Sumter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its county seat is Bushnell. Sumter County was created in 1853 and was named for General Thomas Sumter, a hero of the American Revolutionary War. Sumter County has an increase in population, due to the expansion of The Villages retirement complex. Sumter County has a total area of approximately 580 square miles of which 94% is land and 6% water. As of the 2000 census, there were 53,345 people, 20,779 households, and 15,043 families residing in Sumter County, FL.