Bonita Springs, Florida
| City of Bonita Springs | |||
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| — City — | |||
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| Nickname(s): Gateway to the Gulf | |||
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| Coordinates: 26°20′59″N 81°47′27″W / 26.34972°N 81.79083°WCoordinates: 26°20′59″N 81°47′27″W / 26.34972°N 81.79083°W | |||
| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County | Lee | ||
| Established | December 31, 1999 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council-Manager | ||
| • Mayor | Ben Nelson Jr | ||
| • City Manager | Gary Price | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 41.0 sq mi (106.2 km2) | ||
| • Land | 35.3 sq mi (91.4 km2) | ||
| • Water | 5.7 sq mi (14.8 km2) 13.95% | ||
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) | ||
| Population (Pop 2010 / Density 2009) | |||
| • Total | 43,914 | ||
| • Density | 1,057.3/sq mi (358.8/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP codes | 34133-34136 | ||
| Area code(s) | 239 | ||
| Interstate | I-75 | ||
| FIPS code | 12-07525[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0279207[2] | ||
| Website | http://www.cityofbonitasprings.org | ||
Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census.[3] It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest coast of the state.
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[edit] Geography and climate
Bonita Springs is located at 26°20′59″N 81°47′27″W / 26.349654°N 81.790937°W.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.0 square miles (106 km2). 35.3 square miles (91 km2) of it is land and 5.7 square miles (15 km2) of it (13.95%) is water.
The city is located on both Estero Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The area referred to as Bonita Beach is located on a road-accessible barrier island (Little Hickory Island) that lies between the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The Imperial River flows through the downtown district of the city and empties out into Estero Bay.
The city is the northernmost city on the west coast of Florida that has a tropical climate, having a mean January temperature of 65 °F (18 °C). (Fort Myers Beach directly to the north has a January mean of 64 °F (18 °C) which gives it a subtropical climate).
[edit] Points of interest
- Art League of Bonita Springs - an arts organization that hosts both local and traveling art exhibitions, arts classes and other community events. (Website)
- Bonita Beach Park - a 2.5-acre (10,000 m2) beachfront park that features a boardwalk and swimming area. Sand dunes and coastal vegetation surround a gazebo and 8 picnic shelters. (Website)
- Barefoot Beach Preserve Park - is 342 acres (1.38 km2) of natural land and one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on Florida's southwest coast. It is located on the border of Collier and Lee Counties and accessible by Bonita Beach Road. (Web Site).
- Little Hickory Island Beach Park
- There are also 10 beach accesses with public parking located up and down Bonita Beach.
- Bonita Springs is located west of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a significant Bald Cypress reserve under management of the National Audubon Society.
- Lover's Key State Park, a 1,616-acre (6.54 km2) park made up of four barrier islands, is located within the city and just north of Bonita Beach. The park features nature trails for hiking and bicycling, a canoe launch, kayak and canoe rentals, acres of unspoiled mangroves and miles of pristine beaches. A haven for wildlife, the islands and their waters are home to West Indian Manatees, bottlenose dolphins, roseate spoonbills, marsh rabbits and bald eagles.[5]
- The Everglades Wonder Gardens features a large collection of Florida wildlife including exotic birds, panthers, alligators, flamingos and bears. The facility, originally opened in 1936 as both a wildlife exhibition and a refuge for injured animals, also boasts a botanical garden and a natural history museum.
- The Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track is located in Bonita Springs.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 1,932 |
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| 1980 | 5,435 | 181.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,600 | 150.2% | |
| 2000 | 32,797 | 141.2% | |
| 2010 | 43,914 | 33.9% | |
| source:[6][7] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 43,914 people residing in the city. Household data and density data have not yet been released, but as of the 2009 census estimate, there are 19,233 households, and 12,974 families residing in the city.[8] The population density in 2000 was 929.4 inhabitants per square mile (358.8/km²). There were 31,716 housing units at an average density of 661.1 per square mile (255.2/km²). The 2010 racial makeup of the city was 88.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.5% of the population.
There were 19,233 households in 2009 out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.55.
In 2000, the city the population was spread out with 13.9% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 31.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.9 males.
The 2009 estimated median income for a household in the city was $53,452, and the median income for a family was $53,436. Males had a median income of $31,227 versus $25,358 for females. The per capita income for the city was $37,958. About 6.2% of families and 10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Business
While existing primarily as a retirement and second home vacation community, Bonita Springs is home to a growing number of businesses due to low business taxes, an abundance of inexpensive commercial office space, and a growing community of educated professionals.
The home-builder WCI Communities is based in Bonita Springs.
[edit] Education
Bonita Springs is served by the Lee County School District. (Web Site)
[edit] Colleges and universities
- Florida Gulf Coast University - (Fort Myers) (Web Site)
- Edison College - (Naples/Fort Myers) (Web Site)
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Airports
- Southwest Florida International Airport in nearby South Fort Myers serves over 8 million passengers annually.
- Naples Municipal Airport in Naples is a smaller airport primarily for private aviation
[edit] Major highways
Interstate 75
U.S. Route 41 "South Tamiami Trail"
(County Road 865) Bonita Beach Road / Hickory Boulevard
[edit] Mass transportation
Fixed-route bus and trolley service is provided by the Lee County Transit Department, operated as LeeTran (Web Site).
[edit] Rail
Seminole Gulf Railway (Web Site) owns and operates a line which passes through the city. The company offers freight service and local, daytime excursions.
[edit] Media
[edit] Newspapers
Bonita Springs is served by local editions of the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News.
[edit] Radio
The metropolitan area is home to 32 radio stations. With an Arbitron-assigned 836,700 listening area population, the metropolitan area of which Bonita Springs is one part ranks 61/300 for the spring of 2009. Arbitron Standard Radio Market: Ft Myers-Naples-Marco Island.[9]
[edit] Bonita Springs Official Concert Band
The Bonita Springs Concert Band was an out growth of a concerted effort by a group of interested persons who, in early 2007, began exploring the idea of forming a new musical organization to be located in the Bonita Springs area. A meeting was held with the officials of the City of Bonita Springs who were enthused about the project and offered the band an opportunity to perform in the City's Band Shell located in Riverside Park. [3]
Their free concerts are held in the Band Shell on Sundays October through April under the direction of Dr. Dennis Hill. [4]
[edit] Television
Nielsen Media Research designated market area: Ft. Myers-Naples.[10]
2008 - 2009 estimate U.S. rank: 62/210 (509,530 TV Homes)
- WBBH - NBC affiliate
- WEVU - UPN affiliate
- WFTX - Fox affiliate
- WGCU - PBS member station
- WINK - CBS affiliate
- WXCW - CW affiliate
- WZVN - ABC affiliate
[edit] Sister city
[edit] Weather
Hurricane Wilma made landfall south of Bonita Springs on Monday, October 24, 2005.
Hurricane Charley made landfall just north on Friday, August 13, 2004.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ [1] census.gov
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ DEP confirmation that Lover's Key lies in city limits dep.state.fl.us
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790-2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.html. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ Census figures enumerated from 1970 to 1990 were prior to incorporation as Bonita Springs CDP.
- ^ [2] census.gov
- ^ Arbitron website
- ^ Nielson website
