The Brooksville Journal

Population of County Is Estimated At 8,700

The estimated population of Hernando county in 1956 was set at 8,700 persons in a recently released population estimate of the state's 67 counties by the Bureau of Economics and Business Research of the University of Florida.
This increase represents a 29.9 percent jump over the six year period included in the survey, from April 1, 1950, to July 1, 1956. In 1950 the U. S. Census Bureau officially listed the population of the county at 6,700. The new figure represents an increase of 2,000 people, definite evidence of the continued growth and prosperity of Brooksville and Hernando county.
Of the three surrounding counties, Pasco registered a slightly greater increase than Hernando, from 20,500 to 26,800, a 30.7 percent jump. Sumter county on the east showed a decided decrease in population, dropping from 11,300 in 1950 to an estimated 10,800 in 1956, a 4.4 percent decrease. Citrus county, on the north, showed only a slight increase, from 6,100 to 6,200 people an increase of 1.6 percent.
Even making comparison with the progressive counties of Marion and Lake shows that Marion increased only 20.2 percent, and Lake 28.4 percent, both exceeded by Hernando.
Out of 67 counties in the state, Hernando County was 22nd in the percentage of increase.
As to these counties showing larger increase, all of them include large cities; or they are Universities, State Institutions or Military establishments, the people of whom are included in the figures; except the counties of Flagler and Putnam, and their increase was because of large increase in industry.
Broward and Brevard counties were the two showing the highest percentage of increase in population in the state, Broward jumping from 83,900 in 1950 to 205,100 in 1956, an increase of 144.5 percent; and Brevard increasing from 23,700 to 53,500, a jump of 125.7 percent.