Hernando County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 478.3 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 353.5 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 669.2%. On the 2000 census form, 98.9% of the population reported only one race, with 4.1% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 5.0% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.32 persons compared to an average family size of 2.70 persons. In 2007 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $21,719. Per capita income grew by 11.5% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	169,070	353	Covered Employment	39,099	573
Growth (%) since 1990	67.2%	162	Avg wage per job	$29,333	1837
Households (2000)	55,425	369	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	3.4%	2477
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	62,818	477	Avg wage per job	$38,246	1357
Unemployment Rate (2007)	5.7	735	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	5.3%	399
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$27,478	1534	Avg wage per job	$35,675	1910
Median Household Income (2005)	$37,672	1520	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	16.5%	274
Poverty Rate (2005)	11.8	2098	Avg wage per job	$37,879	538
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	78.5	1,672	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	2.5%	1477
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	12.7	1,974	Avg wage per job	$44,067	667