Sebring, Florida

Sebring, Florida
City of Sebring
Sebring Raceway
Sebring Raceway
Nickname(s): 
The City on the Circle
Home of 12 Hour Grand Prix
Location in Highlands County and Florida
Location in Highlands County and Florida
Coordinates: 27°29′44″N 81°26′40″W / 27.49556°N 81.44444°W / 27.49556; -81.44444
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyHighlands
Settled1912
Incorporated (city)1913
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorJohn Shoop
 • City CouncilRoland Bishop,
Harrison Havery,
Terry Mendel,
Josh Stewart, and
Lenard Carlisle, Jr.
 • City AdministratorScott Noethlich
 • City ClerkKathy Haley
Area
 • Total16.44 sq mi (42.58 km2)
 • Land10.59 sq mi (27.42 km2)
 • Water5.85 sq mi (15.16 km2)  37.8%
Elevation139 ft (41 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,729
 • Estimate 
(2022[3][4])
11,379
 • Density1,013.41/sq mi (391.30/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
33870-33872, 33875-33876
Area code863
FIPS code12-64875[5]
GNIS feature ID0290806[6]
Websitewww.mysebring.com

Sebring (/ˈsbrɪŋ/ SEE-bring[citation needed]) is a city in south-central Florida, United States, nicknamed "The City on the Circle", in reference to Circle Drive, the center of the Sebring Downtown Historic District.[7] It is the county seat of Highlands County,[8] and is the principal city of the Sebring, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.[9] As of 2022 United States Census estimates, the population is 11,379,[3] up from 10,729 at the 2020 census.[10] The broader Sebring metropolitan area had a population estimate of 105,618 in 2022; the disparity in population between the city proper and the metropolitan area is due to the relatively small size of the annexed area of the city, with most all of the landmass west of Lake Jackson technically in unincorporated Highlands County [11]

Sebring is centered around Lake Jackson, with the Downtown Historic District directly on the waterfront. Due to its Florida scrub terrain, Lake Jackson has natural white sand beaches, and is a popular boating and swimming destination. Sebring is the home of the Sebring International Raceway, best known as the host of the 12 Hours of Sebring, an annual WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race that attracts fans and teams from around the world. Nearby Highlands Hammock State Park is a popular attraction, and was the first state park created in Florida.[12] The city features a large 1768-acre airfield, the Sebring Regional Airport. Additionally, Sebring became a popular development and tourist destination of the 1920s, hailed as the "Coral Gables of Central Florida".[13] Many grandiose Mediterranean buildings of that time period still exist within the city, the most notable being the Harder Hall Hotel and Resort.

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Sebring, Florida (33870)". Weather Underground. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "QuickFacts – Sebring city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "Resident Population in Sebring, FL (MSA)".
  5. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  7. ^ "Sebring, Florida History". Sebring Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  8. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  9. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  10. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  11. ^ "Sebring, Florida. Early Example of Professional City Planning".
  12. ^ "History of Highlands Hammock | Florida State Parks".
  13. ^ "Port Charlotte Sun 31 Dec 2017, page SEA5".