A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Ocala, Florida | |
|---|---|
 Top, left to right: Downtown Ocala, horse on a farm, Marion Hotel, Marion Theatre | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname(s): | |
| Motto: "God Be With Us" | |
 Interactive map of Ocala | |
| Coordinates: 29°11′16″N 82°7′50″W / 29.18778°N 82.13056°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Marion |
| Founded | 1849 |
| Incorporated (town) | February 4, 1869 |
| Incorporated (city) | January 28, 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| • Mayor | Ben Marciano |
| • Councilmembers | Barry Mansfield, Kristen Dreyer, Jay Musleh, James Hilty, Sr., and Ire J. Bethea, Sr. |
| • City Manager | Peter Lee |
| • City Clerk | Angel B. Jacobs |
| • City Attorney | William E. Sexton |
| Area | |
| • City | 47.79 sq mi (122.42 km2) |
| • Land | 47.78 sq mi (122.40 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population | |
| • City | 63,591 |
| • Estimate (2022)[6] | 65,478 |
| • Rank | US: 586th FL: 43rd |
| • Density | 1,386.0/sq mi (535.0/km2) |
| • Urban | 182,647 (US: 202nd) |
| • Urban density | 1,460.9/sq mi (564.0/km2) |
| • Metro | 396,415 (US: 138th) |
| • Metro density | 249.6/sq mi (96.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 34470-34483 |
| Area code | 352 |
| FIPS code | 12-50750 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0288030[4] |
| Sales tax | 7.0%[7] |
| Website | ocalafl.gov |
Ocala (/oʊˈkælə/ oh-KAL-ə) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States.[8] Located in North Central Florida, the city's population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, up from 56,315 at the 2010 census,[5] making it the 43rd-most populated city in Florida. Ocala is the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 375,908 in 2020.
Home to over 400 thoroughbred farms and training centers, Ocala is considered the "Horse Capital of the World".[9][10] Notable attractions include the Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, the College of Central Florida, and the World Equestrian Center.
History
Ocala is named after Ocale (also Cale, Etocale, and other variants) a Timucua village and chiefdom recorded in the 16th century, the name of which is believed to mean "Big Hammock" in the Timucua language.[11] Another possible meaning of the name is "song or singer of admiration or glorification".[12] The Spaniard Hernando de Soto's expedition recorded Ocale in 1539 during his exploration through what is today the southeastern United States. The site of Ocale has not been found, but historians believe it was located in southwestern Marion County, near the Withlacoochee River.[13][14] References to Ocale, Olagale, and Etoquale occur in 16th and early 17th century sources, but do not specify a location.[13][15] A Spanish mission named San Luis de Eloquale was established by 1630. Milanich believes the mission was near the Withlacoochee River. Eloquale is not named in a 1655 list of missions, and Ocale (and its variants) disappears from history.[16]
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Creek people and other Native Americans, and free and fugitive African Americans sought refuge in Florida. The Seminole people formed. After foreign colonial rule shifted between Spain and Great Britain and back again, in 1821 the United States acquired the territory of Florida. After warfare to the north, in 1827 the U.S. Army built Fort King near the present site of Ocala as a buffer between the Seminole, who had long occupied the area, and white settlers moving into the region. The fort was an important base during the Second Seminole War and later served in 1844 as the first courthouse for Marion County.[17]
The modern city of Ocala, which was established in 1849, developed around the fort site. Greater Ocala is known as the "Kingdom of the Sun".[18] Plantations and other agricultural development dependent on slave labor were prevalent in the region. Ocala was an important center of citrus production until the Great Freeze of 1894–1895.[19][20][21] During the Reconstruction era Ocala was represented by several African Americans in the Florida House of Representatives and on the local level.[22]
Rail service reached Ocala in June 1881, encouraging economic development with greater access to markets for produce. Two years later, much of the Ocala downtown area was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1883. The city encouraged rebuilding with brick, granite and steel rather than lumber. By 1888, Ocala was known statewide as "The Brick City".[1][2]
In December 1890, the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, a forerunner of the Populist Party, held its national convention in Ocala. At the convention, the Alliance adopted a platform that would become known as the "Ocala Demands". This platform included abolition of national banks, promoting low-interest government loans, free and unlimited coinage of silver, reclamation of excess railroad lands by the government, a graduated income tax, and direct election of United States senators. Most of the "Ocala Demands" were to become part of the Populist Party platform. [citation needed]
In the last decades of the twentieth century, the greater Ocala area had one of the highest growth rates in the country for a city its size.[citation needed]
Ocala Historic District
Many historic homes are preserved in Ocala's large residential Historic District, designated in 1984. East Fort King Street features many excellent examples of Victorian architecture. Ocala structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Coca-Cola Building, the E. C. Smith House, East Hall, the Marion Hotel, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, the Ritz Historic Inn, and Union Train Station.
The original Fort King site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2004.
Geography
Ocala is located at 29°11′16″N 82°07′50″W / 29.187704°N 82.130613°W.[23]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.79 square miles (123.8 km2), all land. The surrounding farms are famous for their thoroughbred horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world and Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida.
The 110-mile (180 km) long Ocklawaha River passes 10 miles (16 km) east of Ocala, flowing north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka.
Marion County is also home to the Ocala National Forest which was established in 1908 and is now the second largest national forest in the state. The Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, cuts through Ocala National Forest.[24] Silver Springs State Park was formed as Silver River State Park in 1987, out of land the state purchased around the Silver Springs attraction to spare it from development. The state took over Silver Springs itself in 1993 and incorporated it into the park in 2013.[25]
Climate
Ocala has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with hot, humid summers and mild winters.
| Climate data for Ocala, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
90 (32) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
102 (39) |
105 (41) |
104 (40) |
103 (39) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
94 (34) |
90 (32) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 81.9 (27.7) |
84.0 (28.9) |
87.3 (30.7) |
90.8 (32.7) |
95.1 (35.1) |
96.8 (36.0) |
96.6 (35.9) |
95.8 (35.4) |
94.2 (34.6) |
90.8 (32.7) |
86.3 (30.2) |
82.3 (27.9) |
98.0 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 70.6 (21.4) |
73.7 (23.2) |
78.6 (25.9) |
83.9 (28.8) |
88.9 (31.6) |
91.0 (32.8) |
92.0 (33.3) |
91.6 (33.1) |
89.5 (31.9) |
84.3 (29.1) |
77.2 (25.1) |
72.2 (22.3) |
82.8 (28.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 58.1 (14.5) |
61.0 (16.1) |
65.3 (18.5) |
70.7 (21.5) |
76.4 (24.7) |
80.7 (27.1) |
82.1 (27.8) |
82.0 (27.8) |
79.9 (26.6) |
73.5 (23.1) |
65.4 (18.6) |
60.3 (15.7) |
71.3 (21.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 45.6 (7.6) |
48.4 (9.1) |
52.1 (11.2) |
57.4 (14.1) |
63.9 (17.7) |
70.4 (21.3) |
72.2 (22.3) |
72.5 (22.5) |
70.3 (21.3) |
62.7 (17.1) |
53.5 (11.9) |
48.3 (9.1) |
59.8 (15.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 27.1 (−2.7) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
33.5 (0.8) |
42.7 (5.9) |
52.8 (11.6) |
64.5 (18.1) |
68.6 (20.3) |
68.4 (20.2) |
61.9 (16.6) |
46.4 (8.0) |
35.8 (2.1) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
24.7 (−4.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 11 (−12) |
12 (−11) |
23 (−5) |
30 (−1) |
44 (7) |
48 (9) |
58 (14) |
60 (16) |
52 (11) |
32 (0) |
22 (−6) |
15 (−9) |
11 (−12) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.38 (86) |
2.94 (75) |
3.68 (93) |
2.22 (56) |
3.53 (90) |
7.41 (188) |
6.94 (176) |
7.07 (180) |
6.49 (165) |
3.21 (82) |
2.09 (53) |
2.68 (68) |
51.64 (1,312) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.6 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 15.6 | 16.8 | 18.0 | 13.1 | 8.2 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 121.4 |
| Source: NOAA[26][27] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 243 | — | |
| 1870 | 600 | — | |
| 1880 | 803 | 33.8% | |
| 1890 | 2,904 | 261.6% | |
| 1900 | 3,380 | 16.4% | |
| 1910 | 4,370 | 29.3% | |
| 1920 | 4,914 | 12.4% | |
| 1930 | 7,281 | 48.2% | |
| 1940 | 8,986 | 23.4% | |
| 1950 | 11,741 | 30.7% | |
| 1960 | 13,598 | 15.8% | |
| 1970 | 22,583 | 66.1% | |
| 1980 | 37,170 | 64.6% | |
| 1990 | 42,045 | 13.1% | |
| 2000 | 45,943 | 9.3% | |
| 2010 | 56,315 | 22.6% | |
| 2020 | 63,591 | 12.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 65,478 | [6] | 3.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[28] 2020 Census[5] | |||
Ocala first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Census, with a total recorded population of 243.[29] Ocala did not report separately in 1860.[30]
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010[31] | Pop 2020[32] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 35,623 | 35,478 | 63.26% | 55.79% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 11,497 | 11,909 | 20.42% | 18.73% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 117 | 104 | 0.21% | 0.16% |
| Asian (NH) | 1,455 | 2,436 | 2.58% | 3.83% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 9 | 17 | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Some other race (NH) | 118 | 255 | 0.21% | 0.40% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 910 | 2,499 | 1.62% | 3.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6,586 | 10,893 | 11.69% | 17.13% |
| Total | 56,315 | 63,591 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 63,591 people, 23,893 households, and 13,239 families residing in the city.[33]
As of the 2010 census, there were 56,315 people, 21,722 households, and 12,945 families residing in the city.[34]
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 45,943 people, 18,646 households, and 11,280 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,189.2 inhabitants per square mile (459.2/km2). There were 20,501 housing units at an average density of 530.7 per square mile (204.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.9% White, 22.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.2% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population.
In 2000, there were 18,646 households. 40.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.
In 2000, in the city the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
Economy
The median income for a household in the city was $30,888, and the median income for a family was $38,190. Males had a median income of $29,739 versus $24,367 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,021. About 13.2% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Ocala is the headquarters of Emergency One, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of fire rescue vehicles.
Top employers
According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[35] the largest employers in the city are: