The Sumter County Florida map brings together four sharply different landscapes: the dense northern development of The Villages, the highway junction at Wildwood, county government in Bushnell, and the wetlands and forests associated with the Green Swamp in the southeast. On the west, Lake Panasoffkee and the Withlacoochee River provide the county’s strongest natural landmarks.
Download the Sumter County map
- Map file: County reference map
- File format: ZIP
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
- State: Florida
- County: Sumter County
- Created: 1853
- County seat: Bushnell
- Land area: 557.13 square miles (2020 Census)
- Incorporated cities: Bushnell, Center Hill, Coleman, Webster, and Wildwood
- Major unincorporated places: The Villages, Lake Panasoffkee, Oxford, and Sumterville
- Waters and natural areas: Withlacoochee River, Lake Panasoffkee, Green Swamp, and Withlacoochee State Forest
- Major routes: I-75, Florida’s Turnpike, US 301, SR 44, SR 48, CR 470, and SR 471
The Census geography code is FIPS 12119. Sumter County was established in 1853, and Bushnell became the official county seat in 1912 after a countywide selection process held the previous year.
What the Map Shows
The Villages and Oxford occupy the north, with Wildwood immediately south at the meeting point of I-75, Florida’s Turnpike, and US 301. Lake Panasoffkee lies beside its namesake lake in the west-central county, while Bushnell forms the governmental center between I-75 and US 301.
Coleman and Sumterville follow the US 301 corridor between Wildwood and Bushnell. Webster and Center Hill are farther southeast in an agricultural landscape, with SR 471 serving the north-south route through Webster. These labels include both municipalities and unincorporated communities, so they do not represent one uniform class of local government.
County Layout and Location
Marion County is to the north, Lake County to the east, Polk County at the southeast corner, Pasco County to the south, and Hernando and Citrus counties to the west. Sumter’s narrow southeastern extension reaches toward the Green Swamp, while much of the western side follows the Withlacoochee River system.
I-75 runs north through Bushnell and Wildwood. Florida’s Turnpike reaches its northern terminus at I-75 Exit 328 west of Wildwood, and the next interchange north, Exit 329, meets SR 44. US 301 ties together Wildwood, Coleman, Sumterville, and Bushnell as the principal local north-south corridor.
Lake Panasoffkee drains through its Outlet River to the Withlacoochee River. The Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest enters the southwest, while the Richloam Tract extends across the southeast with pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, bottomland hardwoods, and cypress swamp. Those areas explain the large rural and forested spaces away from northern development.
Local Context
Sumter County contains five incorporated cities. Bushnell is the historic county seat, Wildwood is the northern highway city, Coleman and nearby Sumterville sit on the US 301 corridor, and Webster and Center Hill anchor the southeastern farming area. The distribution of place names closely follows the county’s road network.
The Villages is a census-designated place rather than an incorporated city. Its broad residential and commercial footprint dominates northern Sumter County, but it does not replace Bushnell as the legal county seat. Some county services are nevertheless located on Powell Road in Wildwood, closer to the modern growth area.
Dense planned streets in the north contrast with pasture, farms, forest, and wetland across the south and east. Population center, legal seat, and transportation hub therefore occur in different places—The Villages, Bushnell, and Wildwood respectively.
Ways to Use This Map
- Identify the interchange where northbound Turnpike traffic joins I-75 near Wildwood.
- Compare The Villages, Wildwood, and Bushnell as separate population, transportation, and government centers.
- Follow the order of Coleman, Sumterville, and Bushnell along US 301.
- Trace the connection from Lake Panasoffkee through the Outlet River to the Withlacoochee River.
- Separate routes toward Lake, Polk, and Pasco counties around the Green Swamp side of Sumter County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Villages an incorporated city in Sumter County?
No. The Villages is identified by the Census Bureau as a census-designated place, and it is not one of Sumter County’s five incorporated cities. Its large mapped footprint should not be interpreted as a municipal boundary.
Does Florida’s Turnpike continue north of Wildwood?
No. The Turnpike’s northern terminus is I-75 Exit 328 near Wildwood. Northbound traffic continues on I-75, and the following interchange, Exit 329, connects with SR 44 through Wildwood.
Sources
- www.census.gov
- sumtercountyfl.gov
- www.visitflorida.com
- Florida Department of Transportation I-75 Exit Numbers
- Florida Forest Service: Withlacoochee State Forest
- Florida Memory: Sumter County Records
Related County Maps
- Marion County Florida map
- Lake County Florida map
- Polk County Florida map
- Pasco County Florida map
- Hernando County Florida map
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These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
