One real estate agent speculates that the high cost of living may be keeping minorities away from the beaches. The north woodlands quickly gave way to residences and two-fifths of the county's growth. Along County Road 466 in Sumter County, where armies of purple wildflowers straddle the asphalt and brighten the view, it is possible to see the past and the future all at once. Pinellas Population surge washes over eastern Pinellas As the coastal communities become built-out, more people settle in the heart of the county. Challenge zone sees population shrinking Traditional black neighborhoods lose residents as the city's African-American numbers rise overall.
Residents say they are drawn to the area's beauty.
And more people means more businesses, officials say. We lead Tampa growth More than half of Tampa's growth occurred in New Tampa. Hillsborough's fastest growth occurred along the Pinellas and Pasco county lines. State State getting younger, census says The growth could tax school systems and lawmakers trying to allocate funds. Pinellas Beach towns younger, not more racially diverse One real estate agent speculates that the high cost of living may be keeping minorities away from the beaches.