Marion County, FL FAQs
Is Marion County Florida A Good Place to Live?
Marion County, FL
Marion County is located in North Central Florida, occupying a land area of 1,585 square miles and with Ocala as its county seat and largest city too. Although inland, the county has water resources of 78 square miles accounted for by its scenic lakes, rivers, and springs.
Marion County’s inland location is centered between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Given this, hurricanes do not affect this county as much as the other more coastal counties west and east.
Marion County was formed in 1844 and named in honor of General Francis Marion of South Carolina who fought in the American Revolutionary War. This county’s territory were drawn from portions of Alachua, Hillsborough, and Mosquito (now Orange) counties. Subsequently though, Marion yielded parts of its area to Putnam and Levy counties.
Horse Breeding Hub
Rolling hills generally compose the terrain of Marion County, a feature that set its rural area as suitable ground and pasture for breeding prized racehorses. The county has become a major thoroughbred center with its over 1,200 horse farms, including about 900 thoroughbred farms, totaling some 77,000 acres.
Some Ocala-based breeder farms have been so successful that their thoroughbreds have come out as winners and standouts in the world-renowned Kentucky Derby. Having developed such a reputation, Ocala has become popular as a “horse capital of the world.”
Natural Assets
Marion County takes pride too of its scenic countryside, lush forests, and crystal-clear waterways. These are trademarks of the county’s Silver Springs State Park, Silver Springs River, Alexander Springs, and Juniper Springs. The county also boasts of its Lake Weir ideal not only for boating, water skiing and other water-based leisure activities. This 5,700-acre lake also serve as a serene backdrop for several residential communities and high-end homes.
Marion’s unincorporated community of Silver Spring offers additional delights as well in its eponymous group of artesian springs and state park. Highlights of a visit at the Silver Springs State Park include water tours aboard glass-bottomed boats, hiking, biking, and canoeing. This park also features a museum and environmental education center. Other natural attractions in and around Marion include the Ocala National Forest and the Florida Trail.
Even as Marion has a dominant rural character, its residents can conveniently access the trappings of an urban environment with the county’s proximity to many of Florida’s major urban centers. Orlando and Daytona Beach, for example, are only about 75 minutes from Marion.
Eclectic Housing Stock
Looking for a home in Marion, with the help of a professional realtor, can unlock a wide variety of affordably priced homes suited to every taste and lifestyle. For folks who prefer a city vibe, Ocala would be the logical hunting ground. Its housing stock include single family homes condos and townhouses, as well as rental apartments.
Others who lean more on a country feel could find some ideal choices at Silver Springs Shores considered as a bedroom community of Ocala. Overall, the residential options in Marion County include builds in new country communities, vintage farmhouses, horse farms, and estate homes.
References:
Are there any Marion County, FL sinkhole news?
OCALA, FL
June 2012 – A large sinkhole, spanning 100 feet, opened at the edge of a retention pond in the Fore Ranch Subdivision off State Road 200, forcing the evacuation of a townhome building.
OCALA, FL
August 2013 – A sinkhole drained or swallowed a lake at Woodland Villages.
OCALA, FL
December 2015 – A sinkhole that was 20 feet x 30 feet opened at 83rd Avenue in the Oak Run neighborhood, forcing residents of several homes to evacuate.
OCALA, FL
August 2016 – Five sinkholes opened at the road in southeast Ocala. One of the holes was 30 feet deep.
OCALA, FL
September 2016 – A sinkhole appeared in front of Liberty Middle School, affecting about 15 feet of the sidewalk.
OCALA, FL
June 2017 – A sinkhole swallowed a car near the intersection of Southwest 27th Avenue and State Road 200 at the Gateway Plaza. The hole measured 20 feet by 20 feet. It was likely caused by flooding and it damaged a gas line, forcing affected business to evacuate temporarily.
OCALA, FL
June 2017 – A sinkhole with a depth of 30 feet opened under a house in the Village of Liberty Park in The Villages, forcing the 77-year old woman to evacuate her home.
OCALA, FL
September 2017 – A sinkhole opened in The Villages during Hurricane Irma. Four homes were affected.
CITRA, FL
August 2017 – A sinkhole opened up in the eastbound lane at the 300th block of East Highway 318. The sinkhole was about 9 feet across and about 5 feet deep
OCALA, FL
September 2017 – A sinkhole, with a depth of 15 feet and width of 10 feet, opened on a busy roadway of North U.S. 441 at Northwest 148th Street.
OCALA, FL
October 2017 – A sinkhole opened at the intersection of Rolling Greens Drive and Peebles Beach Road. The hole was 25 feet long and 15 feet deep.
OCALA, FL
February 2018 – A sinkhole opened under a dump truck on Southeast 25th Avenue at Southeast 80th Street. It was reported that the hole was about six feet deep.
OCALA, FL
April 2018 – At least eight sinkholes opened at the Wynchase Townhomes complex on Southwest 42nd Place. Some of the holes are reported to be 15 to 25 feet wide.
OCALA, FL
May 2018 – Several sinkholes appeared at a designated retention area that is adjacent to the parking lot in Forest High School. The holes had a width of 15 to 20 feet.
OCALA, FL
May 2018 – About 12 sinkholes appeared near a retention lake in Ocala, threatening the houses in the area.
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