Pinellas County, FL FAQs
Is Pinellas County Florida A Good Place to Live?
Pinellas County, FL
A county of extremes best describes Pinellas. With a land area of some 274 square miles, it is the second smallest among the 67 counties of Florida, but at the same time, this county is the most densely populated at 3,542 residents per square mile. Most of Pinellas’ population congregate in its largest city, St. Petersburg, and in the county seat, Clearwater.
There are many reasons for folks to settle in the population centers of Pinellas County. One is its wonderful location and unique geography as a peninsula flanked west by the Gulf of Mexico and east by the waters of Tampa Bay. From end to end, the county measures 38 miles long and at its broadest point.15 miles wide.
Bounty from Natural Assets
This enviable location lends to the county a favorable climate year-round. The Gulf and the bay help temper the cold winter winds and warm summer air passing through these waters as each season passes.
As inviting, Pinellas offers 35 miles of white fine-sand beaches and almost 588 miles of coastline. Notably, the county has the bragging rights of having three of the top ten beaches in the U.S. With the county having an annual average of 361 days of sunny weather, its residents and visitors can enjoy beach- and water-based recreational activities practically whenever they like.
All told, Pinellas boasts of having 4,242 acres of pristine Florida landscapes which include not only beaches but also beautiful lakes. The county likewise flaunts 15,525 acres of nature preserves and wildlife habitat, most of which are parks offering playgrounds, learning centers, and recreational and convenience facilities.
Economic Strengths
It thus comes as no surprise that tourism and retirement living are among the economic drivers for Pinellas. Besides tourism and the health services that seniors need, manufacturing and financial services are also major contributors to the county’s economy. All in all, there are about 40,000 businesses based in the county which generates employment to some 390,000 residents.
The county likewise reaps economic rewards from its hosting the spring training for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays. The county is also home to the Tampa Bay Rays which has a stadium at St. Pete. As an added delight for sports aficionados, Pinellas County has 43 golf courses and 1,059 tennis courts.
Advantageous for young families with growing kids, 143 public schools provide primary and secondary education in Pinellas, the 24th largest school district in all of the U.S. Several institutions for higher learning also serve the county, including the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the multi-campus St. Petersburg College, Schiller International University in Largo, Eckerd College, and the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport
Would-be residents of Pinellas will find the county’s cost of living reasonable. Its housing market though has been apace with the Florida boom, and median home prices in this county have increased significantly. Other downsides include issues and concerns typical of densely populated urban counties, such as crime incidence, traffic, and poor air quality.
References
Are there any Pinellas County, FL sinkhole news?
TARPON SPRINGS, FL
November 2002 – Rescuers evacuated 12 residents of a Pinellas County condominium complex after a 15-foot-deep sinkhole opened beneath one of the units.
DUNEDIN, FL
November 2013 – Residents of several Florida homes have been evacuated due to a possible sinkhole that opened in a backyard in Pinellas County.
LARGO, FL
December 2015 – A small depression formed in a newly paved road near Water’s Edge condos at 11485 Oakhurst Road in Largo, after two days it turned into an abyss 20 feet deep and 40 feet across.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL
October 2017 – St. Petersburg police are warning drivers to stay away from a road in the middle lane of 34th Street South at 4th Avenue South where a depression has formed that is large enough to swallow a car. The depression was about 10 feet deep and 10 feet across.
PALM HARBOR, FL
January 2018 – A Palm Harbor home has been determined to be “uninhabitable” because of a possible sinkhole in the Highland Estates subdivision.
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