A BRIEF HISTORY
Volusia County was established on December 29, 1854, carved from Orange County. Its original county seat was Enterprise, a small community on the south shore of Lake Monroe, chosen for its access to St. Johns River steamboat traffic. DeLand became the county seat in 1887 and remains so today — home to Stetson University, Florida’s oldest private university, founded in 1883.
The county takes its name from the community of Volusia, a small trading post and ferry crossing on the St. Johns River. Nobody agrees on the origin of the word itself — it may be a corruption of a Native American or French trapper name that was already on maps when the county was formed.
Volusia’s place in American history was cemented in the late 1890s and early 1900s when wealthy industrialists — including William K. Vanderbilt, John Jacob Astor, and others — began racing automobiles on the hard-packed sand of Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach. The “World’s Fastest Beach” became the Birthplace of Speed, producing a string of land speed records. The Daytona Speedway’s move inland in 1959 transformed a regional racing culture into a global motorsports hub. NASCAR’s headquarters remains in Daytona Beach today.
Volusia County now spans 1,101 square miles, encompasses 16 municipalities, and has grown from a few thousand residents at incorporation to more than 600,000. Growth has been uneven: the eastern Halifax and southeast coastal communities have aged in place, while the western corridor — particularly Deltona, now Florida’s 11th largest city — has absorbed waves of younger families and Hispanic residents relocating from Central Florida.
AT A GLANCE — VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL
| Population (2024 est.) | 606,573 |
| County Seat | DeLand |
| Largest City | Deltona (~115,000) |
| Median Age — County | ~46 years Florida: 42.2 years |
| Residents Age 65+ | 27.3% (about 165,000 people) Florida: 21.6% |
| Residents Under 18 | 16.9% (about 102,000 people) |
| Total County Budget (FY 2025-26) | $1.4 billion |
| County General Millage Rate | 3.2007 mills (see tax section) |
| Median Household Income (2024) | $70,044 Florida: ~$77,700 |
| Median Home Value (2024) | ~$313,000 Florida: ~$359,000 |
| Hispanic Population | 18.2% |
| Black / African American | 11.9% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts 2024; Volusia County FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget. Florida comparison figures are statewide averages.
GET TO KNOW YOUR COUNTY: THREE DISTINCT REGIONS
Volusia County is large enough — nearly the size of Rhode Island — that its communities have genuinely different characters, economies, and concerns. Residents and local officials typically think in three geographic zones.
East / Halifax Area — Daytona Beach and the Beachside
Daytona Beach. The county’s signature city (~70,000 residents), internationally known for motorsports (Daytona 500, Bike Week, Biketoberfest), college spring break, and an aging beachside economy. Median household income is significantly below the county average; concentrated poverty and neighborhood disinvestment are ongoing policy challenges.
Ormond Beach. Affluent coastal suburb north of Daytona (~44,000 residents). Higher incomes, stable tax base, strong parks and recreation system. Home to several major employer corporate offices.
Holly Hill, South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Ponce Inlet. Smaller beachside and near-beach communities, mostly residential. Ponce Inlet has one of Florida’s best-maintained historic lighthouses.
Port Orange. One of the county’s wealthiest and fastest-growing eastern communities (~65,000 residents). Strong retail and medical corridor along Dunlawton Avenue.
Southeast — New Smyrna Beach Area
New Smyrna Beach. Laid-back, affluent coastal community (~27,000 residents) with a thriving arts scene, a historic downtown Canal Street corridor, and one of Florida’s most-visited surf beaches. Median household income well above the county average.
Edgewater, Oak Hill. Small, working-class communities south of New Smyrna. Edgewater (~23,000 residents) is primarily residential with proximity to Kennedy Space Center employment. Oak Hill is a small fishing and outdoor recreation community near Mosquito Lagoon.
West Volusia — DeLand, Deltona, and the Growth Corridor
DeLand (county seat). The cultural and administrative heart of West Volusia (~36,000 residents). Home to Stetson University, a charming historic downtown, and county government. Growing restaurant and arts community.
Deltona. Florida’s 11th largest city (~115,000 residents) and Volusia County’s most populous municipality. Built in the 1960s as a planned community, similar to Flagler County’s Palm Coast. Now home to a large and growing Hispanic population. A bedroom community for Orlando workers; I-4 commute dependence is a daily reality.
DeBary, Orange City, Lake Helen. Smaller West Volusia communities along the I-4 and US-17 corridors. DeBary has a SunRail commuter rail station. All are growing rapidly as Central Florida workers seek lower-cost housing further from Orlando.
WHO LIVES HERE: AGE & INCOME BY COMMUNITY
Volusia County’s demographics vary significantly by location. The coastal communities skew older and wealthier; Deltona and West Volusia skew younger and more diverse.
| Community | Median Age | Under 18 | Age 65+ | Median HH Income |
| Volusia County (overall) | ~46 yrs | 16.9% | 27.3% | $70,044 (2024) |
| Deltona (largest city) | ~36 yrs | Higher | Lower | ~$66,000 (ACS est.) |
| Daytona Beach | ~40 yrs | Above avg. | Above avg. | ~$38,000 (ACS est.) |
| New Smyrna Beach | ~56 yrs | Low | High | ~$82,000 (ACS est.) |
| DeLand (county seat) | ~38 yrs | Average | Average | ~$55,000 (ACS est.) |
| U.S. National Average | 38.9 yrs | 22.0% | 17.0% | ~$80,610 (ACS 2023) |
| Florida State Average | 42.2 yrs | 19.2% | 21.6% | ~$73,311 (ACS 2023) |
Community income figures are approximate ACS estimates — income data for smaller jurisdictions can vary year to year. Verify current figures at census.gov/quickfacts. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts 2024; ACS 5-year estimates.
YOUR 7-MEMBER COUNTY COUNCIL
Volusia County uses a Council/Manager form of government with seven elected members. Two seats — the County Chair and one At-Large representative — are elected by all county voters. The remaining five members represent geographic districts and are elected only by voters in their district. All serve four-year terms.
The five district seats (Districts 1–5) are up for election in 2026. The Chair and At-Large seats were on the 2024 ballot. To find your district, use the map at volusia.org → Government → County Council → Districts Map.
Map shows approximate district positions for orientation only. Use the official districts map at volusia.org → Government → County Council → Districts Map for your exact district.
| Seat | Council Member | Area / Notes | Election |
| Chair | Jeff Brower | Elected countywide — presides over Council; official representative of county government | 2024 |
| At-Large | Jake Johansson | Elected countywide — represents all unincorporated Volusia residents | 2024 |
| District 1 | Don Dempsey | West Volusia: DeLand, Orange City, Lake Helen and surrounding communities | 2026 |
| District 2 | Matt Reinhart (Vice Chair) | Southeast Volusia: New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill, Samsula-Spruce Creek | 2026 |
| District 3 | Danny Robins | Northeast Volusia: Ormond Beach, Holly Hill, and northern Daytona Beach area | 2026 |
| District 4 | Troy Kent | East/Central: Port Orange, South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Ponce Inlet | 2026 |
| District 5 | David Santiago | West/Central: Deltona, DeBary, Osteen, Enterprise — fastest-growing area | 2026 |
District boundaries are approximate descriptions; see official districts map at volusia.org for precise boundaries. Source: Volusia County Council, volusia.org/government/county-council. District area descriptions subject to verification.
HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORKS
The County Council sets policy, approves the annual budget, and passes ordinances. It appoints a professional County Manager — currently George Recktenwald — to oversee daily operations. This Council/Manager structure separates political decisions from administrative management.
A note on history: Volusia County operated a consolidated government for decades, where the Sheriff’s Office ran additional services beyond traditional law enforcement. Florida Amendment 10 (approved by voters in 2018, effective 2021) restored the traditional constitutional officer structure, re-establishing separate independent offices for each constitutional position.
| County Council Controls | Constitutional Officers (Independent) |
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Sheriff Mike Chitwood is one of Florida’s most publicly visible law enforcement officers, known for active use of social media. Source: volusia.org; Volusia County Charter.
THE MONEY: BUDGET & TAXES
Volusia County’s all-funds budget for FY 2025-26 is approximately $1.4 billion — the largest among northeast Florida counties and nearly four times the size of Flagler County’s budget, reflecting Volusia’s larger population and broader range of services.
Volusia’s property tax structure is more complex than most Florida counties because it layers several separate millage levies on top of the general fund rate. Not every resident pays every levy — some depend on where you live (incorporated vs. unincorporated) and what services serve your area.
What is a millage rate? One mill = $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Florida law caps county millage at 10 mills for general government purposes. The Volusia County Council sets rates each fall when it adopts the budget.
Example: A home with $200,000 taxable value (after exemptions) in unincorporated Volusia, served by county fire and law enforcement, pays roughly: 3.2007 (general) + 3.5990 (fire) + 1.5994 (law enforcement) + 0.3697 (library) + 0.4000 (ECHO + Forever) = 9.17 mills, or about $1,834/year in county taxes, before school district, water management, and any city millage.
| Budget Item / Millage Levy | Amount / Rate | Notes |
| Total County Budget (FY 2025-26) | $1.4 billion | All funds combined — largest budget in NE Florida region |
| County General Fund | See millage | Core operations, constitutional officers, services |
| School District Budget | Separate | Set by elected 7-member School Board (VCSD) |
| General Millage | 3.2007 mills | Per $1,000 taxable value — county general operations |
| Fire Rescue Millage | 3.5990 mills | Unincorporated areas + contracted municipalities |
| Law Enforcement Millage | 1.5994 mills | Sheriff’s Office unincorporated patrol |
| Library Services Millage | 0.3697 mills | 15 branches; open to all county residents |
| ECHO / Forever Volusia | 0.2000 each | Voter-approved conservation/recreation/heritage |
| Municipal Service District (MSD) | 1.6956 mills | Unincorporated areas only — additional services |
Not all residents pay all millages. City residents pay their municipal millage but may not pay the Law Enforcement or Fire millage if their city provides those services. MSD applies to certain unincorporated areas only. School District budget and millage are separate and set by the elected School Board. Source: Volusia County FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget; volusia.org.
HOW TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Attend a meeting: County Council meets at 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. Meetings are typically held Thursday mornings; check the calendar at volusia.org → Government → County Council → Meeting Calendar. Public comment is open to all.
Watch online: Live and archived meetings are available at volusia.org → Government → County Council → Watch Live Meetings.
Read the budget: volusia.org → Services → Financial & Administrative Services → Management & Budget → Adopted Budget Documents.
Contact the Council: (386) 736-2700 — County main line, Monday–Friday 8am–5pm. Individual council member contact info at volusia.org/government/county-council.