A Pinellas County Florida map needs two layers of reading: the mainland peninsula and the Gulf barrier islands. Clearwater and St. Petersburg anchor the northern and southern urban areas, while bays, passes, and causeways make actual travel between Tarpon Springs and Fort De Soto less direct than the county’s compact outline suggests.
Download the Pinellas County map
- Map file: County reference map
- File format: ZIP
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
- State: Florida
- County: Pinellas County
- County seat: Clearwater
- Largest city: St. Petersburg
- 2020 population: 959,107
- 2020 land area: 273.71 square miles (about 709 square kilometers)
- 2020 population density: 3,504.2 people per square mile
- FIPS code: 12103
- Incorporated municipalities: 24
- Major waters: Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, and Lake Tarpon
The 2020 combination of nearly 960,000 residents and only 273.71 square miles of land explains the county’s defining spatial pattern. Municipal boundaries interlock tightly, and development continues through unincorporated areas. Short straight-line distances can still conceal a change of jurisdiction or a water crossing.
What the Map Shows
In the north, Tarpon Springs lies near the Anclote River mouth. Palm Harbor and Lake Tarpon lead south toward Dunedin and Clearwater. Safety Harbor and Oldsmar face Old Tampa Bay on the peninsula’s east side, placing them on a different waterfront from Gulf communities at the same latitude.
Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, and Pinellas Park occupy the central mainland. Clearwater is the county seat but not the largest city. Pinellas Park is an inland transportation center near U.S. 19 and State Road 694 rather than a beach municipality.
St. Petersburg occupies the broad southern end between Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, and lower Tampa Bay. Gulfport faces Boca Ciega Bay, while Tierra Verde and Fort De Soto lie farther south along the Pinellas Bayway. Those keys and causeways are geographically separate from downtown St. Petersburg.
The western barrier-island chain runs from Clearwater Beach through Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach. Passes interrupt the islands, and mainland bridges enter at selected points, so Gulf Boulevard does not function as one uninterrupted straight shoreline road.
County Layout and Location
Pinellas County occupies the peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. It meets Pasco County by land in the north, faces Hillsborough County across the bay to the east, and connects toward Manatee County across lower Tampa Bay in the south. Bridges are therefore as important as land boundaries when orienting neighboring counties.
U.S. 19 is the principal mainland north-south route from south of Tarpon Springs through the Clearwater, Largo, and Pinellas Park areas. I-275 serves St. Petersburg and the eastern side before crossing the Howard Frankland Bridge to the north and the Sunshine Skyway to the south. The two corridors serve different city groups and regional directions.
State Road 60 links Clearwater Beach, mainland Clearwater, and Tampa by way of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. U.S. 92 and Gandy Boulevard cross from northeast St. Petersburg on the Gandy Bridge. Farther south, State Road 688—Ulmerton Road—and State Road 694—Park Boulevard/Gandy Boulevard—carry major east-west traffic through central Pinellas.
The Courtney Campbell Causeway, Howard Frankland Bridge, and Gandy Bridge cross toward Tampa at different latitudes. The Sunshine Skyway carries I-275 south toward Manatee County. Choosing among them depends on whether a trip begins in Clearwater, central Pinellas, or St. Petersburg and whether its destination is Tampa or the lower bay.
Local Context
Lake Tarpon covers 2,534 acres and is the largest freshwater lake in the Tampa Bay area. It forms a prominent open-water space between Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, and East Lake, helping explain why northern roads do not follow a simple coastal line.
Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island in the north, Sand Key in the middle, and the long southern barrier-island chain are separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway. The Dunedin, Clearwater Memorial, Belleair, and Park Boulevard crossings provide distinct access points to the Gulf side.
Weedon Island Preserve protects about 3,000 acres of mostly marine ecosystems on Tampa Bay in northeast St. Petersburg. At the southern tip, the 1,136-acre Fort De Soto Park spans five interconnected keys. Together they preserve mangroves, wetlands, and island habitats within an otherwise intensely urbanized county.
The 47-mile Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail follows part of a former railroad corridor from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs. Unlike the limited-access highways, it traces a continuous line through several western and central communities, providing a second reference for the county’s north-south urban sequence.
Ways to Use This Map
- Separate land types: mark the mainland peninsula, Gulf barrier islands, and southern keys independently.
- Compare north-south lines: trace U.S. 19, I-275, Gulf Boulevard, and the Pinellas Trail through their respective communities.
- Select a bay crossing: label the destinations of Courtney Campbell, Howard Frankland, Gandy, and Sunshine Skyway.
- Pair beaches with bridges: identify the causeway or bridge providing mainland access to each beach municipality.
- Distinguish civic roles: mark Clearwater as the county seat and St. Petersburg as the largest city.
For a travel annotation, choose the water crossing before drawing the mainland route. State Road 60 gives Clearwater Beach a direct east-west line toward Tampa, while trips from the southern beaches require different local links to I-275 or the Gandy corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Clearwater and Clearwater Beach in the same location?
They are within the same city but occupy separate settings. Downtown and the county government complex are on the mainland, while Clearwater Beach is on a barrier island across the Intracoastal Waterway. State Road 60 and the Clearwater Memorial Causeway connect them.
Is St. Petersburg the county seat?
No. St. Petersburg is the county’s largest city, but Clearwater is the county seat. The administrative center is in the north-central area, while the largest city occupies the southern peninsula.
Which bridges connect St. Petersburg with Tampa?
The Howard Frankland Bridge on I-275 and the Gandy Bridge on U.S. 92 are the principal crossings. Howard Frankland reaches western Tampa, while Gandy links northeast St. Petersburg with South Tampa.
Where does the Sunshine Skyway lead?
It carries I-275 south from the Pinellas peninsula across lower Tampa Bay toward Manatee County. Its direction distinguishes it from the three crossings that lead east or northeast toward Tampa.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: Pinellas County QuickFacts
- Pinellas County municipalities and cities
- Florida Department of Transportation county highway maps
- Southwest Florida Water Management District: Lake Tarpon
- Pinellas County: Weedon Island Preserve
- Pinellas County: Fort De Soto Park
- Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail guide
Related County Maps
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