Fast Facts About Pinellas County

Did you know these facts about Pinellas County, Florida?

Key Statistics from Florida Office of Economic & Demographic Research
Demographics

The Name Pinellas
Pinellas is derived from the Spanish words Punta Pinal meaning point of pines. It was an accurate description for this area when it was discovered by Panfilo de Narvaez in 1528, 36 years after Columbus arrived in the Caribbean and 37 years before the founding of the city of St. Augustine.

Birth of a County
Pinellas became the state’s 48th county on January 1,1912, after a local referendum passed calling for separation from Hillsborough County.

Most Densely Populated County in Florida
There are 3,425 people per square mile in Pinellas County. The next closest county with a highly concentrated population is Broward with 1,470 people per square mile.

280 Square Miles, 24 Municipalities
Pinellas County is 38 miles long and 15 miles at its broadest point, for a total of 280 square miles, with 588 miles of coastline. Clearwater is the County Seat, St. Petersburg is the largest city with a population of 258,201 as of 2021, and Tarpon Springs was the first incorporated city in 1887. Pinellas is Florida’s second smallest county in land mass, larger only than Union County.

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Visit a Park
The Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources Department maintains more than 20,000 acres of pristine Florida landscapes, including parks and preserves. Sun-drenched beaches, tranquil lakes, and lush, green expanses of native habitat along with playgrounds, learning centers, and convenience facilities provide park visitors immeasurable opportunities for relaxation and recreation!

Getting Around
Pinellas County has around 4,500 miles of paved roads and more than 400 bridges. The first bridge to span Tampa Bay was the Gandy Causeway in 1924, which shortened the traveling distance between St. Petersburg and Tampa from 43 to 19 miles. Pinellas connected with Manatee County when the Sunshine Skyway bridge opened in 1954.

Hit the Beach
For swimming, boating and fishing, you can’t beat Pinellas County’s 35 miles of beaches and nearly 588 miles of coastline. The City of St. Petersburg is known as the “Sunshine City” with an average of 361 days of sunshine each year, according to National Geographic. Residents and tourists alike enjoy surf, sun and sun year-round. Four of the top ten beaches in the nation are located in Pinellas County (Fort De Soto Park which has won many awards, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach and Caladesi Island State Park)

Business Sense
Pinellas County’s key business sectors are financial services, life science and medical technologies, tourism services, manufacturing, defense, aviation, and information technology. Over 38,400 businesses call Pinellas County home. Over 492,537 people are currently employed in our county, and our median household income is $56,737.

2020 Census Population
959,107 residents make Pinellas County the 7th most populous in the state. Females constitute 52% of the population, with males making up the remaining 48%. The average age of a citizen in Pinellas is 43.

Additional Pinellas County Facts:

  • Approximately 20 million visitors to Pinellas County parks & preserves in 2021.
  • 117 miles of recreational trails for cycling, hiking, paddling and horseback riding.
  • 2,641 lane miles of paved roads, 1,066 miles of sidewalks and 438 traffic signals in unincorporated Pinellas.
  • The highest natural point in Pinellas County is 110 feet NGVD, and located north and east of the intersection of State Road 580 and Countryside Boulevard in the Countryside area of Clearwater.
  • Aviation history was made in Pinellas County as Tony Jannus piloted the world’s first scheduled airline flight from St. Petersburg to Tampa in 1914.
  • 4,379 PSTA bus stops, 210 buses, including 20 trolleys; 10.2 million riders annually; 31,839 average weekday, 8.8 million miles traveled annually
  • The Young Rainey STAR Center (Scientific Technology and Research Center) is the first and only Department of Energy plant in the nation to be transitioned from nuclear weapons production to a commercially viable high-tech center.