Hernando is a census-designated place in Citrus County, Florida, situated in the state's Nature Coast region north of Tampa. It is bordered by Citrus Springs to the northwest, Pine Ridge to the west, Citrus Hills to the southwest, and Inverness Highlands North to the south, with Marion County to the north, placing it at the center of a network of small, loosely connected Central Florida communities. Its 2020 population was about 9,300. The community has an unusual municipal history: Hernando was once an incorporated city, but it was disincorporated in the 1970s, and it now functions as an unincorporated census-designated place. That change left Hernando without its own city government, and residents rely on county services and the surrounding towns for civic life. The area has developed a notably older population, with a median age around 60, and it is home to many retirees drawn by the climate, the lakes, and a slower pace of life. Geography defines much of life in Hernando. The eastern edge of the CDP extends into the Tsala Apopka chain of lakes, a sprawling network of lakes and wetlands covering roughly 22,000 acres in the Withlacoochee River Basin. That water system supports fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing, and it gives the community a distinctly lake-oriented character. Students attend Citrus County Schools, and the county seat of Inverness, a short drive to the southwest, provides government services, shopping, and medical care. For residents, Hernando offers the combination of a quiet, retiree-friendly community, abundant lakeside recreation, and convenient access to the rest of Citrus County and the broader Nature Coast.