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Progress Village is one of the most historically important and groundbreaking communities in all of Florida. I see Progress Village not just as a place on a map, but as a living monument to the Civil Rights movement and a powerful testament to the pursuit of the American dream.

Zip Codes: 33578, 33619

Latitude, Longitude: 27.8832° N, 82.3578° W

A Vision of Suburban Progress 🏡

The story of Progress Village is a story of incredible determination and hope. It was founded in 1958, a time when discriminatory housing practices like redlining made it nearly impossible for African American families to secure mortgages and buy new homes in the booming white suburbs.

To combat this injustice, a coalition of local civic leaders and the NAACP worked to create a new kind of community. They secured a federally backed FHA mortgage—a landmark achievement at the time—to develop a modern, master-planned suburb built specifically to provide affordable homeownership opportunities for Black families.

The name, “Progress Village,” was deliberately and powerfully chosen. It was an aspirational name, a declaration that this new community represented a tangible step forward—social and economic progress—for the African American community of Tampa. It was a place where families could build equity, raise their children in a safe environment with new schools and parks, and finally claim their piece of the suburban dream.

A Legacy Community 🌳

Today, Progress Village remains a proud, predominantly African American, unincorporated community with an immense sense of its own history. Many of the residents are the children and grandchildren of the original pioneering homeowners, and the modest but well-built, concrete-block homes from the late 1950s and ’60s still form the core of the neighborhood.

The community is a mix of these historic homes and newer developments that have expanded its footprint over the years. It’s a working-to-middle-class area, and its location, just south of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and east of U.S. 301, places it in a strategic position near major employment centers and the rapidly growing SouthShore region. It is an unincorporated Census-Designated Place (CDP) governed by Hillsborough County, but its identity is all its own.

Progress Village by the Numbers 📊

The demographic data for Progress Village reflects its unique history as a cornerstone of Hillsborough County’s Black community.

• Official Designation: Census-Designated Place (CDP)
• County: Hillsborough
• Established: Founded in 1958.
• Named For: The concept of social progress for the African American community.
• Population: Approximately 11,000 residents.
• Area: About 3.4 square miles.
• Median Age: Roughly 39 years old.
• Racial & Ethnic Composition:
  • Black or African American: ~63%
  • Hispanic or Latino: ~22%
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~9%
• Median Household Income: Approximately $53,000.

Landmarks and Community Pillars 🏛️

The important places in and around Progress Village are the institutions that have served as the pillars of community life for generations.

• Progress Village Park and Recreation Center: The social and recreational heart of the community since its founding. This large county park features sports fields, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and community rooms that have hosted countless family and civic events.
• 78th Street Community Library: A vital resource for residents of all ages, providing access to books, technology, and educational programming. It serves as a cornerstone for learning and community connection.
• Port Tampa Bay: Located just a few miles away, the massive port is one of the most significant employers for the residents of Progress Village and the entire surrounding region, offering thousands of blue-collar and industrial jobs.
• The Regent: A large and elegant event venue located in neighboring Riverview. It’s a major hub for weddings, conferences, and community galas for the entire SouthShore region, including Progress Village.
• E.G. Simmons Conservation Park: A beautiful, 469-acre county park on the shores of Tampa Bay in nearby Ruskin. With its campground, fishing piers, and mangrove shoreline, it’s a popular destination for families from Progress Village to enjoy the natural beauty of the Florida coast.