Monroe County Florida   Located in South Florida

Monroe County Cities

Land area (rank): 1,034 square miles (14)
Population 1993 (rank): 81,766 (34)
Population density 1993 (rank): 79 persons per square mile (37)
Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 23.5% (45)

Physical Characteristics

Monroe County consists of the southwest tip of the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys. These coral and limestone islands stretch 100 miles into the Straits of Florida separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico. Monroe County's land boundaries are Dade and Collier counties. The county has 414 square miles of water. The average January temperature is 69.9 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 83.6 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 38.03 inches.

History

Monroe County was established in 1823 from a portion of St. Johns County and named for President James Monroe, fifth president of the U.S. In 1513 Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sailed past the keys. For the next three centuries, the keys became a haven for pirates and adventurers. Many English-speaking settlers came to the keys from the Grand Bahamas, and by 1821, when the U.S. acquired Florida, Key West was the state's most populous city.

Population

Most of Monroe County's population is on the keys. In 1993, two-thirds of the population was in unincorporated areas. The incorporated place with the greatest population is Key West, which had a 1993 population of 26,122. Unincorporated areas that grew rapidly during the 1970s and 80s include Key Largo, Big Pine Key, Marathon, and Plantation Key. In 1993, 93% of Monroe County's population was white and 7% was nonwhite. In 1990, 12.3% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, 79.1% was due to net migration. The 1992 birth rate was 12.2 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 8.5 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 5.1 per 1,000. The leading causes of death in 1993 were cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Education

Of all 1992 high school graduates, 74.0% planned to continue their education. The 1992 high school dropout rate was 5.2%. In 1990, 79.7% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 20.3% had completed four or more years of college. Colleges and universities. Troy State University and St. Leo College, Naval Air Station, Boca Chica; Florida Keys Community College, Key West.

Economy

The per capita income in Monroe County for 1993 was $22,003 (9th highest in the state). The median household income in 1989 was $29,351. In 1989, 7.0% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 11.7% of personal income in Monroe County was derived from transfer payments. Leading employers include hotels and motels and medical and other health services. In 1991, 5,839,998 pounds of fish and 5,864,565 pounds of shellfish were landed in Monroe County.

Median value of a single-family home 1990: $151,200
Median monthly rent 1990: $523
Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 21.5
Housing starts 1992: 540
Housing starts 1993: 349

In 1992 the price level index for Monroe County was 113.87 ( highest in the state).

Local Government

In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 5.5903, and the total taxable value of property was $6,448,182,638. Taxable sales totalled $1213.10 million in 1992 and $1349.10 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $13,554 thousand in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Monroe County's revenues totalled $132,968 thousand ($1,671.8 per capita) and its expenditures $129,219 thousand ($1,624.7 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 62.1% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these, 50.2% were registered Democrat and 40.3% were registered Republicans. In the 1992 presidential election 36.3% of the votes were cast for Clinton, 34.4% for Bush, and 28.9% for Perot.

Events and Places of Interest

Annual Art Expo, Buskerfest, Key West, January; Florida Keys Renaissance Faire, Marathon, January; Seafood Festival, Islamorada, January; Old Island Days, Key West, February; Conch Shell Blowing, Key West, March; Rainbarrel Art Festival, Islamorada, March; Hemingway Days Festival, Key West, July; Great Grunt Fishing Tournament, Islamorada, August; Crane Point Hammock, Marathon; Dolphin Research Center, Marathon Shores; East Martello Museum and Art Gallery, Hemingway House and Museum, Key West Aquarium; Key West Lighthouse Museum, Turtle Kraals; Wrecker's Museum.