Jump to content

Miami metropolitan area

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 81.62.109.62 (talk) at 10:56, 1 September 2007 (→‎External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"South Florida" redirects here. For the university in Tampa, see University of South Florida.
South Florida
Population
5,463,857 (2,006 est.)
The Miami Urbanized Area stretches along the Atlantic Coast for most of the length of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area, but is confined to a relatively narrow area between the coast and the Everglades.

The Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach[1] metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as South Florida, the Miami Metro Area, or the Tri-County Area, encompasses a three-county area of the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The metropolitan area covers the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The three counties are the three most populous in Florida. The term "South Florida" is roughly synonymous with the Gold Coast.

Because the population of South Florida is largely confined to a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, the Miami Urbanized Area (that is, the area of contiguous urban development) is about 110 miles long (north to south), but never more than twenty miles wide, and in some areas only five miles wide (east to west). South Florida is longer than any other urbanized area in the United States except for the New York metropolitan area.[2] It was the eighth most densely populated urbanized areas in the United States in the 2000 census.[3] As of the 2000 census, the urbanized area had a land area of 1,116 square miles ( 2,890.7 square kilometers), with a population of 4,919,036, for a population density of 4,407.4 per square mile (1,701.7 per square kilometer). Miami and Hialeah (the second largest city in the metropolitan area) had population densities of more than 10,000 per square mile (more than 3,800 per square kilometer).[4][5] The Miami Urbanized Area was the fifth largest Urbanized Area in the United States in the 2000 census, ahead of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Urbanized Area.[6]

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach MSA also includes several Urban Clusters (UCs) as of the 2000 Census which are not part of the Miami Urbanized Area. These are the Belle Glade UC, population 24,218, area 20,717,433 square metres and population density of 3027.6 per square mile; Key Biscayne UC, population 10,513, area 4,924,214 square metres and population density of 5529.5 per square mile; Redland UC, population 3,936, area 10,586,212 square metres and population density of 963.0 per square mile; and West Jupiter UC, population 8,998, area 24,737,176 square metres and population density of 942.1 per square mile.[7]

In 2006, the area had an estimated 5,463,857 persons, of which 1,671,398 live in unincorporated areas[8][9][10]. Considering that the area has an urban population of 4,919,036, only 544,821 residents live outside of the urban area, meaning that at least 1,126,577 persons live in urban unincorporated areas, but the number is actually higher.

Palm Beach County was added to the Miami–Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area for the first time in 2000, giving it a considerable boost in population and in ranking among U.S. metropolitan areas.

Counties

Metropolitan divisions

The metropolitan area contains three distinct urban centers, subdividing the region into separate metropolitan divisions.

File:Miami from North.jpg
Downtown Miami
Metropolitan Division 2005
Population
Miami--Miami Beach--Kendall 2,402,208
Fort Lauderdale--Pompano Beach--Deerfield Beach 1,777,638
West Palm Beach--Boca Raton--Boynton Beach 1,268,548

Cities


A portion of the southern skyline of Miami Beach
Downtown West Palm Beach.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale
Pompano Beach

Principal cities



Boca Raton

Cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants




Cities, towns, and census-designated places with between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants

Cities, towns, and census-designated places with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants

Demographics

Population

As of the 2005 American Community Survey[12][13] there is a total of 5,334,685 people living in the metropolis. South Florida is a very diverse community with much of the population coming from all over Latin America (especially South Americans from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and most Central American countries like Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala) and the Caribbean (especially Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, and other West Indians.)

Another large factor are residents who were former snowbirds from the Northeast, like New York and New Jersey. Many of them come from a variety of age-ranges, and tend to be Jewish-American, Nuyorican, Dominican-American, Italian-American, and other second and third-generation Americans.

To a lesser extent, snowbirds from the Midwest (mostly Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan) and West Coast (mainly California,) as well as smaller amount from the Pacific Northwest, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas.

Many Canadians (mostly French Canadians), Brazilians, Israelis, and Europeans (mainly from Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and France) also add to the diversity, though people from all over the world live in South Florida.

There is also a notable difference in the culture of South Florida and the rest of Florida, as it is tends to be more of a multicultural mosaic rather than a melting pot, whereas most parts of Central Florida and North Florida are of the Southern culture. Also, South Florida has a more urban atmosphere, whereas Central and North Florida are mostly more rural and traditional in character.

Politically speaking, South Florida is heavily Democratic, especially Broward and Palm Beach, while the rest of Florida tends to vote more Republican due in large part to Southern politics. With a majority Hispanic population in Miami-Dade, Republican votes are mainly by older generations of Cuban-American exiles, but Miami-Dade County still remains heavily Democratic when compared to most of North Florida and Central Florida.

Population: As of the census 2005, there were 5,334,685 people, 2.8 million (52%) females and 2.6 million (48%) males. The median age was 38.6 years. 24% of the population were under 18 years and 15% were 65 years and older. There were 2,338,450 households, and 1,326,391 families residing in the South Florida metropolitan area.

Ethnicity: The racial makeup of population of South Florida [5,334,685] was 72% [3,756,468] White (of which 39% were Non-Hispanic White,) 21% [1,075,174] Black (many from the Caribbean) or African American, less than 0.5% [10,582] Native American, 2% [111,196] Asian (many of Indo-Caribbean origin,) less than 0.5% [3,346] Pacific Islander, 5% [286,399] from other races, and 2% [91,520] from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38% [2,013,725] of the population.

Language and Birth-Origin

Nativity and Language: 37% of the people living in the South Florida Metro Area in 2005 were foreign born. 63% were born in the USA, including 30% who were born in Florida. Among people at least five years old living in South Florida in 2005, 48% spoke a language other than English at home, while 52% spoke English at home. Of those speaking a language other than English at home, 78% spoke Spanish and 22% spoke some other language (mainly Haitian Creole, French, German, Hebrew, Portuguese, or Yiddish); 47% reported that they did not speak English "very well."

Geographic Mobility: In 2005, 83% of the people at least one year old living in the South Florida Metro Area were living in the same residence one year earlier; 12 percent had moved during the past year from another residence in the same county, 2% from another county in the same state, 2% from another state, and 1% from abroad.

Households and Families: There were 2,338,450 households, The average household size was 2.6 people. Families made up 65% of the households in South Florida. This figure includes both married-couple families (45%) and other families (20%). Nonfamily households made up 35% of all households in South Florida. Most of the nonfamily households were people living alone, but some were comprised of people living in households in which no one was related to the householder.

Education

Education: In 2005, 82% of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 28% had a bachelor's degree or higher. Among people 16 to 19 years old, 7% were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school. The total school enrollment in South Florida Metro Area was 1.4 million in 2005. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 170,000 and elementary or high school enrollment was 879,000 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 354,000.

Occupation, Income, and Industries

Occupations and Type of Employer: Among the most common occupations were: 32% were management, professional, and related occupations, 30% were sales and office occupations, 18% were service occupations, 11% were construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations, and 9% were production, transporation, and material moving occupations. 81% of the people employed were Private wage and salary workers; 12% were Federal, state, or local government workers; and 7% were Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers.

Income: The median income of households in South Florida was $43,091. 78% of the households received earnings and 13% received retirement income other than Social Security. 30% of the households received Social Security. The average income from Social Security was $13,174. These income sources are not mutually exclusive; that is, some households received income from more than one source.

Industries: In 2005, for the employed population 16 years and older, the leading industries in South Florida Area were Educational services, health care and social assistance, which accounted for 18%, and Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services, which accounted for 13% of the population.

Traveling to Work: 79% of South Florida workers drove to work alone in 2005, 10 percent carpooled, 4% took public transportation, and 4% used other means. The remaining 3% worked at home. Among those who commuted to work, it took them on average 28.5 minutes to get to work.

Poverty and Participation in Government Programs: In 2005, 14% of people were in poverty. 19% of related children under 18 were below the poverty level, compared with 14% of people 65 years old and over. 11% of all families, and 26% of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level.

Housing Characteristics and Costs

Housing Characteristics: As of 2005, South Florida had a total of 2.3 million housing units, 13% of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 52% were in single-unit structures, 45% were in multi-unit structures, and 3% were mobile homes. 25% of the housing units were built since 1990.

Occupied Housing Unit Characteristics: In 2005, South Florida had 2.0 million occupied housing units - 1.3 million (66%) owner occupied and 688,000 (34%) renter occupied. 5% of the households did not have telephone service and 9% of the households did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Multi Vehicle households were not rare. 37% had two vehicles and another 13% had three or more.

Housing Costs: The median monthly housing costs for mortgaged owners was $1,517, nonmortgaged owners $494, and renters $877. 50% of owners with mortgages, 26% of owners without mortgages, and 57% of renters in South Florida spent 30% or more of household income on housing.

Disability

Disability: In South Florida, among people at least five years old in 2005, 14% reported a disability. The likelihood of having a disability varied by age - from 5% of people 5 to 20 years old, to 10% of people 21 to 64 years old, and to 37% of those 65 and older.

Education

Green Library, Florida International University in Miami-Dade County.

In Florida, each county is also a school district. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, is operated by an independently-elected School Board. A professional Superintendent of Schools manages the day-to-day operations of the district, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the School Board. The Miami-Dade County Public School District is currently the 4th largest public school district in the nation. Palm Beach County is served by the School District of Palm Beach County. As of 2006, it was the 4th largest school district in Florida and the 11th largest school district in the United States. Broward County has the 5th largest school district in the United States.

Some colleges and universities in South Florida include:

In 2005, 82% of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 28% had a bachelor's degree or higher. Among people 16 to 19 years old, 7% were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school. The total school enrollment in South Florida Metro Area was 1.4 million in 2005. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 170,000 and elementary or high school enrollment was 879,000 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 354,000.

Transportation

The South Florida metropolitan area is served by five interstate highways operated by the Florida Department of Transportation in conjunction with local agencies. I-95 runs north to south along the coast, ending just south of Downtown Miami. I-75 runs east to west, turning south in western Broward County; it connects suburban North Miami-Dade to Naples on the west coast via Alligator Alley, which transverses the Florida Everglades before turning north. I-595 connects the Broward coast and downtown Fort Lauderdale to I-75 and Alligator Alley. I-195 and I-395 both connect the main I-95 route to Biscayne Boulevard and Miami Beach, which is located across Biscayne Bay. I-195 and I-395 also connect (at their interchanges with I-95) to the Airport Expressway (State Road 112) and the Dolphin Expressway (State Road 836), respectively, both of which run west to Miami International Airport; the Dolphin Expressway also connects to Florida's Turnpike and the western suburbs of Miami-Dade County.

In Miami, Miami-Dade Transit operates Metrorail, Florida's only rapid transit metro with 22 stations on a 22.4-mile track, the Downtown Miami people mover, (Metromover) with 21 stations and 3 lines on 4.4-mile track, as well as Metrobus. In Broward County Broward County Transit runs public buses as well as Palm Tran in Palm Beach County. Additionally, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority operates Tri-Rail, a commuter rail train that connects the three primary cities of South Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), and most intermediate points.

File:Govtctr.jpg
Miami Metrorail train at Government Center changeover station in Downtown Miami, circa 1999.

South Florida is served by three major airports:

The metropolis also has four seaports, the largest and most important being the Port of Miami. Others in the area include Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach and the Miami River Port.

Major freeways and tollways

Climate

South Florida, for the most part, has a tropical wet-and-dry climate (Koppen climate classification Aw)[14], although some inland areas drop off into the humid subtropical climate zone (Koppen Cfa). The metropolis does experience cold fronts from November through March, however most of the year is warm and humid, and the summers are reminiscent of a true tropical climate. In addition, the metropolis sees most of its rain in the summer (wet season) and is mainly dry in winter (dry season). The wet season, which is hot and humid, lasts from May to September, when it gives way to the dry season, which features mild temperatures with some invasions of colder air, which is when the little winter rainfall occurs — with the passing of a front. The hurricane season largely coincides with the wet season.[15]

In addition to its sea-level elevation, coastal location and position just above the Tropic of Cancer, the area owes its warm, humid climate to the Gulf Stream, which moderates climate year-round. A typical summer day does not see temperatures below 75 ºF (24 ºC). Temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s (30-35 °C) accompanied by high humidity are often relieved by afternoon thunderstorms or a sea breeze that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, although conditions still remain very muggy. During winter, humidity is significantly lower, allowing for cooler weather to develop. Average minimum temperatures during that time are around 59 ºF (15 ºC), rarely dipping below 40 ºF (4 ºC), and the equivalent maxima usually range between 65 and 75 °F (18-24 °C).

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop outside that time period. The most likely time for South Florida to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season, mid-August through the end of September.[16] Due to its location between two major bodies of water known for tropical activity, South Florida is also statistically the most likely major city to be struck by a hurricane in the world, trailed closely by Nassau, Bahamas, and Havana, Cuba. Many hurricanes have affected the metropolis, including Betsy in 1965, Andrew in 1992, Irene in 1999, and Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005. In addition, a tropical depression in October of 2000 passed over the city, causing record rainfall and flooding. Locally, the storm is credited as the No Name Storm of 2000, though the depression went on to become Tropical Storm Leslie upon entering the Atlantic Ocean.

Area codes

  • 305 Miami-Dade County/ Florida Keys
  • 786 Miami Dade County
  • 954 Broward County
  • 754 Broward County
  • 561 Palm Beach County

Sports

Government

The metropolis is governed by the 3 counties in the area. In total there are 107 municipalities or incorporated places in the metropolis. Each one of the municipalities has its own city,town or village government, although there is no distinction between the 3 names. Much of the land in the metropolis is unincorporated, which means it does not belong to any municipality, and therefore is governed directly by the county it is located in.

Media

South Florida is served by several English-language and two major Spanish-language daily newspapers. The Miami Herald is Miami's primary newspaper with over a million readers. It also has news bureaus in Broward County, Monroe County, and Nassau, Bahamas. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel circulates primarily in Broward and southern Palm Beach counties and also has a news bureau in Havana, Cuba. The Palm Beach Post serves mainly Palm Beach County, especially the central and northern regions, and the Treasure Coast. The Boca Raton News publishes five days a week and circulates in southern Palm Beach County.[17] El Nuevo Herald, a subsidiary of the Miami Herald, and Diario Las Americas,[18] are Spanish-language daily papers that circulate mainly in Miami-Dade County. La Palma and El Sentinel are weekly Spanish newspapers published by the Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel, respectively, and circulate in the same areas as their English-language counterparts.

South Florida is split into two separate television/radio markets: The Miami-Fort Lauderdale market serves Miami-Dade, Broward and the Florida Keys. The West Palm Beach market serves Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast region.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale is the 12th largest radio market and the 16th largest television market in the U.S. Television stations serving the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area include WAMI (Telefutura), WBFS (MyNetworkTV), WSFL (The CW), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (ABC), WPXM (ION), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (FOX), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), and WLRN (also PBS).

See also: List of radio stations in Florida

References

  1. ^ [1] - URL retrieved August 16, 2007
  2. ^ PDFMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach: Linear & Visionless - retrieved August 2 2006
  3. ^ USA Urbanized Areas Over 500,000: 2000 Rankings - Rank by Density - URL retrieved September 5, 2006
  4. ^ Lists of Census 2000 Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
  5. ^ NOTE: large (2.8 MB) PDF file - UMiami, florida Urbanized Area Outline Map, 2000 Census - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
  6. ^ USA Urbanized Areas: 2000 Ranked by Population - URL retrieved September 5, 2006
  7. ^ State-sorted list for UCs - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
  8. ^ http://www.pbcgov.com/pzb/Planning/population/countyprofile.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.broward.org/planningservices/bbtn47.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan/abstr2006/stat102b.htm
  11. ^ Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget, December 2005 - retrieved August 9 2006
  12. ^ American Community Survey - URL retrieved January 4, 2007
  13. ^ American Community Survey: Narrative Profile - URL retrieved August 27, 2007
  14. ^ Köppen Climate Classification Map: South Florida=Aw=tropical wet & dry
  15. ^ Climate Zones of the World, under Koppen's System, retrieved August 8, 2006
  16. ^ Weather.com Vulnerable cities: Miami, Florida, retrieved February 19 2006
  17. ^ Boca Raton News home page - URL retrieved August 19, 2006
  18. ^ Diario Las Americas
See also: List of urbanized areas in Florida (by population)

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miami_metropolitan_area&oldid=154995843"