Palm Coast, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Palm Coast, Florida
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Location in Flagler County and the state of Florida
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 Palm Coast, Florida
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Florida | |
| County | Flagler | |
| Developed | 1969 | |
| Incorporated (city) | December 31, 1999 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 96.57 sq mi (250.12 km2) | |
| • Land | 95.37 sq mi (247.00 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.20 sq mi (3.12 km2) | |
| Elevation | 31 ft (9 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 89,258 | |
| • Density | 935.92/sq mi (361.36/km2) | |
| • Urban | 349,064 (US: 109th) | |
| • Metro | 99,956 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
32135, 32137, 32142, 32164
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| Area code(s) | 386 | |
| FIPS code | 12-54200 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0295049 | |
Palm Coast is a city in Flagler County, Florida, United States. In 2020, about 89,258 people lived there. The city has grown a lot, almost tripling its size since 2000! It is the biggest city in Flagler County. Palm Coast is part of a larger group of cities called the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Palm Coast
In the late 1950s, the land that is now Palm Coast was mostly swamps and pine forests. There were only a few farms and beach houses. People also used to make turpentine there. Tourists would pay to hunt and fish in the area.
How Palm Coast Started
A company called ITT Community Development Corporation (Levitt) started building Palm Coast in 1969. Their first plan was to build 48,000 homes. These homes would have paved streets and central water and sewer systems.
The city also built a large water system. It has 46 miles of freshwater canals and 23 miles of saltwater canals. These canals help keep the area's water levels healthy. On October 29, 1970, ITT opened Palm Coast's welcome center. This day is now celebrated as Founder's Day.
Local Government and Services
In 1975, the Flagler County leaders created the Palm Coast Service District. This district covered almost 40,000 acres. Money from taxes helped pay for important services. These services included fire protection, street lights, and animal control.
Wildfires in Palm Coast
In 1985, Palm Coast had its first big wildfire. It burned 131 homes. Experts learned that homes close to thick plants were more likely to burn.
Thirteen years later, in 1998, fires hit the same area again. These fires were big news across the country. The entire county had to evacuate, and 45,000 people left their homes. Firefighters came from 44 states to help. It was the largest air firefighting effort ever in the United States. Because of this huge effort, only 71 homes were destroyed.
Becoming an Official City
In September 1999, the people of Palm Coast voted to become an official city. On December 31, 1999, the City of Palm Coast was officially formed. By October 1, 2000, all services were moved from the old Service District to the new city.
The city is run by a City Council with five members. They are elected by the people and serve four-year terms. One member is chosen as the mayor. The council makes the city's rules and plans. A city manager, chosen by the council, helps carry out these plans. The city hired its first city manager in April 2000.
The city offers many services. These include planning new buildings, fire services, and keeping streets in good shape. They also manage parks and fun activities. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for Palm Coast. The city plans to build a new city hall and more parks. Protecting the environment is a big goal for Palm Coast's future.
Geography and Location
Palm Coast is in the northeastern part of Flagler County. It covers about 95 square miles of land and 1.2 square miles of water. The city stretches north to the Flagler County line. It goes southwest to the city of Bunnell and southeast to Flagler Beach.
Getting Around Palm Coast
Interstate 95 runs through Palm Coast from north to south. You can get on or off I-95 at three exits: Matanzas Woods Parkway, Palm Coast Parkway, and Florida State Road 100. U.S. Route 1 also runs through the western part of Palm Coast, next to I-95.
Weather and Hurricanes
The Palm Coast area was directly hit by a tropical cyclone in 2004. This was Hurricane Charley. Since 1851, 33 hurricanes and tropical storms have affected the area.
Palm Coast is a "bedroom community." This means many people live here but work in other nearby cities. These include St. Augustine, about 25 miles north, and Daytona Beach, about 30 miles south. Some residents also work in Orlando and Jacksonville.
Climate in Palm Coast
Palm Coast has a warm climate.
- Warmest Months: July and August are the hottest, with average highs around 87.8°F (31°C).
- Coolest Months: January is the coolest, with average highs around 65.2°F (18.4°C).
- Rainfall: The city gets a good amount of rain, especially from June to September. The average yearly rainfall is about 51 inches.
- Extreme Temperatures: The highest temperature ever recorded was 102°F (39°C) in May. The lowest was 21°F (-6°C) in January.
Economy and Jobs
As of 2012, Palm Coast had over 30 mid-sized businesses in its industrial parks. The largest company, "Palm Coast Data," employed almost 1,000 people.
Flagler County has grown very fast since 1990. However, the area was hit hard by the housing market crash. In December 2009, Palm Coast had one of the highest unemployment rates in Florida. It was 16.9 percent at that time.
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 2,837 | — | |
| 1990 | 14,287 | 403.6% | |
| 2000 | 32,732 | 129.1% | |
| 2010 | 75,180 | 129.7% | |
| 2020 | 89,258 | 18.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 102,113 | 35.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
People Living in Palm Coast
In 2020, there were 89,258 people living in Palm Coast. There were 33,264 households and 24,478 families.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 26,217 | 54,762 | 62,158 | 80.10% | 72.84% | 69.64% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 3,261 | 9,191 | 9,249 | 9.96% | 12.23% | 10.36% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 65 | 155 | 223 | 0.20% | 0.21% | 0.25% |
| Asian (NH) | 492 | 1,878 | 2,161 | 1.50% | 2.50% | 2.42% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 10 | 44 | 55 | 0.03% | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Some other race (NH) | 73 | 270 | 614 | 0.22% | 0.36% | 0.69% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 418 | 1,328 | 3,852 | 1.28% | 1.77% | 4.32% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,196 | 7,552 | 10,946 | 6.71% | 10.05% | 12.26% |
| Total | 32,732 | 75,180 | 89,258 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Languages Spoken
In 2000, most people in Palm Coast (87.66%) spoke English as their first language. Other languages were spoken by 12.33% of residents. The most common of these was Spanish, spoken by 6.48% of the population. German was third at 1.18%, followed by Italian (1.02%) and Portuguese (1.00%).
Important Safety Issues
Pedestrian Safety
On March 2, 2017, a 16-year-old student named Michelle Taylor was hit by a car. This happened while she was walking home from Matanzas High School. The area had no sidewalks and few street lights. After this, people in the city asked for more street lights and sidewalks. They wanted to make walking safer for everyone. Students from Matanzas High School helped lead these efforts. They created groups and petitions to get the city council's attention.
Healthcare Services
Palm Coast has two hospitals: AdventHealth Palm Coast and AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway. These hospitals provide medical care for the community.
Notable People from Palm Coast
- Ray Black Jr., a race car driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
- Caesar DePaço, a Portuguese businessman and diplomat
- Ron DeSantis, the current Governor of Florida
- Louis Miceli Jr., singer for the band Palisades
- Eddie Money, a famous singer known for "Two Tickets to Paradise"
- Reilly Opelka, a professional tennis player
- Leslie West, former lead singer of the band Mountain
- Home Is Where, an emo band
- Rain City Drive, a post-hardcore band
See also
In Spanish: Palm Coast para niños
