Community & Government
Welcome to East Pasco County!
EAST PASCO’S TEN CHARMING COMMUNITIES
Ten towns! Fantastic and friendly folks! Whatever you want, our area offers right place where you’ll love to call home.
Dade City:
Lots of folks want to live in Dade City because of its laid-back lifestyle, majestic oak trees that provide plenty of shade, and rolling hills. You will love the fact that our folks are super friendly, and just about everyone seems know your name wherever you go.
Though it’s an historic southern town with oodles of charm and a preserved past, everyone looks to the future for growth and prosperity, too. That’s why Dade City is really the best of both worlds.
The historic town square provides a hub for year-round shopping, dining, activities, and events – for locals, newcomers, and visitors alike. Dip your toes into the shops, boutiques, historic architecture or some of the finest restaurants your taste buds have enjoyed or just stroll along enjoying the unique items offered.
And don’t forget to mark your calendar for the Last Saturday in January for the Annual Kumquat Festival where you can taste this quirky little fruit that has been used to create delicious food, drinks, and so many more items.
Zephyrhills:
It is a feeling…seeing the quaint little shops, eclectic murals, and historic architecture that makes you feel like you are home. It’s sipping on local craft beer, enjoying a sweet or savory treat dished up by a local restaurant, shopping fresh vegetables, exploring creative body art, browsing vintage antiques, throwing a hatchet, or spending the afternoon in your local billiards establishment.
One can stroll the picturesque music filled tree-lined streets while catching a glimpse of the creative art works of ‘Tiny Doors Zephyrhills’, peruse a variety of restaurants or get a shave at the local vintage barbershop. Our downtown community offers open mic, live entertainment, trivia, bingo, and flavorful food competitions just to name a few of the great opportunities to enjoy a day in Zephyrhills. All these local businesses are owned and operated in their quest to belong to a great community.
Our historic buildings house law firms, engineering and design companies, tutoring, furniture stores, insurance companies, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and more. It is a place that is reminiscent of small-town America and hosts events such as ‘Music & Motorcycles,’ Veterans Day Parade, Founder’s Day Parade, Downtown Scavenger Hunts, ‘Touch A Truck’ Events, the annual Christmas Festival of Lights Parade and now, the annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival.
Crystal Springs:
A hydrological spring with Crystal Springs Preserve, a 530 acre sanctuary devoted to environmental education and dedicated to the preservation of Florida’s natural environment. Featured within the property is Crystal Springs, a Magnitude 2 springs that discharges 30 million gallons of water daily and a wealth of wilderness experiences for locals and visitors. The Crystal Springs Foundation, a non-profit and privately owned. Accomplishes the educational facility through Leadership in Environmental Education; Informed Watershed, Land and Biodiversity Management; Community Outreach and Engagement, and programs that show diverse ecosystems via trails, boardwalks, a wildlife pavilion, a butterfly garden, and a nature center.. The springs is the source for Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water.
San Antonio:
Founded in 1881, “San Ann” is home to a small, but growing community. It’s focused around the charming City Park in its scenic Town Square, but McMullen Park along Lake Jovita also draws tons of visitors.
St. Joseph:
Just five miles west of Dade City and located on Pasco County Road 578, St. Joseph looks pretty much as it did 130+ years ago: a tranquil place where generations of families have lived on land homesteaded by their forefathers. You don’t want to miss the small and mighty local fruit that’s grown here: the “kumquat”.
St. Leo:
Since 1891, the town of St. Leo, 35 miles north of Tampa, has been home to the highly ranked Saint Leo University. It’s also the serenely beautiful setting for Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Leo Abbey. The Pasco County Sheriff and the Fire Department do a great job keeping it safe, day and night.
Wesley Chapel:
Originated in the mid-1800s as a cohesive community of settlers. Wesley Chapel has been a manor catalyst in the rapid growth of Pasco County. Offering three malls with includes the niche small shopping area called KRATE at the Grove. Well known for its well-reviewed restaurants, bars, shops, health care, and education.
Don’t Forget Our Rural Communities
If you’d prefer to look out of your porch or living room window at a whole lot of land, our area also includes a handful of surrounding towns - Lacoochee, Trilby, and Ridge Manor to the north; Blanton to the northeast; Darby to the west, and Crystal Springs to the south.
Each has its own rural charm and its residents frequent the Dade City and Zephyrhills area for its restaurants, bars, businesses, golf courses, and other amenities.
Demographics
| Employer | Approx # of Employees |
| Pasco County Public Schools | 13,033 |
| Pasco County Government | 3,175 |
| Florida Medical Clinic | 1,300 |
| Pasco County Sheriff | 1,035 |
| Saint Leo University | 1,100 |
| AdventHealth Zephyrhills | 945 |
| Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative | 573 |
| Pasco Hernando State College | 500 |
| AdventHealth Dade City | 423 |
A Snapshot of East Pasco
(Figures as of 2013)