Since its opening in 1962, the community rapidly grew from a small subdivision to becoming one of largest cities in Central Florida by the end of the 20th century, largely in part by the Mackle Brothers' worldwide marketing efforts showcasing small low maintenance homes offered at affordable prices.

[7] After Florida became a state in 1845, steamboats began to make regular trips up the St. Johns River to Lake Monroe.

[7] George Sauls, a former secret agent for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, along with his wife Adeline and six children, were the first settlers in the area in 1859.

[8][9] What now constitutes the city was originally developed in 1962 as Deltona Lakes[10] by Elliott, Robert and Frank Mackle as a planned residential community through the purchase of 17,203 acres of land.

[11] Deltona Lakes was heavily marketed throughout the United States, including Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

[10] Sales representatives would also market in places such as Germany, Puerto Rico, Latin America and the Far East.

[10] By September 1966, Deltona Lakes came to attract more families, growing to a population of 2,413, and a student enrollment of more than 200, resulting in soaring property sales of up to US$60 million.

[17] On August 6, 2004, four men broke into a home and beat six people and a dog to death with baseball bats, making it the deadliest mass murder in Volusia County history.

[19] Deltona is located in southwestern Volusia County in Central Florida approximately 25 miles (40 km) inland from the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Daytona Beach and Orlando.

It is bordered by Lake Helen and Cassadaga on the north, DeLand on the northwest, Orange City on the west, DeBary on the southwest, Enterprise on the south, and Osteen on the southeast.

The majority of the land in the city is of karst topography, characterized by rolling hills and an abundant amount of lakes.

The United States Geological Survey lists the city's elevation at 33 feet (10 m) above sea level at a point near Deltona's geographic center.

[29] Deltona operates under a commission–manager form of government, consisting of seven elected officials, and an appointed city manager.

However, in June, 2017, the national group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, acting on behalf of a Deltona resident, contacted the city's attorneys to advise them that the reading of passages from the Bible by City Commissioner Christopher Alcantara allegedly violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Additional commercial airline service is provided at Orlando Sanford International Airport, approximately 9 miles (14 km) south, and Daytona Beach International Airport, approximately 22 miles (35 km) northeast.

[37] As of 2014[update], the largest employers in the city include Daytona State College, followed by Publix Supermarkets, and Walmart.

[37][40] According to the 2010 American Community Survey, 14.2% of all adults over the age of 25 in Deltona have obtained a bachelor's degree, which was below the national average of 27.2% of adults over 25, and 84.7% of Deltona residents over the age of 25 have earned a high school diploma, as compared to the national average of 85.0%.

Higher education is offered by Bethune-Cookman University and Daytona State College through satellite campuses located in the city.

Its primary daily newspapers are the Orlando Sentinel, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and the West Volusia Beacon.

[6] The library is adjacent to the Lyonia Preserve, a 360-acre (146 ha) joint project between Volusia County's Land Acquisition & Management Division and the District School Board.

The Lyonia Environmental Center, located at the library, serves to encourage discovery and exploration of Volusia County's ecosystems and foster community involvement in conservation efforts.