Monroe County, Florida - info, facts, communities on Key to the City

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Information & Facts about Monroe County, Florida

Government

Monroe County Government

County Administrator
1100 Simonton St.
Room 2-205
Key West, FL 33040
Phone: (305)292-4441
FAX (305)292-4544

There are five incorporated cities & villages in the county - Key West, the county seat, Key Colony Beach, Layton, Village of Islamorada and Marathon.

The county is governed by an elected Mayor and a group of commissioners. The County Administrator runs the day-to-day affairs of the county.

Population:

1980 -63,188
1990 - 78,024
2000 - 79,589
2003 - 80,537

Location:

Monroe County is located at the southern tip of the state of Florida. Most prominent in the county are the Florida Keys consisting of numerous islands all interconnected by US Highway 1. It is the southernmost county in the United States. Neighboring counties include Miami-Dade County, Lee County and Collier County. The Bahama Islands also abut the county.

Climate:

Key West has a mild climate because of the nearness of the Gulf Stream in the Straits of Florida and the tempering effects of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north. Average temperature during the winter is only about 14 degrees lower than in the summer. Daily variations throughout the year average only about 10 degrees. There is no known record of frost, ice, sleet, or snow in Key West

Hurricane Tracking site

Other Facts and Figures:

Median Household Income $57,200 (2004)
Per Capita Income $35,423 (2003)

Average Household Size: 2.2 persons (2003)

Total housing units: 51,617 (2000)

History:

A history page for the Keys. Here is an additional history page for Monroe County.

The area has a memorable history. Some of the Real estate titles go back to their issuance by the King of Spain. Many events of both the Civil War and the Spanish American war took place here.

Ponce de Leon came here first in 1513. The Navy was first sent here to get rid of pirates in about 1822. In fact, the coming of the Navy has been a boon to the area. Key West became the county seat in 1824.

Geography:

The only barrier reef in North America is right here in the Florida Keys. Coral formations and beautiful tropical fish may be seen by divers. Just past the reef is the powerful current known as the Gulf Stream.

A gazetteer of the islands of the Florida Keys - learn about the names of the islands and communities in the Keys. The Florida Keys are part of the West Indian group of islands numbering about 10,000.

Genealogy:

US GenWeb page for Monroe County

Kindred Trails page for Monroe County

Libraries:

Monroe County Public LIbrary System
Phone: 305-853-7349

Schools:

Monroe County School District
241 Trumbo Road
Key West, Florida 33040

Florida Keys Community College
Main Campus
5901 College Road
Key West, FL 33040
Phone: 305-296-9081

Economy:

The Monroe County economy thrives on the tourist industry. The perfect location with beautiful weather and great scenery call out to people wanting to visit the Keys. There are also many government jobs in the area. Agriculture plays a small role in the economy. Tourism takes about 30% of the economic pie with Retail and real estate services a close second at 28%. Trade involves about 19% and construction about 10%.

Organizations & Groups

Islamorada Chamber of Commerce

Key Largo Chamber of Commerce

Key West Chamber of Commerce

Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce

Marathon Chamber of Commerce

Florida Keys Council of the Arts

Attractions & Other Information

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Key West National Wildlife Refuge

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

Bahia Hondo State Park