About Clearwater

Demographics

Current City Permanent Resident Population: Approx. 110,169

City of Clearwater Demographic Profile - 2000 US Census Results

INTRODUCTION

The City of Clearwater, located in the Pinellas peninsula midway on Florida's West Coast, boasts beautiful, white, sandy beaches on the Gulf of México, abundant, pleasant weather, and numerous entertainment activities, all of which attract a diversity of economic activity. The City of Clearwater, officially chartered as a municipality on May 15, 1915, functions under a Council-Manager form of government. Citizens elect a Mayor and four Councilmembers at-large who in turn appoint a City Manager to serve as the Chief Executive and Operating Officer responsible for the daily municipal operations including Administration, Police, Fire, Public Works, Libraries, Parks & Recreation, Human Resources, Solid Waste/Recycling, and Utilities. Clearwater's natural assets and diverse quality of life activities have directly led to continued economic, social, and demographic growth. The following narrative provides a summary of demographic changes that occurred primarily during the 1990's that have helped shape and develop the current and future profile of a changing community.

CENSUS DATA AND ANALYSIS

Clearwater's population continues to grow from the original 343 in 1900 to approximately 110,000, in addition to about 20,000 winter residents each year. The 1990 United States Census counted 98,784 residents in Clearwater. Per the 2000 Census, Clearwater's population increased 10% to 108,787, detailed in the following table 1:

NOTES: *Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race (and are included in the 6 race categories listed above).

• The US Census Bureau uses the terms Hispanic/Latino interchangeably. Both terms are generally understood to represent all Spanish-speaking peoples with Latino referencing peoples of the geographic area of Latin America. The US Office of Management & Budget defines a Hispanic/Latino as "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race." Normally, the more common term is "of Hispanic Origin."
• The 2000 Census asked every individual to check no or yes to the question, "Is this person Spanish/Hispanic/Latino?"
• Meetings and interaction with community Hispanic groups and social service agencies clarified that the actual Hispanic population on April 1, 2000, is approximately 50% higher, around 15,000, with individuals of Mexican origin comprising the majority of the census population undercount.

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTS

Clearwater's Total Population Growth of 10,003:

1. Represented a 10.13% increase over the 1990 Census.
2. Continued a trend of at least a 10% population increase in every decennial Census since the 1950 Census, subsequently classifying Clearwater as a "Boomburb" (one of 53 nationwide, only 4 in Florida), defined as an incorporated city with at least a 100,000 population that is not the largest city in its metropolitan area, and has experienced at least a 10% growth since 1950.
3. Hispanics (counted in the 6 race categories) comprised 69%, 6,868. Of the 6,868 Hispanics, 4,771 (69%) identified themselves as Mexican (which also represented 48% of the City’s total population growth of 10,003).
4. Whites comprised the second largest demographic increase at 32% (3,177); Other 21% (2,084), followed by those who identified themselves as part of 2 or more races 20% (2,010).
5. Black or African American comprised 18% (1,788), Asian 8% (763), American Indian & Alaskan Native 106 (1%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 75 (0.75%).

Other interesting facts about Clearwater's total 2000 US Census Population of 108,787:

1. Out of all US cities with a population of at least 100,000, Clearwater has the highest median age at 41.8, even though Clearwater experienced a decrease in median age from 42.2 in 1990.
2. In 1990, adults 60 years of age and up represented 31% (31,073) of Clearwater's population, while those from 0-59 represented 69%. These numbers changed in 2000 to 26% (28,416) for adults 60 years of age and up, and to 74% for the 0-59 ages. The specific category of adults 85 and up increased by 11% (from 3,506 in 1990 to 3,877 in 2000).
3. The median age nationwide for Hispanics is 25.8, compared to 35.3 for the total US population, 27.7 for White Non-Hispanic, 30.2 for Black or African American, 32.7 for Asian, and 27.5 for Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. This helps explain how Clearwater’s Hispanic growth throughout the 1990’s combined with a decreasing population for ages 60 and up helped to lower Clearwater's median age, although not significantly, while still helping Clearwater remain the City with the highest median age.

CONCLUSION

Looking ahead, our demographics continue to show a Hispanic population increase. Our Hispanic communities will continue to develop and shape our country's economic, social, and governmental arenas especially as business and government continue to reach for the Hispanic market. The City of Clearwater will continue our mission and our goals to provide municipal services to all our residents. Our future will incorporate efforts to recruit bi-lingual employees and continue to educate our employees, residents, businesses, and visitors on the remarkable diversity that is Clearwater, Florida. Perhaps in the future we may have the need for services in still other languages.

SOURCES: United States Commerce Department, Census Bureau, 1990 and 2000. City of Clearwater, 2002 Budget, 2000-2002 Hispanic/Latino Council. Robin I. Gómez, Personal accounts, testimonies, and community interaction.

• View additional demographic data



• Review the City of Clearwater's 2000 Census Information on the US Census Bureau Web site



• Review Pinellas County's 2000 Census Information on the US Census Bureau Web site



• Review the State of Florida's 2000 Census Information (US Census Bureau Web site)