Riviera Beach, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riviera Beach, Florida
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| City of Riviera Beach | ||
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| Nickname(s):
Conchtown
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| Motto(s):
"Best Waterfront City"
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Location of Riviera Beach in Palm Beach County, Florida
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County |  Palm Beach |
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| Settled (Lake Worth Settlement) | c. Early 1860s–1880 | |
| Settled (Oak Lawn Settlement) | c. 1881–1892 | |
| Platted (Riviera Settlement) | c. 1893–1921 | |
| Incorporated (Town of Riviera) | September 29, 1922 | |
| Incorporated (Town of Riviera Beach) | 1941 | |
| Incorporated (City of Riviera Beach) | 1959 | |
| Named for | French Riviera | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 9.66 sq mi (25.01 km2) | |
| • Land | 8.28 sq mi (21.44 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.38 sq mi (3.57 km2) | |
| Elevation | 16 ft (5 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 37,604 | |
| • Density | 3,892.8/sq mi (1,503.6/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC– 05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC– 04:00 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
33403, 33404, 33407, 33410, 33418
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| Area code(s) | 561, 728 | |
| FIPS code | 12-60975 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404626 | |
| Website | https://www.rivierabch.com | |
Riviera Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, which was incorporated on September 29, 1922. Due to the location of its eastern boundary, it is also the easternmost municipality in the Miami metropolitan area. In the 2020 U.S. Census, the total population of Riviera Beach residents was 37,604 people.
Riviera Beach is predominantly an African-American city and it is on the list of U.S. cities with African American majority populations. It is home to the Port of Palm Beach and a United States Coast Guard station, and has its own marina. Riviera Beach is home to Blue Heron Bridge, one of the country's top-rated beach dive sites. In 2015, Riviera Beach renamed part of Old Dixie Highway that runs inside the city limits as President Barack Obama Highway. The city is also home to Rapids Water Park, a water park attraction for both tourists and residents.
Contents
History
Riviera Beach was originally called Oak Lawn, but the settlement was renamed Riviera in 1893. It wasn't until 1941 that "Beach" was added, though it was incorporated in 1922 as only the "Town of Riviera". In 1959, it converted from a "town" status to the present-day "City of Riviera Beach". For the first half of the 20th century, its nickname was "Conchtown", after the many Conch people (Bahamians and Bahamian Americans) who resided in the city. The city was named after the French Riviera.
Geography
The approximate coordinates for the City of Riviera Beach is located in the northeast central part of Palm Beach County at 26°46′48″N 80°4′2″W / 26.78000°N 80.06722°W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25 km2), of which 8.3 square miles (21 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (15.33%) is water. The eastern part of the city includes most of Singer Island, a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of Palm Beach County, Florida, which is separated from the mainland portion of the city by Lake Worth's Lake Worth Lagoon.
Climate
Riviera Beach has a tropical climate, more specifically a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af), as its driest month (February) averages 64.8mm of precipitation, meeting the minimum standard of 60mm in the driest month needed to qualify for that designation. Much of the year is warm to hot in Riviera Beach, and frost is extremely rare. As is typical in South Florida, there are two basic seasons in Riviera Beach, a mild and dry winter (November through April), and a hot and wet summer (May through October). Daily thundershowers are common in the hot season, though they are brief. The city of Riviera Beach is home to many varieties of tropical vegetation, which can be seen in its variety of plants, trees, and flowers all over South Florida and the city itself.
| Climate data for Riviera Beach, Florida | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 75 (24) |
77 (25) |
79 (26) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
89 (32) |
90 (32) |
90 (32) |
88 (31) |
85 (29) |
80 (27) |
76 (24) |
83 (28) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 57 (14) |
59 (15) |
62 (17) |
66 (19) |
71 (22) |
74 (23) |
76 (24) |
76 (24) |
75 (24) |
72 (22) |
66 (19) |
60 (16) |
68 (20) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.13 (80) |
2.94 (75) |
4.59 (117) |
3.66 (93) |
4.51 (115) |
8.30 (211) |
5.76 (146) |
7.95 (202) |
8.35 (212) |
5.13 (130) |
4.75 (121) |
3.38 (86) |
62.45 (1,588) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 811 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,981 | 144.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,065 | 105.2% | |
| 1960 | 13,046 | 220.9% | |
| 1970 | 21,401 | 64.0% | |
| 1980 | 26,489 | 23.8% | |
| 1990 | 27,639 | 4.3% | |
| 2000 | 29,884 | 8.1% | |
| 2010 | 32,488 | 8.7% | |
| 2020 | 37,604 | 15.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 7,440 | 8,302 | 22.90% | 22.08% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 21,126 | 22,877 | 65.03% | 60.84% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 76 | 45 | 0.23% | 0.12% |
| Asian (NH) | 765 | 1,087 | 2.35% | 2.89% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 18 | 7 | 0.06% | 0.02% |
| Some other race (NH) | 98 | 164 | 0.30% | 0.44% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 547 | 1,082 | 1.68% | 2.88% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,418 | 4,040 | 7.44% | 10.74% |
| Total | 32,488 | 37,604 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 37,604 people, 12,045 households, and 7,425 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 32,488 people, 12,015 households, and 7,710 families residing in the city.
Education
Public Elementary Schools
- Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School (formerly Lincoln High School was only for black students during segregation, and before that it was a called West Riviera Junior High School)
- Washington Elementary School
- West Riviera Elementary School
Public Middle School
- John F Kennedy Middle School (originally John F. Kennedy High School was only for black students during segregation)
Public High Schools
- Inlet Grove High School
- Suncoast High School (originally Riviera Beach High School was only for white students during segregation)
Charter High School
- Riviera Beach Preparatory and Achievement Academy (Grades 5–12)
Transportation
Riviera Beach is served by several bus routes operated by PalmTran.
Business and economy
- EDF Incorporated (1978)
Notable people
- Anthony Carter (born 1960) – Michigan and NFL wide receiver, 3× Pro Bowl selection
- Paul DeJong (born 1993) - MLB infielder for the San Francisco Giants.
- Devin Hester (born 1982) – NFL record-holding kick returner for Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons, member of National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- Elizabeth Jacobson (1984–2005) – USAF airman, killed in Iraq War
- Richard Rellford (born 1964) – professional basketball player
- Burt Reynolds (1936–2018) – actor, moved to Riviera Beach in 1946 at the age of 10; his father, a police officer, was once the Riviera Beach Chief of Police
- Willie Young (born 1985) – NFL defensive end
See also
In Spanish: Riviera Beach para niños
