Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County, Florida | |
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Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, 2024 | |
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Flag Seal Logo | |
Location within the U.S. state of Florida | |
| Coordinates: 28°18′N 82°26′W / 28.3°N 82.44°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Founded | June 2, 1887 |
| Named after | Samuel Pasco |
| Seat | Dade City |
| Largest CDP | Wesley Chapel |
| Area | |
• Total | 868 sq mi (2,250 km2) |
| • Land | 747 sq mi (1,930 km2) |
| • Water | 122 sq mi (320 km2) 14.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 561,891 |
• Estimate (2024) | 659,114 |
| • Density | 910/sq mi (352/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 12th, 15th |
| Website | www |
Pasco County is a county located on the west central coast in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2025, the population of the county was estimated to be 682,179, making it the tenth-most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Dade City, and its largest city is Zephyrhills. The county is named after United States senator Samuel Pasco.
Pasco County is included in the Tampa Bay Area and historically has been a bedroom community for the Tampa and St. Petersburg cities. It is 30 miles away from the city of Tampa. The county includes numerous parks and trails located along rivers, the Gulf of Mexico, lakes, and highway/railroad right-of-ways. Several nudist resorts are located in Pasco County. The county has become known as the "naturist capital of the United States", starting in 1941.
West Pasco includes retirement areas, commercial fishing, and suburbs of Tampa. The Suncoast Parkway as well as U.S. 19, U.S. 41, U.S. 98, U.S. 301, and Interstate 75 all pass through Pasco County. The county is directly west of Polk and Sumter counties, north of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and south of Hernando County.
Recent companies are creating major centers in the county, such as Moffit Cancer Center's Speros campus. They are expected to bring many jobs, changing the area.