Sebring is a city in, and the county seat of, Highlands County, Florida, located in the Florida Heartland region of Central Florida. With roughly 12,000 residents, it anchors the Sebring metropolitan statistical area and is known both for its distinctive circular downtown plan and for its internationally recognized motorsports venue. The city's identity combines a quiet lakefront lifestyle with a racing heritage that puts it on the world stage. Sebring is known as the "City on the Circle" because of its circular downtown layout centered on Circle Park, a shaded public square around which the historic district was master planned. The downtown includes a number of National Register of Historic Places-listed buildings, including the Kenilworth Lodge, the Highlands County Courthouse, and Central Station. This historic core gives the city a walkable, rooted center that has been revitalized through its Florida Main Street designation. The city's most famous institution is Sebring International Raceway, America's oldest road-racing circuit, built on the runways of the former Hendricks Army Airfield, a World War II base used to train B-17 combat crews. The track has hosted the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race since 1952, an event considered second only to Le Mans in international prominence and a major annual draw for visitors. Lake Jackson, a freshwater lake of about 9,212 acres, lies within the city limits and anchors recreation, with fishing, boating, jet skiing, kayaking, and swimming at City Pier Beach. Golf courses, including the Sebring Municipal Golf Course, and the area's retirement communities round out the local lifestyle. Public education is provided by Highlands County Schools, a district headquartered in Sebring with about 24 schools and roughly 12,000 students serving the county. This combination of a historic circular downtown, lakefront recreation, racing heritage, and established community services makes Sebring a distinctive place to live in Central Florida.