Lakewood Ranch is an unincorporated communitymaster planned community in southeastern Manatee County, Florida, United States, built on part of what was once a timberranch owned by members of Milwaukee's Uihlein family. It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population for the 34202 ZIP Code Tabulation Area, in which Lakewood Ranch is located, was 15,335 at the 2000 Census.[1] Started in 1995, Lakewood Ranch has an 8,500-acre (3,400ha) master-planned community within it, consisting of seven villages with a variety of housing types.