Lecanto is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Citrus County, Florida, United States.

[4] It is part of the Homosassa Springs, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[5] State Road 44 (Gulf to Lake Highway) runs through the center of the CDP, leading west 7 miles (11 km) to Crystal River and east 10 miles (16 km) to Inverness, the county seat.

Lecanto is the site of the privately operated Citrus County Detention Facility, which holds a maximum of 760 prisoners of the county, of the federal government, and prisoners from the Virgin Islands.

[8] Elementary schools serving sections of the CDP include Lecanto, Forest Ridge, Rock Crusher,[9] and Hernando.

Citrus County Transit has its headquarters in Lecanto, and runs one flex-route service in the area.