Pompano Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The Nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the AtlanticIntracoastal Waterway. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 88,874, [link], however, due to a recent annexation of neighboring Pompano Beach Highlands and Collier Manor-Cresthaven, the population of the city has surpassed 100,000. Pompano Beach is currently in the middle of a redevelopment process of its neglected beachfront which promises to reinvent the city. The city has also been listed as one of the top real estate markets being featured in CNN, Money and the Wall Street Journal as one of the country's top vacation home markets. However, the city's western section remains less polished and is characterized by high crime rates, poverty and strip clubs.
Pompano Beach was settled about 1900, and incorporated as a town in 1908. Its name is derived from the Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), a fish found off the Atlantic coast. Pompano Beach significant experienced growth during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. In 1950, the population of the city reached 5,682. Like most of southeast Florida, Pompano Beach experienced great growth in the late 20th century as many people moved there from northern parts of the United States. A substantial seasonal population also spends its winters in the area. In 2004, John Rayson was elected as the first official mayor of Pompano. In recent years, an effort to rejuvenate rundown areas near the city's beach have gained momentum.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57.4 km² (22.1 mi²). 53.2 km² (20.5 mi²) of it is land and 4.1 km² (1.6 mi²) of it (7.22%) is water.
Pompano Beach is in northeast Broward County along the Atlantic Ocean. It includes about three (3) miles of beachfront that extends from the intersection of Florida State Road A1A and Terra Mar Drive to the Hillsboro Inlet. The city is bounded by the following municipalities:
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 78,191 people, 35,197 households, and 18,443 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,469.1/km² (3,804.4/mi²). There were 44,496 housing units at an average density of 836.0/km² (2,165.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.77% White, 25.45% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 3.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.94% of the population.
There were 35,197 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,073, and the median income for a family was $44,195. Males had a median income of $31,162 versus $26,870 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,938. About 13.1% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
