Marion County is the 5th largest county in the State of Florida encompassing 1,652 square miles or 1.03 million acres with a current population of nearly 300,000. Although mostly rural, there are five incorporated cities within the County; Belleview, Dunnellon, McIntosh, Reddick, and Ocala which is the largest.
Recognized as an All-America City/Community and ranked by Money Magazine as the fifth best place to live in 1996, Marion County is best known for its crystal clear springs, unspoiled natural beauty, mild climate, and horses. Employment is primarily industrial, medical, and service related. It is centrally located with easy access to I-75, US 27, US 441, SR 40, and SR 200.
COUNTY SEAT: Ocala
Population:
Ocala 47,371
Belleview 3,692
Dunnellon 1,931
Reddick 523
McIntosh 448
Unincorporated 239,352
Total: 293,317
Source: 2004BEBR Projections
AGE COMPARISONS
0-18 55,408
18-24 16,571
25-44 61,622
45-64 61,881
65-Over 63,434
Male 125,056
Female 133,860
Total 258,916
Source: 2000 CensusMarion County
Climate & Weather:
Ocala/Marion County is warm and humid in the summertime with plenty of sunshine along with frequent thunderstorms that generally pass very quickly. Winters are warm, dry days with cool nights - perfect for a round of golf, horseback riding and other outdoor sports. Northern Florida receives an average of 50 inches of rainfall per year, with most of it during the months of May through September. There is much less rain overall in the wintertime, although continental low-pressure systems can bring longer periods of cloudiness to the area. North winds in the winter keep this area slightly cooler than southern Florida, but summers are slightly warmer without the cooling effect from the ocean, as do cities that are located right along the coast.
Average Temperature Florida High/Low
January 52.5/35
July 89.9/72
Mean Annual Precipitation 57.22
Average Annual Rain Days 116
