San Antonio, FL Properties | Susan Camus

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San Antonio is a small city in Pasco County, Florida, set in the east-central part of the county north of Tampa. With a population of roughly 1,500, it is one of the oldest communities in the county and carries a distinct identity shaped by its founding, its faith, and its unusually hilly terrain. The city began in 1882, when Judge Edmund F. Dunne — a former chief justice of the Arizona Territory — founded San Antonio as a Catholic colony in central Florida. That founding directly led to the establishment of Saint Leo Abbey and, later, Saint Leo University, both located in the neighboring community of St. Leo. The Benedictine presence has remained a defining feature of the area for well over a century, giving San Antonio a historical and institutional character rare among Florida's small towns. Geography also sets San Antonio apart. The area sits among some of the hilliest terrain in peninsular Florida, and its rolling country roads have made it a popular destination for cyclists, who come to ride routes of 50 to 100 miles or more through the surrounding hills. This landscape, combined with the town's quiet, close-knit feel, gives residents a distinctly non-coastal, small-town experience within a short drive of the Tampa Bay metro. Education is provided through Pasco County Schools, with Saint Leo University and Pasco-Hernando State College offering higher education nearby. Many residents commute to jobs in Dade City, Zephyrhills, or the broader Tampa Bay region, and newer residential development on the city's outskirts reflects its position in the growing north Tampa corridor. For those seeking a small, historically rooted community with a distinctive sense of place — Catholic heritage, rolling countryside, and cycling culture — San Antonio offers a quiet alternative to the surrounding suburban landscape while keeping the region's larger cities within easy reach.

Population 1,450

County Pasco County

Active Listings 272

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is San Antonio, Florida in?

San Antonio is located in Pasco County, Florida, in the east-central part of the county north of Tampa. The county seat, Dade City, lies just to the northeast of the city.

What is San Antonio, Florida known for?

San Antonio is known as one of the oldest communities in Pasco County, founded in 1882 by Judge Edmund F. Dunne as a Catholic colony. The nearby Benedictine Saint Leo Abbey and Saint Leo University grew from that founding, and the area's unusually hilly terrain makes it a popular cycling destination.

What schools serve San Antonio?

San Antonio is served by Pasco County Schools, the public district for the county. Higher education is anchored by Saint Leo University, a Catholic liberal arts institution in neighboring St. Leo, and Pasco-Hernando State College, which has campuses within a short drive.

How far is San Antonio from Tampa?

San Antonio sits north of Tampa in east-central Pasco County, within commuting range of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Many residents work in nearby Dade City, Zephyrhills, or the wider Tampa Bay region, reached via the area's interstate and state-highway corridors.

Why do cyclists come to San Antonio?

San Antonio's rolling hills — unusual terrain for Florida — draw cyclists who ride the area's country roads on routes of 50 to 100 miles or more. The town's small, historic core and its proximity to Dade City and Wesley Chapel add to the area's appeal.

City Guide

About San Antonio

Real Estate & Housing

San Antonio's housing stock reflects its age as one of Pasco County's oldest settlements, with an established core of historic and older single-family homes on small-town lots. Around this center, newer residential development has arrived on the city's edges, including master-planned communities that serve the wider north Tampa corridor. The market thus spans from preserved older homes in the historic grid to modern subdivisions nearby, offering a mix that suits both those seeking small-town character and those wanting newer construction with access to the Tampa region.

Neighborhoods

The heart of San Antonio is its historic core, organized around the Catholic church and the town's original 1880s colony layout, with older homes and quiet, tree-lined streets. This center preserves the community's founding-era character. Beyond it, the city transitions into newer subdivisions and the surrounding Pasco County countryside, where rolling hills and pastoral roads define the landscape. Nearby St. Leo, home to Saint Leo University and the abbey, functions as a close institutional neighbor, and Dade City anchors the broader east Pasco area.

Lifestyle in San Antonio

San Antonio's lifestyle is defined by its small scale, its deep Catholic roots, and its hilly countryside. The town maintains a close community feel, with a historic core centered on the parish church that predates the arrival of the Benedictines at Saint Leo. Cyclists are a familiar sight on the surrounding country roads, drawn by terrain unusual for Florida, and residents enjoy a quiet pace while depending on nearby Dade City, Zephyrhills, and Wesley Chapel for broader shopping and services. The presence of Saint Leo University nearby also brings a steady, mild academic influence to the area.

Schools & Education

Public education in San Antonio falls under Pasco County Schools, the district serving the wider county, with additional public, charter, and faith-based options in and around Dade City and San Antonio. Higher education is anchored by Saint Leo University, a Catholic liberal arts institution located in neighboring St. Leo, and Pasco-Hernando State College, which operates campuses within roughly a 20-minute drive. This combination gives San Antonio residents access to both local K-12 schooling and nearby college opportunities.

Getting Around

San Antonio sits in east-central Pasco County, north of Tampa, within commuting range of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The area is served by the region's interstate and state-highway corridors, placing Dade City, Zephyrhills, and Wesley Chapel a short drive away and connecting residents to jobs across the broader Tampa region. Daily needs are met locally or in neighboring towns, while the city itself retains a low-traffic, small-town road network suited to its hillside setting.

Parks & Recreation

San Antonio's signature recreation is road cycling, with riders drawn to the area's rolling hills and quiet country roads on routes ranging from 50 to 100 miles or more. The surrounding Pasco countryside also supports walking and rural exploration, while nearby Dade City, Zephyrhills, and Wesley Chapel provide parks, sports facilities, and community events. The town's historic setting and its proximity to Saint Leo University's campus add further points of interest within a short drive.

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