Port Charlotte, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Charlotte, Florida
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Location in Charlotte County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Charlotte |
| Area | |
| • Census-designated place | 32.34 sq mi (83.76 km2) |
| • Land | 28.48 sq mi (73.76 km2) |
| • Water | 3.86 sq mi (9.99 km2) |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Census-designated place | 60,625 |
| • Density | 2,128.69/sq mi (821.88/km2) |
| • Urban
(Port Charlotte–North Port, FL)
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199,998 (US: 194th) |
| • Urban density | 1,484.8/sq mi (573.3/km2) |
| • Metro
(Punta Gorda, FL MSA)
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194,843 (US: 229th) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
33900-33999
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| Area code | 941 |
| FIPS code | 12-58350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0289233 |
Port Charlotte is a community in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. It's a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a special area defined for collecting population data, but it's not an official city. In 2020, about 60,625 people lived here. This was more than the 54,392 people counted in 2010. Port Charlotte is part of a larger area called the Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 2012, U.S. News & World Report magazine named Port Charlotte one of the "10 Best Places to Retire" in the United States.
Contents
History of Port Charlotte
Early Settlers and Development
The Calusa people were the first to live around the Port Charlotte area. In 1819, Florida became a part of the United States, and in 1845, it became the 27th state. For about 100 years after Florida became a state, the Port Charlotte area remained mostly undeveloped. Early maps from the 1900s show that major roads and railroads didn't go through this area. It was mostly used for cattle farms and a little bit of agriculture.
Things began to change after World War II. Many people became interested in developing land in Florida. In the 1950s, a company called General Development Corporation (GDC) decided to build new communities along Florida's coasts. Port Charlotte was one of the areas they planned and developed. Even though it grew very large, Port Charlotte stayed an "unincorporated community." This means it's governed by the county, not its own city government.
Major Hurricanes and Their Impact
Port Charlotte has been hit by strong hurricanes.
- Hurricane Charley (2004): On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley hit Port Charlotte very hard. The hurricane was expected to hit Tampa as a weaker storm. But at the last minute, it changed direction and became a very strong Category 4 hurricane. It made landfall near Charlotte Harbor. Charley caused a lot of damage in nearby Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. Its winds reached 145 miles per hour (233 km/h). Almost half of the homes in the county were destroyed. It also harmed the natural wetlands in the area.
- Hurricane Ian (2022): Just over 18 years later, on September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian also severely impacted Port Charlotte. Ian was another Category 4 storm. It made landfall at Cayo Costa State Park and then moved northeast into Charlotte Harbor. The southeastern part of Port Charlotte was directly in the eye of the storm. Ian caused widespread damage, mostly from strong winds. A local weather station reported winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h) and a gust of 132 miles per hour (212 km/h) in Port Charlotte.
Geography and Climate
Location and Area
Port Charlotte is located at the northern end of the Charlotte Harbor Estuary. It is northwest of the city of Punta Gorda. Port Charlotte is about 100 miles (161 km) south of Tampa. It is also about 65 miles (105 km) north of Naples.
The total area of Port Charlotte is about 32.3 square miles (83.7 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 28.5 square miles (73.6 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 3.9 square miles (10.1 square kilometers), is water.
Weather Patterns
Port Charlotte has a warm climate. It's mostly a humid subtropical climate, which means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. It's also close to a tropical wet and dry climate.
Summers in Port Charlotte are long, hot, and very humid. There are often thunderstorms in the afternoons. Winters are mild to warm, and there is much less rain. Throughout the year, the temperature usually changes by about 20 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius) between day and night.
| Climate data for Port Charlotte, Florida | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) |
92 (33) |
93 (34) |
94 (34) |
98 (37) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
95 (35) |
94 (34) |
93 (34) |
89 (32) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 75 (24) |
77 (25) |
80 (27) |
84 (29) |
89 (32) |
92 (33) |
92 (33) |
92 (33) |
91 (33) |
87 (31) |
81 (27) |
76 (24) |
85 (29) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 52 (11) |
54 (12) |
57 (14) |
61 (16) |
66 (19) |
72 (22) |
74 (23) |
74 (23) |
73 (23) |
67 (19) |
60 (16) |
54 (12) |
64 (18) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 23 (−5) |
27 (−3) |
29 (−2) |
38 (3) |
49 (9) |
57 (14) |
63 (17) |
65 (18) |
61 (16) |
45 (7) |
28 (−2) |
25 (−4) |
23 (−5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.21 (56) |
2.31 (59) |
2.71 (69) |
1.70 (43) |
3.15 (80) |
8.45 (215) |
7.78 (198) |
7.82 (199) |
6.75 (171) |
3.12 (79) |
1.87 (47) |
1.77 (45) |
49.64 (1,261) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Port Charlotte | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 10.5 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 13.5 | 14.0 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 11.5 | 11.0 | 10.5 | 12.2 |
| Source: Weather Atlas | |||||||||||||
Murdock Area
A part of northwestern Port Charlotte is also known as Murdock. This area is where State Road 776 crosses US 41.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 3,197 | — | |
| 1970 | 10,789 | 237.5% | |
| 1980 | 25,770 | 138.9% | |
| 1990 | 41,535 | 61.2% | |
| 2000 | 46,451 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 54,392 | 17.1% | |
| 2020 | 60,625 | 11.5% | |
| source: | |||
Census Information (2010 and 2020)
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 42,903 | 44,474 | 78.88% | 73.36% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 4,753 | 4,847 | 8.00% | 8.00% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 130 | 129 | 0.24% | 0.21% |
| Asian (NH) | 838 | 1,140 | 1.54% | 1.88% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 26 | 33 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Some other race (NH) | 86 | 333 | 0.16% | 0.55% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 943 | 2,660 | 1.73% | 4.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,713 | 7,009 | 8.66% | 11.56% |
| Total | 54,392 | 60,625 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2020, there were 60,625 people living in Port Charlotte. There were 25,925 households and 16,077 families.
As of July 2015, the average family income in Port Charlotte was about $48,911 per year. The average household income was about $40,049. The average income per person was $22,681. The unemployment rate in Port Charlotte was 5.50%, which was a bit lower than the national average of 6.30% at that time.
Sports and Recreation
Port Charlotte has been a home for sports teams. The Charlotte Stone Crabs baseball team used to play here. They were part of the Florida State League and were connected to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. The Rays also used Charlotte Sports Park for their spring training until 2020. They still have a team for younger players, called the Florida Complex League team, which started playing in 2009.
Port Charlotte also hosted a professional golf tournament in 1969. It was called the Port Charlotte Invitational and was part of the LPGA Tour. Famous golfer Kathy Whitworth won the event.
Education in Port Charlotte
Public and Private Schools
Public schools in Port Charlotte are managed by Charlotte County Public Schools. In the 2007-08 school year, all schools in Port Charlotte received top grades from the Florida Department of Education.
Port Charlotte High School is the main public high school in Port Charlotte. However, some students living in Port Charlotte might go to Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda. Students also have other choices, like attending Charlotte Virtual School, a charter school, or a special needs school.
There are also many private schools in Port Charlotte. These include Family Christian Academy, Charlotte Preparatory School, Genesis Christian School, Joyful Noise Learning Center, Port Charlotte Adventist School, Port Charlotte Christian School, and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School.
Higher Education Facilities
Port Charlotte has a few places for higher education. These include Charlotte Technical College, the Port Charlotte campus of Southern Technical College, and Southwest Florida Bible Institute.
Libraries in Port Charlotte
Port Charlotte has two libraries: the Mid-County Regional Library and the Port Charlotte Library. Both are part of the Charlotte County Library System.
Library History and Updates
- 1961: The Port Charlotte Library first opened.
- 1963: The libraries in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and Englewood joined together to create the Charlotte County System.
- 1968: The Port Charlotte Library moved to its current location at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County.
- 1985: The Murdock Library was opened and became the main office for the library system.
- 1996: The Charlotte County Library System started using a computer system for checking out books.
- 2005: The Murdock Public Library moved into the new Mid-County Regional Library building.
- 2022: Both the Mid-County Regional Library and the Port Charlotte Public Library were damaged by Hurricane Ian. They had to close for a while. The Port Charlotte Library reopened in November 2022. The Mid-County Regional Library is still being repaired. During this time, the open library extended its hours, and people could pick up reserved books at the Centennial Park Recreation Center.
Notable People from Port Charlotte
Many interesting people have lived in or come from Port Charlotte:
- Patricia Barringer (1924–2007) – A baseball player in the AAGPBL.
- Jeff Corsaletti (born 1983) – A Minor League Baseball player.
- Vinnie Fiorello (born 1974) – The drummer and lyricist for the band Less Than Jake. He also helped start Fueled By Ramen, a record label.
- John Hall (born 1974) – A player in the NFL.
- Vincent Hancock (born 1989) – An Olympic skeet shooter and champion.
- Anthony Hargrove (born 1983) – An NFL player.
- David Holmberg (born 1991) – A MLB player.
- Matt LaPorta (born 1985) – An MLB player.
- Asher Levine (born 1988) – A fashion designer who went to Port Charlotte High School.
- Barbara Liebrich (1922–2006) – A baseball player in the AAGPBL.
- T. J. Luther (born 2000) – An NFL player.
- Walter Minx (1917–2009) – A bomb-maker and former NASCAR driver.
- Thomas C. Peebles (1921–2010) – A doctor who discovered the measles virus.
- Josh Williams (born 1993) – A NASCAR and ARCA race car driver.
See also
In Spanish: Port Charlotte (Florida) para niños
