About DeBary

The City of DeBary is known for its warm and friendly hometown atmosphere. DeBary has thousands of oak trees, is a bird sanctuary, and has an extensive park system. Located on the northern shore of the beautiful St. Johns River, it is the gateway to southwestern Volusia County, with direct access to I-4 and U.S. Highway 17/92 and serves as a corridor between Orlando, Sanford, and Daytona Beach. DeBary has been incorporated since December 1993 and has a population of 18,869 within an area of 25 square miles.

The Mayor and City Council are exceptionally business friendly and actively encourage new businesses to locate in DeBary. DeBary enjoys the lowest ad valorem tax rate (2.57279) in Volusia County. The City contracts for public works, police, fire, and animal control, which keeps costs low while providing a high level of service. As an experiment in innovative government, DeBary is an ideal candidate to serve as a model to other communities.

DeBary Hall Historic Site is the restored winter home of Samuel Frederick de Bary, the first settler in this region. Built in 1871, the 8,000 sq. ft. Italianate architectural style mansion is open to the public with winning exhibits, multimedia programs, and docent-led tours. DeBary Hall Historic Site has been on the National Register since 1972.

DeBary offers a diversity of lifestyles, which include upscale country clubs and championship golf courses, rural acreage with horses, and riverside homes. Environmentally-sensitive areas and agricultural areas of the City are separated from low-to-medium density residential areas by a power plant, a community park, and a subdivision of one-acre home sites with a rural/residential zoning classification.

Events held each year in the City include art festivals, holiday lighting festivals, a Christmas Lighting Display contest for residences, talent contests, patriotic celebrations, Halloween Haunted Hike, Christmas Parade, and performances by the Gateway Orchestra.

Ten parks are located in the City. The parks vary from neighborhood playgrounds and baseball parks to a large 108-acre park which remains in its natural state. Gemini Springs Park is named for its free-flowing twin springs, with full recreational activities. Memorial Park is a 2.5-acre passive park with picnic pavilions, an F-15 airplane, and a 9-ton anchor from the USS Langley. Rob Sullivan Community Park is the largest sports park and is named for a former Council Member who was instrumental in the early development of the City’s park system.

Little League games are held at Bill Keller Park. DeBary Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of sports to the children and youth of our community and activities for adults. Sports offered are the Youth Soccer League, a Soccer Clinic for 4-6 year olds, an Outdoor Basketball League, Youth Flag Football, a Summer Day Camp Program for ages 6 to 11, and a Social each Monday for the 50+ Crowd.

DeBary is an activist community with citizens serving on a wide variety of volunteer boards and committees. The City administers a Neighborhood Watch Program, and a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as well as offering presentations on subjects important in the lives of our residents.

A community that emphasizes quality of life and quality of services, DeBary stands out in terms of distinctive character, charm, and resources. It is the ultimate in small-town living with friendly citizens, sunny climate, and an open-door City Council; a town that is progressive, yet has retained its unique southern charm. DeBary’s distinctive qualities motivate people and businesses to VISIT DeBary, to WORK in DeBary, and to LIVE in DeBary.