Hillsborough County: 1.17 million (6% of state’s population)
Incorporated areas: Tampa: 332,888, Plant City, 32,328, Temple Terrace, 22,461

Between 2000-06, the county’s population grew faster than Florida’s population overall (16% vs. 13.2%). The city of Tampa’s population during that period grew by around 10%. Leading sources of residents who move to the area: Nearby Florida counties, New York and New Jersey.

Nearly a third of the county’s households have children under 18, although school enrollments shrank by more than 2,200 students from 2007 to 2008. Families encompass 57.1% of the population.

The most recent surveys, which date to 2000, reflect a strong evangelical bent in the county’s religious makeup.

Catholic: 166,122
Evangelical Protestant: 159,428
Mainline Protestant: 61,603
Jewish: 20,000
Orthodox: 1,029
Other: 29,243
Unclaimed: 581,523

• The Tampa Bay region includes the heaviest smokers in Florida.

• Sales of denture products are 85% above average.

• Wine buyers here prefer wine under $10.

• Consumers here are 30% more likely than those elsewhere in the state or nation to own a large domestic car.

A bellwether county, Hillsborough has shifted from a heavily Democratic to a highly competitive county with a higher-than-average proportion of independent voters. It has almost equal proportions of young, middle-aged, and older voters.

2008 Presidential Election
Obama: 53.06% (51% statewide)
McCain: 45.93% (48% statewide)

• Davis Island — Historic, 1920s-vintage neighborhood near downtown where many of the city’s wealthy live. It’s home to the Davis Island Yacht Club and Tampa General Hospital.

• Hyde Park — This historic district near the University of Tampa is one of the city’s original neighborhoods, located across the Hillsborough River and west of downtown. Hyde Park Village is an open-air, trendy shopping district.

• South Tampa — Old-charm neighborhood south of the downtown area.

• Carrollwood — One of the first major suburban developments in northern Tampa.

• Brandon/Valrico — Fast-growing sprawl.

• Avila — Gated suburban haven for execs and big-money NFL players.

About one in six residents of the county was foreign-born as of midyear 2007 — an increase of 57.4% from the 2000 Census. Most foreign-born residents come from Cuba (25%) and Mexico (11%). One in five residents of the county speaks a language other than English at home — slightly less than the state average of 23%.

Tampa and Hillsborough County are a “working center.” Compared to Florida as a whole, there are more working people, fewer retirees. Thus, while the area trails the rest of the state in per capita income, which includes income from dividends and pensions that flows typically to retirees, it leads the state by some $2,200 in average annual wage and salary. Hillsborough County, which has 6% of the state’s population, accounts for 8% of all jobs in Florida. In 2005, median household income in Hillsborough County was $45,084. That median income outpaced the state average by nearly $3,000. The area’s economy is diversified and service-oriented.

• Tampa is third in the nation among the top 10 cities for growth in women-owned firms.

• Since 2004, poverty rates in the county have been below the U.S. average — 11.5% of the population and 9.2% of families.

• Income inequality remains pronounced, however: The average income for whites is more than $54,000; for blacks, around $33,300 — a 61% gap.

• The University of South Florida ranks among the top 50 U.S. medical schools in funding from the National Institutes of Health, with more than $300 million in research contracts and grants in 2007. The school also ranks 35th nationwide in patent research.

• More than 3,200 homes were in foreclosure proceedings in October. The county has among the highest foreclosure rates in the region.

• Compared to the nation, Tampa and Hillsborough County have traditionally had higher rates of homeownership and lower house prices.

More than 40% of Hillsborough’s 1,000 square miles is agricultural. The county has 2,969 farms (the second most in the state) that generate more than $390 million in annual sales. The Plant City/Dover area produces 88% of the state’s strawberries; Hillsborough County produces 11% of Florida’s tomatoes and accounts for 85% of tropical fish.

• University of South Florida

• MacDill Air Force Base

• Tampa International Airport

• Port of Tampa

• Call centers, back-office operations

Verizon, MacDill Air Force Base, University of South Florida, county and city governments, school district, Tampa International Airport, James Haley Veterans Hospital, PBS&J, St. Joseph’s Hospital, JPMorgan Chase, Publix, Bank of America, OSI Restaurant Partners, WellCare Health Plans, TECO Energy, Walter Industries, Busch Gardens, Quality Distribution, Sykes Enterprises, USAA, Port of Tampa

Total Number of Businesses
County: 85,628 (5.6% of state total)
City: 30,097 (2% of state total)

Trade: The county’s wholesale trade sector amounts to only 3.3% of its overall economy, but the $24.5 billion it generates is nearly 25% of the state’s total wholesale trade.

Tampa’s cost of living ranks consistently below national averages.

Mayor Pam Iorio has brought an honest, professional approach to managing a city government infamous for cronyism and good ol’ boy dealings. She has been slow to define a clear, broad vision for the city but is building momentum behind expanding mass transit. County government has been ineffective in managing runaway growth in the suburbs; the county commission is politically fractious. In recent years, the tax collector’s office has been a notable innovator in improving service to citizens.

Land-use decisions made years ago shut off public access to the downtown waterfront and have kept Tampa’s downtown moribund. But a transformation may be under way: A fine arts museum, a new history center, children’s museum and Rivewalk are opening along the waterfront, and a park has been redesigned to function as a public square.

Ratings agencies say city and county are sound financially, with low, manageable levels of debt. Bonds are generally high-rated.

Youth, energy, trend toward better government.

Progressive business leadership, better transportation system, better growth management.

The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning call Tampa home, and the Tampa Bay Rays play in nearby St. Petersburg. The Ybor City Historic District, formerly a cigar-making center and hub for the city’s Cuban community, now functions, in fits and starts, as an entertainment district. Much of Tampa’s nightlife takes place at the Channelside Entertainment Complex adjacent to downtown. The Tampa Convention Center, St. Pete Times Forum and the Florida Aquarium are all in the district. The city boasts a large number of fine restaurants, including three Florida Trend Golden Spoon Hall of Fame restaurants. The city’s Gasparilla Pirate Festival, held in January, draws close to 500,000 people. The city of Tampa operates more than 165 parks and beaches covering 2,286 acres; the county maintains 42 more in surrounding suburbs, covering 70,000 acres.

• Busch Gardens amusement park
• Florida Aquarium
• Lowry Park Zoo
• Museum of Science and Industry

The Hillsborough County School District is rated “A” overall by the Florida Department of Education. More than 100 district schools received an “A” rating, with three “F” schools. More than 54% of the district’s students are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Percentage of students countywide performing at or above grade level in 2008:

There were five days in 2007 in which air quality reached the unhealthy range and one day when it reached the very unhealthy range for sensitive groups.

• The city’s crime rate, dramatically higher than the state’s over the past decade, has fallen in recent years to near the statewide rate — 4,900 crimes per 100,000 population vs. a statewide average of 4,700. Tampa ranked No. 1 in hate crimes in Florida in 2007. Of the 13 hate crimes, eight were race-related — nearly 10% of the total in Florida.

• The combined Tampa/St. Petersburg area has a broadband penetration rate of 53% — 10th-highest in the country and fourth-highest in Florida.

• Tampa rates low on measures of volunteerism, placing 40th among 50 large cities. The city has fewer large and small non-profit organizations per 1,000 residents than the national average.

• In 2008, Tampa was ranked as the eighth-cleanest city in America and fifth-best outdoor city by Forbes.

• Between 2002-06, the county had the highest number of alcohol-related crashes in the state in three out of five years.

• Social researcher Richard Florida rates Tampa a “best buy” for all retirees, including gay and lesbian retirees.

• Between 2002-06, the county was second in state in total bike fatalities. The number of bike-lane miles rose from 329 in 2001 to 491 by 2006.

• Hillsborough County’s average commute time of 24.2 minutes ranks seventh-longest among Florida counties, 107th in the nation. As of 2006, the county reported nearly 200 miles of deficient roads.

• Tampa has a reputation as a center for both adult entertainment and conservative juries.

• Tampa ranks 16th on a list of road rage incidents compiled by the Prince Market Research Co. Miami, at No. 1, is the only other Florida city on list.