Satellite Beach, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Satellite Beach, Florida
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| City of Satellite Beach | ||
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Location in Brevard County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County |  Brevard |
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| Incorporated | 1957 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.29 sq mi (11.10 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.92 sq mi (7.56 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.37 sq mi (3.54 km2) | |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,226 | |
| • Density | 3,843.20/sq mi (1,484.02/km2) | |
| • | 11,056 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
32937
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| Area code(s) | 321 | |
| FIPS code | 12-64400 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0290694 | |
Satellite Beach is a city on the coast in Brevard County, Florida, USA. In 2020, about 11,226 people lived there. The city is special because it has the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Banana River to its west. Satellite Beach is part of a larger area that includes Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville, Florida.
Contents
Exploring Satellite Beach's Location
Satellite Beach is located at 28°10′24″N 80°35′48″W. The city covers a total area of about 11.1 square kilometers (4.29 square miles). Most of this area is land, but about 3.5 square kilometers (1.37 square miles) is water.
The Atlantic Ocean is on its eastern side, and the Indian River is on its western side. The city is built on a barrier island, which is a long, narrow island that protects the mainland from ocean storms. Satellite Beach is the biggest beachside community in South Brevard County. It has about 7.7 miles of shoreline. This includes 2.8 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach, 1.3 miles along the Banana River, and 3.6 miles along canals connected to the Banana River.
Satellite Beach Weather
Satellite Beach is in a unique spot where tropical and cooler weather zones meet. This means it gets a mix of climates. Studies show that this part of Florida's coast has fewer strong hurricanes. Temperatures can range from a chilly 24°F (minus 4°C) in winter to a hot 99°F (37°C) in summer.
| Climate data for Satellite Beach (Patrick Air Force Base, 1945-2015) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 86 (30) |
88 (31) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
96 (36) |
98 (37) |
99 (37) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
93 (34) |
90 (32) |
86 (30) |
99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 69 (21) |
70 (21) |
74 (23) |
78 (26) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
87 (31) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
82 (28) |
76 (24) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 56 (13) |
57 (14) |
62 (17) |
67 (19) |
72 (22) |
75 (24) |
77 (25) |
77 (25) |
77 (25) |
73 (23) |
65 (18) |
59 (15) |
68 (20) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 25 (−4) |
32 (0) |
29 (−2) |
46 (8) |
53 (12) |
66 (19) |
67 (19) |
68 (20) |
57 (14) |
49 (9) |
33 (1) |
24 (−4) |
24 (−4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.29 (33) |
1.62 (41) |
1.53 (39) |
1.60 (41) |
2.34 (59) |
4.87 (124) |
4.46 (113) |
3.89 (99) |
5.16 (131) |
2.89 (73) |
1.90 (48) |
1.61 (41) |
33.16 (842) |
| Source: Weather Underground | |||||||||||||
Wildlife and Animal Life
Satellite Beach is home to many amazing animals.
- Sea Turtles: Many loggerhead sea turtles, which are a threatened species, make their nests on the city's beaches. You can find about one nest every 10 feet of shoreline each year. Endangered green sea turtles also lay many nests here.
- Whales: Endangered North Atlantic right whales give birth to their babies off the coast.
- Manatees: Endangered West Indian manatees often visit the city's canals and the Banana River.
- Birds: Bald eagles hunt for food over Samsons Island.
Samsons Island Nature Park is a special place for wildlife. It's a 12-acre wetland that helps fish and many birds and mammals. It's also the only place on the barrier island where gopher tortoises are moved to for safety. The city has put up five nesting platforms for osprey, and young birds have successfully hatched there. Efforts are also being made to create homes for gopher tortoises and scrub jays.
Plants and Plant Life
Because of the water around it, Satellite Beach has a unique climate that allows tropical plants to grow, even though it's quite far north for them. It's also the southern limit for many plants that like cooler weather. This mix creates special habitats with both tropical and temperate plant species. Some plants found here are even unique to this local area.
Along the beaches, you'll find vegetated sand dunes. These dunes are very important because they protect the land from storms. Native plants like sea oats, Sabal palmetto, sea grape, and railroad vine grow on these dunes. These plants help build the dunes by trapping sand blown by the wind and keep them stable with their strong roots.
Rocks and Land Features
Along the ocean beach, you can often see about 10 acres of coquina rock. This type of rock is important for aquatic life and is only found in a few places along the Eastern United States.
You can also find fossilized Atlantic ghost crabs on the city's ocean beach. These are ancient crabs that were preserved in their burrows about 110,000 years ago.
Satellite Beach History
In 1994, Satellite Beach won the first Florida Excellence in Coastal Management Award for its efforts in managing its coast.
The city has a strong volunteer spirit, with people giving over 10,000 hours each year to help youth and public service programs.
In 2010, the city started planning for how to deal with rising sea levels caused by global warming. In 2011, Satellite Beach became one of the first places in the U.S. to put solar panels on its city buildings.
In 2013, the city announced a big project to restore its beaches and dunes, which were damaged by hurricanes in 2004. This project is supported by Brevard County and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
On December 4, 2013, the city celebrated the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah with a parade. It featured 100 vehicles with Menorahs, a Menorah lighting, free food like Latkes, and live entertainment.
The annual Ocean, Reef and Beach Festival is a popular event. The Banana River Sail and Power Squadron also hosts a Holiday Boat Parade where decorated boats travel along the Grand Canal.
In late 2013, the city planned to build a beachside trail for walking, jogging, and cycling. This trail would connect to a larger 40-mile "A1A Urban Trail." The Public Works Department also planned to improve walkways, add decorative crosswalks, new showers, bike racks, and a new park in early 2014.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 825 | — | |
| 1970 | 6,558 | 694.9% | |
| 1980 | 9,163 | 39.7% | |
| 1990 | 9,889 | 7.9% | |
| 2000 | 9,577 | −3.2% | |
| 2010 | 10,109 | 5.6% | |
| 2020 | 11,226 | 11.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Satellite Beach?
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 8,943 | 9,199 | 88.47% | 81.94% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 187 | 197 | 1.85% | 1.75% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 21 | 21 | 0.21% | 0.19% |
| Asian (NH) | 173 | 243 | 1.71% | 2.16% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 5 | 16 | 0.05% | 0.14% |
| Some other race (NH) | 25 | 74 | 0.25% | 0.66% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 168 | 605 | 1.95% | 5.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 587 | 871 | 5.81% | 7.76% |
| Total | 10,109 | 11,226 |
In 2020, there were 11,226 people living in Satellite Beach. The average age was 42.2 years old. About 24.7% of the people were under 18 years old.
The most common backgrounds (ancestries) in 2020 included Irish, Italian, German, and English.
Schools in Satellite Beach
The city has several schools for students:
- Public Schools (Brevard Public Schools):
- DeLaura Middle School
- Satellite High School
- Holland Elementary
- Surfside Elementary
- Seapark Elementary
- Private Schools:
- Chabad Hebrew School
- Coastal Community School
- Torah Academy Preschool
Fun and Recreation
Satellite Beach offers many parks and places for fun activities. However, the nearby lagoon has had problems with algae blooms recently.
Hightower Beach Park was updated in 2013. This 15-acre park has natural sand dunes and a boardwalk along the coast. It's a popular spot for surfers.
RC's Beach and Buccaneer Beach are also used for surfing.
The David R. Schechter Community Center is a place where people can gather for events, classes, and other activities.
Pelican Beach Park was updated in 2007. In the summer, the Sea Turtle Preservation Society gives tours about sea turtles there.
The DeSoto Recreation Complex has eight tennis courts and two racquetball courts.
Samsons Island is a 52-acre park that can only be reached by boat. Volunteers have worked since 1991 to improve it. You can find butterflies, gopher tortoises, armadillos, squirrels, and snakes there. Over 30 types of birds also live on the island. It has trails for biking and hiking, camping areas, and picnic spots.
The Satellite Beach Sports and Recreation Park is 35 acres. It has a walking trail, a skate park, a dog park, frisbee fields, soccer fields, and volleyball courts.
Gemini Beach Park is a 2-acre park with dunes, sea turtles, and many birds.
City Library
The Satellite Beach Public Library first opened on April 17, 1966. It started with a budget of $50,000 and a volunteer staff. As the area grew, the library needed more space.
In 1991, a new, much larger library building was completed. It opened on September 23, 1991. The new library was 19,000 square feet, much bigger than the old 6,500 square foot building.
At that time, the library had over 63,000 books, plus recordings, cassettes, and video tapes. The new building offered a community meeting room, special areas for children and young adults, study rooms, and public typewriters.
Roads and Waterways
Travelocity.com called route A1A the "Best Driving Route" in Florida. This road runs close to the ocean. Another main road, South Patrick Drive, runs parallel to A1A and is close to the Banana River.
The Florida Department of Transportation helps maintain these roads.
SR A1A – This is the main road through Satellite Beach, running north and south.
SR 513 – Known locally as South Patrick Drive, this road runs parallel to SR A1A.
Canals
Several canals connect the city to the Indian River Lagoon. These include The Grand Canal, the canal next to Desoto Parkway, and the Anchor Drive Canal.
Beach 'Nourishment'
Every few years, the county adds large amounts of sand to the beach. This is called "beach nourishment." The goal is to protect buildings on the land. However, some groups, like the Surfrider Foundation, are against it because it can bury a natural reef along the shore. Some residents also think it's wasteful and harms the beach's natural quality.
Famous People from Satellite Beach
Many notable people have lived in or are from Satellite Beach:
- Buzz Aldrin: An Apollo 11 astronaut.
- John Antoon: A United States District Court judge.
- Ashlyn Harris: A goalkeeper for the US Women's National Soccer Team.
- C. J. Hobgood and Damien Hobgood: Professional surfers.
- Kelly Kretschman: A gold medalist on the USA Women's Softball Team.
- Nicholas Lindheim: A professional golfer.
- Ryan Ludwick: A former left fielder for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
- Aprilynne Pike: A #1 New York Times bestselling author.
- Thomas P. Stafford: An Apollo 10 astronaut.
- Tim Wakefield: A famous MLB Pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox.
- Leonard Weaver: A former fullback for the Philadelphia Eagles, who played football at Satellite High School.
See also
In Spanish: Satellite Beach para niños
