Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States. Located in North Central Florida. The population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 71,753 in 2025, making it the 42nd-most populated city in Florida. It is the principal city of the Ocala metropolitan area, which had a population of 442,660 in 2025.
Home to over 400 thoroughbred farms and training centers, Ocala has been called the "Horse Capital of the World". Notable attractions include the Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, the College of Central Florida, and the World Equestrian Center.
History
Ocala is named after Ocale (also Cale, Etocale, and other variants), a Timucua village and chiefdom recorded in the 16th century, the name of which is believed to mean "Big Hammock" in the Timucua language. Another possible meaning of the name is "song or singer of admiration or glorification". Spaniard Hernando de Soto's expedition recorded Ocale in 1539 during his exploration through what is today the Southeastern United States. The site of Ocale has not been found, but historians believe it was located in southwestern Marion County, near the Withlacoochee River. References to Ocale, Olagale, and Etoquale occur in 16th and early 17th century sources, but do not specify a location. A Spanish mission named San Luis de Eloquale was established by 1630. Milanich believes the mission was near the Withlacoochee River. Eloquale is not named in a 1655 list of missions, and Ocale (and its variants) disappeared from history.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Creek people and other Native Americans, as well as free and fugitive African Americans sought refuge in Florida. The Seminole people formed. After foreign colonial rule shifted between Spain and Great Britain and back again, in 1821, the United States acquired the territory of Florida. After warfare to the north, in 1827, the U.S. Army built Fort King near the present site of Ocala as a buffer between the Seminole, who had long occupied the area, and white settlers moving into the region. The fort was an important base during the Second Seminole War and later served in 1844 as the first courthouse for Marion County.
The modern city of Ocala, which was established in 1849, developed around the fort site. Greater Ocala is known as the "Kingdom of the Sun". Plantations and other agricultural development dependent on slave labor were prevalent in the region. Ocala was an important center of citrus production until the Great Freeze of 1894–1895. During the Reconstruction Era, Ocala was represented by several African Americans in the Florida House of Representatives and on the local level.
Rail service reached Ocala in June 1881, encouraging economic development with greater access to markets for produce. Two years later, much of the Ocala downtown area was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1883. The city encouraged rebuilding with brick, granite, and steel rather than lumber. By 1888, Ocala was known statewide as the "Brick City".
In December 1890, the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, a forerunner of the Populist Party, held its national convention in Ocala. At the convention, the alliance adopted a platform that would become known as the "Ocala Demands". This platform included abolition of national banks, promoting low-interest government loans, free and unlimited coinage of silver, reclamation of excess railroad lands by the government, a graduated income tax, and direct election of United States senators. Most of the "Ocala Demands" were to become part of the Populist Party platform.
In the last decades of the 20th century, the greater Ocala area had one of the highest growth rates in the country for a city its size.
Ocala Historic District Many historic homes are preserved in Ocala's large residential Historic District, designated in 1984. East Fort King Street features many excellent examples of Victorian architecture. Ocala structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Coca-Cola Building, E. C. Smith House, East Hall, Marion Hotel, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, Ritz Historic Inn, and Union Train Station. The original Fort King site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2004.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and (0.01%) is water. The surrounding farms are famous for their Thoroughbred Horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world and Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida.
The long Ocklawaha River passes east of Ocala, flowing north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka.
Marion County is also home to the Ocala National Forest, which was established in 1908, and is now the second-largest national forest in the state. The Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, cuts through Ocala National Forest.
Silver Springs State Park was formed as Silver River State Park in 1987, from land the state purchased around the Silver Springs attraction to spare it from development. The state took over Silver Springs itself in 1993 and incorporated it into the park in 2013.
Climate Ocala has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), with hot, humid summers and mild winters.
Demographics
Ocala first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Census, with a total recorded population of 243. Ocala did not report separately in 1860.
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of July 31, 2026, in Ocala was $268,444.
As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there were 29,149 estimated households in Ocala with an average of 2.29 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $61,814. Approximately 24.4% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Ocala has an estimated 53.0% employment rate, with 33.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 89.8% holding a high school diploma. There were 32,268 housing units at an average density of .
The median age in the city was 42.0 years.
+Ocala, Florida – racial and ethnic composition Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980 Pop. 1990 Pop. 2000 Pop. 2010 White alone (NH) 26,061(70.11%) 30,787(73.22%) 31,982(69.61%) 35,623(63.26%) 35,478(55.79%) Black or African American alone (NH) 10,374(27.91%) 9,975(23.72%) 10,055(21.89%) 11,497(20.42%) 11,909(18.73%) Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) — 110(0.26%) 156(0.34%) 117(0.21%) 104(0.16%) Asian alone (NH) — 249(0.59%) 551(1.20%) 1,455(2.58%) 2,436(3.83%) Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 3(0.01%) 9(0.02%) 17(0.03%) Other race alone (NH) 205(0.55%) 10(0.02%) 46(0.10%) 118(0.21%) 255(0.40%) Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 514(1.12%) 910(1.62%) 2,499(3.93%) Hispanic or Latino (any race) 530(1.43%) 914(2.17%) 2,636(5.74%) 6,586(11.69%) 10,893(17.13%) Total 37,170(100.00%) 42,045(100.00%) 45,943(100.00%) 56,315(100.00%) 63,591(100.00%)
2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 63,591 people, 25,531 households, and 14,970 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 28,284 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 59.98% White, 19.33% African American, 0.33% Native American, 3.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.29% from some other races and 11.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 17.13% of the population.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 56,315 people, 23,103 households, and 13,456 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 26,764 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 70.71% White, 20.94% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.94% from some other races and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 11.69% of the population.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 45,943 people, 18,646 households, and 11,280 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 20,501 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 72.86% White, 22.14% African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from some other races and 1.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.74% of the population.
There were 18,646 households out of which 26.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,888, and the median income for a family was $38,190. Males have a median income of $29,739 versus $24,367 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,021. 18.1% of the population and 13.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 28.6% were under the age of 18 and 9.8% were 65 or older.
Economy Ocala is the headquarters of Emergency One, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of fire-rescue vehicles.
Top employers According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:
# Employer Type of business Number of employees Percentage 1 Marion County Public Schools Education 7,000 4.70% 2 Ocala Health Health care 2,712 1.82% 3 AdventHealth Ocala Health care 2,648 1.78% 4 State of Florida Government 2,600 1.74% 5 Walmart (five locations) Retail 2,583 1.73% 6 Lockheed Martin Aerospace 1,600 1.07% 7 FedEx E-Commerce 1,500 1.01% 8 Publix Retail grocery 1,488 1.00% 9 Marion County Board of Commissioners Government 1,368 0.92% 10 E-One, Inc. Manufacturer 1,200 0.81%—Total—24,69916.57%
Culture
Horses have a prominent role in Ocala's cultural makeup. The first Thoroughbred horse farm in Florida was developed in Marion County in 1943 by Carl G. Rose. Other farms were developed, making Ocala the center of a horse-breeding area. Local horses have won individual races of the Triple Crown series; in 1978, Affirmed, bred and trained in Marion County, won all three races, boosting interest in the industry there.