Mexico Beach, Florida

Mexico Beach, Florida
City
US 98 through Mexico Beach in January 2018

Location within Bay County and Florida
Coordinates: 29°56′29″N 85°24′23″W / 29.94139°N 85.40639°W / 29.94139; -85.40639Coordinates: 29°56′29″N 85°24′23″W / 29.94139°N 85.40639°W / 29.94139; -85.40639
Country  United States
State  Florida
County Bay
Incorporated (city) 1967[1]
Government
 • Mayor Al Cathey
Area[2]
 • Total 1.83 sq mi (4.73 km2)
 • Land 1.77 sq mi (4.60 km2)
 • Water 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation 13 ft (4 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,072
 • Estimate (2016)[3] 1,190
 • Density 590/sq mi (230/km2)
Time zone UTC−06:00 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP Code 32410
Area code(s) 850
FIPS code 12-44300[4]
GNIS ID 0286747[5]
Website mexicobeachgov.com

Mexico Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,072 at the 2010 census.[6] It is part of the Panama City–Lynn Haven area. The community was extensively damaged by Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018; "wiped out" according to FEMA.[7]

History

Mexico Beach was incorporated in 1966.[8]

Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach on October 10, 2018, just before 1 p.m. local time with maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (249 km/h), just 2 miles per hour (3.2 km/h) short of Category 5 intensity. The Category 4 hurricane made history as the third strongest (by pressure) and fourth strongest (by wind speed) landfalling storm in the continental United States.[9] The storm caused extensive damage to the community, and to the nearby Tyndall Air Force Base. Many homes were totally destroyed. Brock Long, the FEMA administrator, told CNN that Mexico Beach was "wiped out" and referred to the community as "ground zero".[10] The hurricane’s eye-wall passed directly overhead, severely damaging nearly every building and leaving many a complete loss. The elementary school and city hall were among the buildings devastated;[11] the pier washed away, and the water tower was knocked down.

A report by the State indicated that roughly 285 people in Mexico Beach had declined to evacuate the area, although some of those may have left before the peak of the storm. The death toll had not be determined as of October 12, but Brock Long of FEMA was not optimistic: "Very few people live to tell what it's like to experience storm surge, and unfortunately in this country we seem to not learn the lesson".[12] At that time, Mayor Al Cathey told residents it might be months before electricity, water, and plumbing are restored.[13]

Geography

Mexico Beach waterfront in 2013.

Mexico Beach is located at 29°56′29″N 85°24′23″W / 29.941336°N 85.406361°W / 29.941336; -85.406361.[14] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), of which 1.8 square miles (4.6 km2) is land, and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 2.84%, is water.[15]

Mexico Beach is located in the Florida Panhandle.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1970588—
19806327.5%
199099257.0%
20001,0172.5%
20101,0725.4%
Est. 20161,190[3]11.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]
Sunset over Mexico Beach pier from the dunes

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 1,072 people, 563 households, and 320 families residing in the city. The population density was 595.6 inhabitants per square mile (233.0/km²). There were 1,852 housing units at an average density of 1,028.9 per square mile (402.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.1% White, 1.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.8% some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.[6]

There were 563 households out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were headed by married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90, and the average family size was 2.43.[6]

In the city, the population was spread out with 11.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 16.7% from 25 to 44, 35.5% from 45 to 64, and 31.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.[6]

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $31,950, and the median income for a family was $40,163. Males had a median income of $30,278 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,871. About 8.1% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Mexico Beach is served by Gulf County Schools, not the Bay District Schools.[17][18][19]

References

  1. ↑ City of Mexico Beach, archive of City Minutes
  2. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 7, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Mexico Beach city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Mexico Beach Is 'Wiped Out' by Hurricane Michael as Other Florida Cities Are Smashed". WNEP. October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ Friend, Sandra; Wolf, Kathy (4 June 2012). Explorer's Guide North Florida & the Florida Panhandle: Includes St. Augustine, Panama City, Pensacola, and Jacksonville (Second Edition). Countryman Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-58157-791-4.
  9. ↑ "Category 4 Hurricane Michael's Landfall". Accuweather. October 10, 2018.
  10. ↑ Jenni Fink (October 11, 2018). "Hurricane Michael Damage, Destruction: Where is Mexico Beach, Florida, What's Its Future?". Newsweek. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Official: Searchers find bodies in hurricane-stricken town". WHEC-TV NEWS 10 NBC. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  12. ↑ News Observer- Associated Press. October 12, 2018 Searchers find bodies in hurricane-stricken town https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article219905840.htmltitle=Official: Searchers find bodies in hurricane-stricken town Check |url= value (help). Retrieved October 14, 2018. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ Patricia Sullivan; Emily Wax-Thibodeaux; Annie Gowen (October 12, 2018). "'Monster' nearly obliterates a tiny Florida beach town". Washington Post. Retrieved October 13, 2018 – via San Francisco Chronicle.
  14. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  15. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mexico Beach city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Bay District Schools High School Attendance Zones Archived 2009-02-27 at the Wayback Machine.." Bay District Schools. Accessed October 10, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Bay District Schools Middle School Attendance Zones Archived 2009-02-27 at the Wayback Machine.." Bay District Schools. Accessed October 10, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Bay District Schools Elementary School Attendance Zones Archived 2008-10-31 at the Wayback Machine.." Bay District Schools. Accessed October 10, 2008.
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