cities see the Seminole County Profile.

Communities and Housing

Seminole County is a bedroom community and has some of the most upscale and exclusive neighborhoods in Central Florida.

There are country club & golf communities; Heathrow, Magnolia Point, Timacuan and Wembley Park in Lake Mary; Alacqua, Alacqua Lakes, Sweetwater Club, Sweetwater Oaks, Sabal Point near Wekiva Springs State Park in Longwood; there is Tuscawilla in Winter Springs, and Seminole Woods in Oviedo, Lake Forest in Sanford to name a few.

The most outstanding and valuable area in Seminole County, and some say all of Central Florida is Markham Woods Road. Affluent and elegant enough to be profiled on "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous", this north-south route between Longwood and Lake Mary features one-acre zoning requirements and homes that start around $400K. Some of the communities of Markham Woods Road are Alaqua, without a doubt, the most exclusive. Alacqua Lakes, Hawkscrest, Heathrow Woods, and Markham Meadows are also top drawer communities.

For those of us on more limited budgets, there are many great communities in Seminole. There are older established communities, as well as new communities with building still under construction. The medium price of a home in Seminole County is about $129,966.

For more information on homes in Seminole County Click here.

Culture & Arts

Museums/Galleries/Art Groups

Sanford Museum
520 E. First St.
Sanford
407-330-5698

Seminole Community College
100 Weldon Blvd.
Sanford, FL
407-323-1450
Fine arts gallelry in Building G. Mon and Wed 10a.m.-3p.m., Tues and Thurs. Noon-5p.m. Also open during musical and theatrical perforamnces. Annual student exhibition is juried.

Seminole County Historical Museum
300 Bush Blvd.
Sanford, FL
407-321-2489
Artifacts, displays and photographs. Open noon-5p.m., Tues-Fri

Altamonte Springs Community Jazz Ensemble
407-322-7528
Three public service concerts per year.

Seminole Community College
100 Weldon Blvd.
Sanford, FL
407-323-1450
Scheduled musical events include SCC Community Symphonic Band concert and Spring Choral Concert.

Theater

Seminole Community College
100 Weldon Blvd.
Sanford, FL
407-323-1450
Four play season at Fine Arts Theatre on campus. Popular and intriguing "Talk Backs" with director, cast and crew after first Sunday matinee performance of each play.

Libraries

Central Branch - Casselberry
215 N. Oxford Ave.
407-339-4000

East Branch - Oviedo
310 N. Division St.
407-366-8150

North Branch - Sanford
150 N. Palmetto Ave.
407-322-2182

Northwest Branch - Lake Mary
580 Greeneway Blvd.
407-321-2419

West Branch - Longwood
245 N. Hunt Club Rd.
407-862-2282

The following listing is an independent library belonging to Altamonte Springs.

Altamonte Springs Library & Cultural Center
281 Maitland Ave.
407-830-3895

Shopping

There are now two major enclosed shopping malls in Seminole County.

The Seminole Towne Center, a 1.2 million square foot enclosed retail mall. Its located at I-4 and Route 46 in Sanford. It is one of the links that opened up expansion in the northwest corridor of the county. The mall is anchored by J.C. Penny, Burdines, Sears and Dillards.

The Altamonte Mall with 1.3 million square feet of retail space and four anchor stores, Sears, Dillard's, Burdines and J.C. Penney, is another giant in enclosed retail malls. It is located at State Road 436 and Palm Springs Drive in Altamonte Springs. Adjacent to the Mall is The Renaissance Center, a 200,000 square foot shopping plaza anchored by Jacobson's, an upscale department store.

On Route 434, just east of I-4, there is the Longwood Village Shoppes, an upsacale outdoor mall with interesting shops and restaurants.

There are a number of other interesting strip malls with shops and restaurants along the major corridors of the county.

Brief History

Seminole County's history is wonderfully colorful. It is full of Indian uprisings, river boat gamblers and military bastions.

The English were the first to inhabit the area in the 1770's. They settled in plantations along what is now the Lake Jessup area.

After the American Revolution the stretch of land from St. Augustine southe to Alachua County, known as Mosquito County was acquired by the Spanish. In 1821, Spain ceded the Florida territroy to the United States and the first American settlement, Camp Monroe, was built in 1836. Originally a military fortress on lake Monroe, the camp was renamed Mellonville after Captain Charles Mellom, killed in a battle with the Seminole Indians.

Years later Cornelius Taylor designed an orange grove community near Mellonville, called Enterpise. General Zachary Taylor, who replaced Jessup, carved a roadway from lake Monroe to Tampa, making both towns important trade centers for the transfer of goods by riverboat and wagon. The county seat was then moved from New Smyrna to Mellonville and the county's name was changed from Mosquito to Orange. The new name certainly fit. Once tracks were laid for the South Florida Railroad which connected Sanford to Orlando, the county became the world's largest shipper of oranges in the world.

In 1913, delegates from Sanford were successful in lobbying the state leglislature in splitting the county into two parts, Seminole and Orange Counties. Sanford remained the county seat in Seminole and Orlando, whose economy was more citrus and tourist-oriented, was named Orange.