» The county is the 11th-most populous in Florida and the 11th-most densely populated.

» 88% of those 25 and older graduated from high school — a higher percentage than the state average; 22% have a bachelor’s degree or higher — a lower percentage than the state average.

» Only 12% speak a language other than English at home, compared to about 25% of the population statewide. Only 7% of the population is foreign-born, compared to nearly 20% statewide.

» Some 12.5% live below the poverty line.

» The age distribution of the county’s population is dumbbell-shaped, with residents evenly distributed between the two most populous age ranges of 25-34 and 60-69.

» Deltona (pop. 84,264) — Starting life in the 1960s as a Mackle brothers master-planned retirement community, Deltona has grown into the county’s largest town, with a young population — the median age is 32.4. Overwhelmingly suburban, Deltona is equidistant from Orlando and Daytona, and its residents work and play in both communities.

» Daytona Beach (65,208) — The center for tourism, educational and cultural activities in the region, Daytona Beach remains the county’s leading brand. You can drive on the beach, and you can listen to the London Symphony Orchestra, which has a longstanding relationship with the town and visits annually.

Historic neighborhood in DeLand

» Ormond Beach (40,832) — The community, once winter home to John D. Rockefeller, provides a less touristy, more peaceful beach experience than Daytona Beach. The Orlando Sentinel calls it a “local town with local flavor.”

» DeLand (27,123) — County seat and home to Stetson University, the town boasts a quaint, busy downtown and oak-shaded residential neighborhoods with a mixture of older and newer homes. The entire west Volusia area is rich in nature-related recreational opportunities.

» New Smyrna Beach (23,449) — The low-key tourist town is a famous surfing destination and has an active arts community. It’s also a big second-home market for many Orlando residents.

» Edgewater (21,394) — South of New Smyrna Beach, the town lies along the Indian River and is home to a boat builder and honey producer.

» DeBary (18,741) — Striving to retain a small-town identity, the southwestern Volusia town stretches from the St. Johns River to Deltona suburbia to the east.

Florida: $40,579

» Manufacturing: A higher-than-state-average portion of the county’s workforce is employed at the more than 400 manufacturing firms in the county, which produce everything from military products to boats, medical equipment, aerospace products, sensors, automotive equipment and suntan products.

Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center near I-95 has expanded its presence.

» Healthcare: More than a million square feet of new hospital space — nearly half a billion dollars’ worth — opened in 2009, as both Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center and Halifax Health Medical Center opened new facilities in Daytona Beach. Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center expanded, replacing an older facility in Ormond Beach with a new, 277-bed facility near I-95. Florida Hospital also plans a cancer institute. Halifax Health opened a 10-story, 180-bed tower on its existing campus with a state-of-the-art emergency department, one of the largest in Florida. Another hospital, the non-profit, 112-bed Bert Fish Medical Center, is operated by the Southeast Volusia Hospital District.

Upon reflection and consideration of that question a montage of thoughts crossed my mind. Our area has a broad range of cultural, recreational, educational and climatic diversity, all of which create a great place to rear a family, to be in business and to enjoy life.

We have the advantage of cool northeast Florida winters that are suitable enough for sweaters and jackets and on-shore breezes during the warmer months
making the east coast of Volusia County quite pleasant.

Year-round water sports and aquatic wildlife are unequalled with the best bathing beach in the world and unlimited access to the Halifax River and its tributaries, including the Tomoka River and Spruce Creek. In addition to an excellent public school system, Volusia County is home to four outstanding universities: Stetson, Embry-Riddle, Bethune-Cookman, and Daytona State College. Events at these institutions, which are open to the public, create wonderful educational, cultural and athletic venues for all.

Event diversity has been a hallmark of our area. The London Symphony Orchestra selected Daytona Beach as its “official summer home” and has performed here biannually for many years. Motor sports, such as the world-renowned Daytona 500, attract enthusiasts from all over the world. Tourism, both summer and winter, continues to bring in new people and ideas thereby broadening the horizons for our citizens.

My family has been part of the same community for all of my young and adult life, which has been a great privilege. My wife of 44 years, Cici, and I have a multitude of fond memories of Daytona Beach, and the past is only prologue.

— J. Hyatt Brown
Chairman and CEO,
Brown & Brown

— Judi Carter
New Smyrna Beach

“Volusia County appears to the outside world as the traditional Florida model of a city built on tourism and lacking diversity of business. It still maintains the spring break, sports car, unsophisticated image that is a deterrent to attracting progressive business opportunities. Most major Florida cities do not see Volusia as a competitor for prospects.

Location is a plus and minus. It anchors the east end of the I-4 corridor, is off I-95 and close to Cape Canaveral. It has an international airport and is not too far from Orlando’s major airport. But making the case as a serious business location is the greatest challenge.”