What County Is Ocala In? Marion County, Florida

Ocala is in Marion County, Florida, and is the county seat. Marion County is in north-central Florida on Interstate 75, between Gainesville and Orlando, and contains three cities, two towns, and dozens of unincorporated communities. Where the county sits, its neighbors, and the full list of cities and towns are below.

1,663 Square Miles

5 Municipalities

By Only In Ocala Editorial Team · Updated October 21, 2026

Ocala is in Marion County, Florida, and is the county seat. Marion County lies in north-central Florida along Interstate 75, with Ocala about 80 miles northwest of Orlando and 102 miles southwest of Jacksonville by road. The county spans about 1,663 square miles and includes five municipalities: the cities of Ocala, Belleview, and Dunnellon and the towns of McIntosh and Reddick, plus communities such as Silver Springs, Marion Oaks, Summerfield, and Anthony.

What county is Ocala, Florida in?

Ocala is in Marion County, Florida, and is the county seat. According to the City of Ocala, Ocala became the seat of the newly formed Marion County in 1846. The county courthouse, the Clerk of Court, and Marion County Administration are all in Ocala, and Ocala is the county’s largest city.

The city and the county are not the same thing. The City of Ocala covers about 47 square miles of land; Marion County covers about 1,588. An “Ocala, FL” mailing address is always in Marion County, but ZIP code boundaries do not follow city limits, so many addresses with an Ocala ZIP code are in unincorporated Marion County, where the county (not the city) provides services. Our Ocala ZIP codes guide shows which area each of Ocala’s 14 ZIP codes covers.

City of Ocala vs. Marion County (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2024 Gazetteer)
	City of Ocala	Marion County
Population, 2020 Census	63,591	375,908
Population estimate, July 1, 2025	71,753	442,660
Land area (2020)	47.26 sq mi	1,588.42 sq mi
Government	City of Ocala, City Hall at 110 SE Watula Ave	Marion County, administration at 601 SE 25th Ave, Ocala

A common mix-up: Ocala is not in Alachua County. Alachua County, home to Gainesville, is Marion County’s neighbor to the northwest, about 38 miles up the road. For more on where the city itself sits, see where Ocala, Florida is.

Where is Marion County, Florida located?

Marion County is in north-central Florida, along Interstate 75 between Gainesville and Orlando. Its county seat, Ocala, sits about 80 miles northwest of Orlando and 102 miles southwest of Jacksonville by road. The county covers 1,663 square miles and borders Alachua, Putnam, Volusia, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, and Levy counties.

Marion County is home to an estimated 442,660 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, July 1, 2025). Ocala is the county seat and largest city, known as horse country. Interstate 75 bisects the county, providing easy highway access. The Ocala National Forest covers much of the eastern portion. The full list of Marion County cities and towns is below, with population and drive time from Ocala for each community.

Marion County location at a glance

State: Florida, United States
Region: North-central Florida; county center near 29°12′N, 82°03′W
County seat: Ocala, the seat since 1846 (county created in 1844 and named for General Francis Marion)
Size: 1,663 sq mi total: 1,588 sq mi of land and 74 sq mi of water; fifth-largest of Florida’s 67 counties by land area
Bordering counties (7): Alachua (NW), Putnam (NE), Volusia (E), Lake (SE), Sumter (S), Citrus (SW), Levy (W)
Main highways: I-75, US-27, US-41, US-301, US-441, SR-40, SR-200
Zip codes: Ocala alone has 14 — see Ocala, FL zip codes by area
By road from Ocala: Gainesville ~38 mi, Orlando ~80 mi, Tampa ~96 mi, Jacksonville ~102 mi

Sources

AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing.

Only In Ocala Editorial TeamLocal Content Specialists · 8+ years in Marion County

Updated 5 days ago

What is the county seat of Marion County, Florida?

Ocala is the county seat of Marion County, Florida, and its largest city. Marion County was created in 1844, and according to the City of Ocala, Ocala became its seat in 1846; settlers built a courthouse on the downtown square by 1847. The county courthouse today is at 110 NW 1st Avenue in downtown Ocala.

County administration is separate from the courts: Marion County Administration is at the McPherson Governmental Campus, 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala. Ocala had 63,591 residents at the 2020 Census and an estimated 71,753 on July 1, 2025. For courthouse details, the history of how Ocala became the seat, and the crossword answer to “Seat of Marion County, Fla.,” see our guide to the county seat of Marion County.

Any registered Marion County voter can use any of the county's nine early voting sites, Oct. 22-31, 2026. Sites, hours and the Nov. 3 ballot are in our Marion County voting guide.

What cities and towns are in Marion County, Florida?

Marion County, Florida has five incorporated municipalities: the cities of Ocala, Belleview, and Dunnellon, and the towns of McIntosh and Reddick. Ocala is the county seat and largest city. The rest of the county is unincorporated, including large communities such as Silver Springs Shores, Marion Oaks, Summerfield, and Silver Springs.

Three of the county’s biggest population centers are not cities at all: Silver Springs Shores (24,846), Liberty Triangle (23,759), and Marion Oaks (19,034) are census-designated places with no city government, so the county provides their services. The Villages, often assumed to be a city, is also unincorporated and reaches into Marion County only at its southern edge; the rest of the census-designated place lies in Sumter County.

Cities (3)

Ocala (county seat), Belleview, Dunnellon

Towns (2)

McIntosh, Reddick

Unincorporated

13 census-designated places and more than a dozen other named communities

Census-designated places (13)

Lake Kerr, Liberty Triangle, Marion Oaks, Ocala Estates, Ocklawaha, On Top of the World, Rainbow Lakes Estates (partly in Levy County), Rainbow Park, Rainbow Springs, Silver Springs, Silver Springs Shores, Silver Springs Shores East, The Villages (partly in Sumter County).

Other unincorporated communities

Crystal River — 45 minutes west via SR-200 and CR-491. Famous for manatee tours and scalloping.

Leesburg — 40 minutes southeast via US 27. Lake County city with waterfront recreation.

Orlando — about 80 miles (roughly 1 hour 20 minutes) southeast via I-75 and Florida's Turnpike (toll road). Theme parks, airports, and metro amenities. Ocala to Orlando guide.

Jacksonville — about 102 miles (roughly 1 hour 45 minutes) northeast via US-301 North and I-10. Closest major beach city and NFL town.

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Ocala, Florida in?

Ocala is in Marion County, Florida, and is the county seat. The City of Ocala says Ocala became the seat of the newly formed Marion County in 1846. The county courthouse (110 NW 1st Avenue) and Marion County Administration (601 SE 25th Avenue) are both in Ocala. Marion County had an estimated 442,660 residents on July 1, 2025, and Ocala 71,753, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Is Ocala in Alachua County?

No. Ocala is in Marion County. Alachua County, home to Gainesville, borders Marion County to the northwest; Gainesville is about 38 miles north of Ocala by road. Marion County's other neighbors are Putnam, Volusia, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, and Levy counties.

Is every Ocala address inside the city of Ocala?

No. Every Ocala, FL address is in Marion County, but ZIP code boundaries do not follow city limits, so many homes and businesses with an Ocala mailing address are in unincorporated Marion County and are served by the county rather than the City of Ocala. The city covers about 47 square miles of land, compared with about 1,588 for the whole county (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020).

Where is Marion County, Florida located?

Marion County sits in the north-central part of Florida, between Gainesville to the north and Orlando to the southeast, and is part of the Ocala metropolitan area. Ocala, the county seat, is about 80 miles northwest of Orlando by road (via I-75 and Florida's Turnpike) and about 102 miles southwest of Jacksonville (via US-301). Interstate 75 runs north-south through the county, and Ocala sits where I-75 meets State Road 40. Marion borders Alachua, Putnam, Volusia, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, and Levy counties.

What is the county seat of Marion County, Florida?

Ocala is the county seat of Marion County, Florida. According to the City of Ocala, Ocala became the seat of the newly formed county in 1846, and by 1847 settlers had built a courthouse on the downtown square. Marion County, named for General Francis Marion, was created in 1844; the county says Territorial Governor Richard Keith Call signed the law on March 25, 1844. Today the county courthouse is at 110 NW 1st Avenue in downtown Ocala, and Marion County Administration is at the McPherson Governmental Campus, 601 SE 25th Avenue.

What cities and towns are in Marion County, Florida?

Marion County, Florida has five incorporated municipalities: the cities of Ocala (the county seat and largest city), Belleview, and Dunnellon, and the towns of McIntosh and Reddick. Everything else is unincorporated, including 13 census-designated places such as Silver Springs Shores, Marion Oaks, Silver Springs, Ocklawaha, and On Top of the World, and communities such as Anthony, Citra, Fort McCoy, Summerfield, and Weirsdale.

How many cities are in Marion County, Florida?

Marion County has three incorporated cities (Ocala, Belleview, and Dunnellon) and two incorporated towns (McIntosh and Reddick), for five municipalities in total. The largest population centers outside Ocala are not cities at all: Silver Springs Shores (24,846 at the 2020 Census), Liberty Triangle (23,759), and Marion Oaks (19,034) are unincorporated census-designated places governed by the county.

Is The Villages in Marion County, Florida?

Partly. The U.S. Census Bureau's The Villages census-designated place lies in Sumter and Marion counties, and the Marion County portion sits at the county's southern edge near Summerfield. The Villages is not an incorporated city; the census-designated place had 79,077 residents at the 2020 Census, counting both counties.

What towns are near Ocala, Florida?

Towns near Ocala include Belleview (15 minutes south on US 441), Dunnellon (30 minutes west on SR 40), Silver Springs (10 minutes east on SR 40), Anthony (20 minutes north on US 301), and Reddick (25 minutes north). Slightly farther out, The Villages is 30 minutes south, Gainesville is 40 minutes north on I-75, and Crystal River is about 45 minutes west via SR-200 and CR-491.

How big is Marion County, Florida?

Marion County covers about 1,663 square miles in total: 1,588 square miles of land and 74 of water, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. By land area it is the fifth-largest of Florida's 67 counties, after Collier, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Polk. The Ocala National Forest covers a large part of the eastern county. The Census Bureau estimated the population at 442,660 as of July 1, 2025, up from 375,908 at the 2020 Census.

What is Marion County, Florida known for?

Marion County calls itself the Horse Capital of the World. The county says it has more horses and ponies than any other U.S. county, holds 35% of Florida's horses and 46% of its thoroughbreds, and has more than 195,000 acres in equine use; the World Equestrian Center is also here. The area is known for Silver Springs State Park, where glass bottom boat tours began in the late 1870s according to Florida State Parks, the Ocala National Forest, and its freshwater springs.

Explore All Communities →Marion County Seat Guide

Marion County community guide compiled by the Only In Ocala team with 10+ years of local expertise. Updated October 21, 2026.

Explore More Marion County Communities

Marion County is home to three cities, two towns, and dozens of unincorporated communities, each with its own character — from horse country to lakefront retreats. Keep exploring our local guides.

Anthony Belleview Citra Dunnellon McIntosh Moss Bluff Ocklawaha Reddick Summerfield Weirsdale Marion County Seat Marion County Guide