Hillsborough County, Florida, is located on the western side of the state and has a population of around 1,200,000. It is one of the top five most populous counties in the state. The county seat of the area is Tampa which lies near the water of Hillsborough Bay. Only three cities in Hillsborough are actually incorporated. These are Plant City, Tampa, and Temple Terrace. The rest of the considerable amount of communities are unincorporated.

Hillsborough County was made a county in 1834. Parts of both Alachua and Monroe counties were given to make the borders as they were during that time. Now, the county is much smaller as parts of it were taken to make eight other counties that exist today.

The county was named after the man who served as the British Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1768 to 1772. The Earl of Hillsborough, or Will Hill, had served during an important time in American history just before the American Revolutionary War.

The county is famous for its agriculture, specializing in strawberries as the biggest crop. Many other types of fruits, vegetables, and animals are produced as well. These agricultural industries bring in nearly $1 billion each year in sales of goods.

Almost the entire western border of the county lies on the banks of Tampa Bay, Old Tampa Bay, and Hillsborough Bay. Quite a few of the county’s communities are dotted along these banks, and are popular places to live as well as visit. The rest of the area is beautiful, too, with many hidden gems sprinkled throughout the countryside.

 

Hillsborough County, FL Cities and Towns

Plant City

Tampa 

Temple Terrace

Apollo Beach

Citrus Park

River Alafia

Keystone