Hog hunting is still a favorite pastime of locals in the more rural portions of the county.

[citation needed] Although long extremely rural, in recent years Sumter County has sustained an exceptionally large increase in population, almost solely due to the expansion of The Villages retirement complex, a significant portion of which is in the county.

Sumter County was affected by the massive Florida tornado outbreak of February 2, 2007, and a state of emergency was declared.

[8] The Wildwood-The Villages, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of Sumter County.

According to U. S. News & World Report over half the population of Sumter County are now senior citizens.

According to The Daily Commercial, Sumter County's unemployment rate as of March 2009 is 13.2 percent.

It includes: Most likely owing to its majority-elderly population, Sumter County has been a Republican stronghold in the 21st century.

Amtrak formerly provided passenger rail service to Wildwood, but the stop was terminated in late 2004.

[25] Other lines have existed in the past, most notably one from Coleman southeast towards Auburndale in Polk County, part of which includes the General James A.

[26] Points of interest along the route include the Dade Battlefield State Historic Site, the Sumter County Farmer's Market, Lake Panasoffkee, the Florida National Cemetery.

[28] On January 25, 2014, community leaders, supporters of the byway, and Assistant Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation Brian Blanchard cut the ribbon to the highway at the Dade Battlefield State Historic Site in Bushnell.

Sumter County has five branches serving its community as well as a Lake-Sumter State College campus library that is open to the public.