Physical Characteristics. Citrus County is on the Gulf Coast, north of the Tampa- St. Petersburg area, and is bordered by Levy, Marion, Sumter, and Hernando counties. The county has 628.64 square miles of land and 39.50 square miles of water for a total of 668.14 miles. The average January temperature is 58.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average August temperature is 81.1 degrees Fahrenheit. The average annual rainfall is 51.20 inches.
History. Citrus County was established in 1887 from Hernando County and was named in honor of the citrus fruit. The Crystal River Indian mounds and museum are in Citrus County. David Levy Yulee, U.S. senator from Florida, established a thriving sugar plantation and mill near the town of Homasassa. The Yulee mansion was burned by Union troops in 1864 and the mill left in ruins.
