Components of Population Change (1997):
Number of Births 839
Number of Deaths 1,816
Population Age Break Down
0-24 22.1%
25-44 19.6%
45-64 25.3%
65+ 33.0%
County Land Area (sq.mi.): 661
Largest Incorporated Municipalities (1998 population):
Inverness: 6,800
Crystal River: 4,200
EMPLOYMENT
Labor Force:
County Civilian Labor Force 34,294
Unemployment Rate 5.5%
County Nonfarm Employment by Industry (1997):
Agricultural Services 1.2%
Trade 32.8%
Transportation, Public Utilities 9.7%
Manufacturing 5.9%
Construction 8.6%
Financial, Insurance, Real Estate 5.0%
Services 36.3%
Other 0.5%
MAJOR PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS
Largest Employers/Product or Service/Total Employees (2001):
Florida Power Corporation Utilities
Employees:1,600
Citrus Memorial Hospital Health Care
Employees: 990
Winn Dixie Grocery
Employees: 610
Publix
Grocery Employees: 550
Seven Rivers Hospital Health Care
Employees: 545
Pro-Line Boat Manufacturing
Employees: 430
Wal-Mart Retail Store
Employees: 300
Sunshine Material Corp Building Supplies
Employees: 267
Kash-N-Karry Grocery
Employees: 210
K-Mart Retail Store
Employees: 200
Home Depot
Employees: 190
PER CAPITA INCOME
Median Household Income:
(1994) 17,075
(1995) 17,018
(1996) 17,653
Number of Industrial Parks:
Developed: 7
Developed Acreage: 340
Acreage zoned for Manufacturing: 1,089
TRANSPORTATION
Interstates/Turnpikes: I-75
Major Highways: US 19, US 98, SR 44, SR 200
Railroads CSX
Major Commercial Airport Serving County: Tampa International
Distance from County Seat: 65 miles
Avg. # of daily flights: 574
Airlines serving airport: 25
Length of longest runway: 11,000
>Airport Services Offered:
Charter: Yes
Private Aircraft Maint: Yes
Customs Port: Yes
Immigration: Yes
Air Cargo: Yes
International Air: Yes
Local Commercial/Executive Airports:
Crystal River Airport
Runway Length: 5,000
Runway Surface: Concrete
Lighted Runway: Yes
Aircraft Tiedown: Yes
Inverness Airport
Runway Length: 3,500
Runway Surface: Asphalt
Lighted runway: No
Aircraft Tiedown: No
Nearest Port w/Docking Facilities:
Port of Tampa
Distance: 65 miles
Depth: 34
Warehousing: Yes
Stevedoring: Yes
Port of Jacksonville
Distance: 140 miles
Depth: 38
Warehousing: Yes
Stevedoring: Yes
COMMUNICATIONS
Newspapers
Largest Local: Citrus County Chronicle
Total Circulation: 27,000
Largest Regional: St. Petersburg Times
Total Circulation: 452,150
Local Radio Stations: 8
Television: Cable Available: Yes
Telephone: Local Phone Service: Sprint
Tennis Courts: Yes
Beaches: Yes
Golf courses: Yes
City/state parks: Yes
Boating: Yes
Public swimming pools: Yes
Country clubs: Yes
Symphony: Yes
Museums: Yes
Zoo: Yes
Pari-mutuel wagering: No
Principal Cities:
Crystal River, Inverness, Homosassa
Climate:
Average year-round temperature is 70 degrees, with an average of 294 days of sunshine. Winter temperatures average 60.1 degrees and summer temperatures average 82.4 degrees.
Rivers
Crystal River
Homosassa River
Hall's River
Chassahowitzka River
Withlacoochee River
Salt River
Lakes
Big Lake Henderson
Little Lake Henderson
Lake Holathlikaha
Lake Rousseau
Tsala Apopka Lake Chain
Lake Holathlikaha
Lake Hernando
Beaches
Fort Island Gulf Beach - saltwater
Hernando Beach - freshwater
Fort Cooper State Park - freshwater
Fishing
Fly and conventional fishermen will find paradise here, with water bordering three sides of the county. Fishing is not a matter of if, but where, to fish.
Freshwater fishermen can find sunshine bass in the Lake Tsala Apopka chain, specked perch in Lake Rousseau, catfish in the Withlacoochee River and Florida largemouth bass almost everywhere.
Saltwater fishermen can find grouper and snapper off reefs and coastal rock piles; sea trout and Spanish mackerel frequent grass beds. Cobia and sheepshead can be found around channel markers, redfish and whiting off oyster bars and tarpon on the flats.
Parks and Preserves
Beverly Hills Community Park
Bicentenial Park
Bluebird Springs
Central Ridge District Park
Citrus Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
Chassahowitzka River and Campground
Cross Florida Greenways State Recreation and Conservation Area
Crystal River State Archaeological Site
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
Eagleton Park
Eden Park
Eugene Martin Park
Floral Park
Fire Station Park
Flying Eagle Wildlife Management Area
Fort Cooper State Park
Fort Island Gulf Beach
Fort Island Trail Park
Hernando Beach
Hernando Park
Highland Park
Holder Community Park
Homosassa Area Recreation Park
Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
Homosassa Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest
Hunter Springs
Keating Park
Lake Rousseau State Recreation Area and Campground
Lecanto Community Park
Ozello Community Park
Ozello Park
Pott's Preserve
Sportsman's Park
St. Martin's Marsh Aquatic Preserve
Tillis Hill Park (in Withlacoochee State Forest)
Trails End Park
Water Tower Par
Wesley Jones Park
Whispering Pines Park
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee River Canoe Trail
Museums
Old Courthouse Museum
Coastal Heritage Museum
Ted William's Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame
Olde Mill House Gallery and Printing Museum
Shopping
An antique trail with 30 different stores dots the county. There is also Heritage Village in Crystal River, which features specialty gifts, a gallery and collectibles. Naber Dolls, in Crystal River, houses hundreds of molded wood dolls. Downtown Inverness has gift and antique stores. There is a commercial shopping mall in north Crystal River. Of course, a variety of small retailers are spread throughout the county, too numerous to list here.
Dining
More than 170 restaurants range from fast food chains to intimate and elegant dining. Fresh seafood "right off the boat" is the local specialty, along with barbecue, upscale European dining and good old-fashioned home cooking.
