Located between two beautiful lakes, Lake Griffin and Lake Harris, Leesburg FL is considered a part of the Orlando-Sanford-Kissimmee Metropolitan area. The city offers a fast growing business community, has its own emergency services, and provides locals with a variety of public recreation and sports programs.
With a low cost of living, it is easy to see why so many seniors call this city home. However, seniors and other homebuyers will want to spend some time learning more about the city’s demographics, quality of life, and culture before deciding to buy real estate in this area.
In 2013, the population in Leesburg FL was reported to be 21,142, growing more than 32% since 2000. The population is 54.7% female and just 45.3% male. More than 4,000 families are living in the city, and Leesburg boasts approximately 854.8 inhabitants for each square mile.
Of the current population, 66.6% are white, 29.12% are African American, 1.33% are Asian, 4.1% are Latino or Hispanic, and 1.26% of the population is made up from other various races.
Among the more nearly 7,000 households found in Leesburg, 24.5% have children under the age of 18 in the home. Married couples account for nearly 40% of households, and 39.8% of households are non-families. The average family size in the city is 2.86.
The age of the population is widely spread out, with 26.2% of the population over age 65, 23.6% of the population under age 18, 19.7% of the population between 45 and 64, 22.7% of the population between 25 and 44, and just 7.8% of the population in the 18 to 24 age bracket. The median age of individuals in this city is 42.
The city of Leesburg has a laid-back culture that is rooted in its long history. In fact, Leesburg is the oldest city in Lake County, and it claims 1857 for its "birthday," which was the year when Evander Lee, the city’s namesake, first came to this area. After moving to the area, Lee purchased the Thomas Roberson homestead and built a log store on Main Street. However, it was Evander's brother Calvin Lee who is credited with naming the town.
In the early 1900s, Leesburg was well known for growing watermelons, and the city held a Watermelon Festival each year for many years. Later, the citrus industry would become the main business in the town, until a devastating freeze in the 1980s resulted in many citrus growers moving their groves further south in the state. However, you can still see the influence of the citrus industry on the city, with fruit trees dotting the landscapes.
Compared to the rest of Florida and the United States, Leesburg offers residents a low cost of living. The city’s cost of living is 9% lower than the average cost of living in Florida and 8% lower than the average across the country. Housing in the city is 23% cheaper than the current national average. However, it’s important to note that the general sales tax in the city is significantly higher than the national average.
Within Leesburg, the median income for families is $33,250, while the median income for households is $25,988. Approximately 19.8% of the population is considered below the poverty line.
While the low cost of living is very attractive, the crime rate in Leesburg is quite high. In fact, the overall crime rate is 90% higher in this city than the national average crime rate. Statistics show that crime has been on the increase over the past few years, and approximately 15.4 daily crimes occur per 100,000 people in the city each day.
Leesburg FL is well known for its annual spring Bikefest, which rolled out in 1997. The annual Leesburg Bikefest is a music and motorcycle event that brings in more than 250,000 bikers and other people from across the U.S. The festival is packed into 30 square blocks and takes place over three days in the spring. It features bike shows, more than 250 vendors, bikini contests, special demonstrations, and more than 85 concerts during that time.
Leesburg is also well known for excellent recreational activities and parks, offering plenty of fun for the entire family. Both Pat Thomas Stadium and Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex are award winning facilities that host both national and local tournaments for youth and adult softball, baseball, and more.
Found in the very heart of Leesburg, the Venetian Gardens park is the pride of the city, sitting on Lake Harris and spanning 64 acres. The beautiful park offers a recreation and boating access point to the Harris Chain of Lakes. Venetian Gardens also offers multiple landscaped islands, benches, wooden bridges, sidewalks, pavilions, and more.
