Jupiter, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jupiter, Florida
Town
Jupiter Inlet
Location of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida
Jupiter, Florida Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Palm Beach
Incorporated	February 9, 1925
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	23.12 sq mi (59.89 km2)
• Land	21.63 sq mi (56.02 km2)
• Water	1.50 sq mi (3.87 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	61,047
• Density	2,822.59/sq mi (1,089.80/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33410, 33418, 33458, 33468, 33469, 33477, 33478
Area code(s)	561
FIPS code	12-35875
GNIS feature ID	0285000

Jupiter is the northernmost town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the town had a population of 61,047 as of April 1, 2020. It is 87 miles north of Miami, and the northernmost community in the Miami metropolitan area, home to 6,012,331 people in a 2015 Census Bureau estimate. Jupiter was rated as the 12th Best Beach Town in the United States by WalletHub in 2018, and as the 9th Happiest Seaside Town in the United States by Coastal Living in 2012.

History

The area where the town now sits was originally named for the Hobe Indian tribe which lived at the mouth of the Loxahatchee River, and whose name is also preserved in the name of nearby Hobe Sound. A mapmaker misunderstood the Spanish spelling "Jobe" of the Indian name "Hobe" and recorded it as "Jove". Subsequent mapmakers further misunderstood this to be the Latin translation of the god Jupiter, and they anglicized the name from Jove to "Jupiter". The Roman god Jupiter (or Zeus in the Greek mythology) is the chief Roman god, and god of light, of the sky and weather, and of the state and its welfare and its laws. Jupiter's consort was Juno, inspiring a neighboring town to name itself "Juno Beach".

The most notable landmark is the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, completed in 1860. Made of brick, it was painted red in 1910 to cover discoloration caused by humidity. Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 sandblasted the paint from the upper portion of the tower, and the tower was repainted using a potassium silicate mineral coating. The lighthouse is often used as the symbol for Jupiter.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.1 square miles (55 km²), of which 20.0 square miles (52 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) is water.

Jupiter has a Tropical savanna climate. Much of the year is warm to hot in Jupiter, and frost is very rare. As is typical in Florida, there are two basic seasons in Jupiter, 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 Jupiter is home to many tropical and subtropical plants and trees, and the city is known for its lush landscaping around private homes and public parks.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 61,047 people, 26,959 households, and 17,275 families residing in the town.

As of 2010, there were 29,825 households, out of which 19.8% were vacant. In 2000, 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.15

In 2000, the town's population consisted of 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

In 2017, the median income for a household in the town was $76,687, and the median income for a family was $71,233. Males had a median income of $44,883 versus $33,514 for females. The per capita income for the town was $48,563. 4.8% of the population and 3.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

As of 2000, those who spoke only English at home accounted for 88.5% of all residents, while those who reported speaking Spanish were 7.2%, and Italian 1.7% of the population.

Points of interest

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

• Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.
• Jupiter is the home to the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals spring training facilities as well as one of their respective Class A Minor League Baseball affiliates, the Jupiter Hammerheads and Palm Beach Cardinals. They share the use of the Roger Dean Stadium complex, located in Abacoa. Both minor league squads compete in the Florida State League.
• William P. Gwinn Airport is located in Jupiter.
• Jupiter is home to Florida Atlantic University's MacArthur Campus. This northern campus of FAU is also the location of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
• Palm Beach International Raceway a racing facility built in 1965, and was remodeled in 2008 in an attempt to obtain a FIA Grade II Certification. The Facility currently host several IHRA and NHRA sportsman events as well as an ARCA Remax Series Event.
• The Scripps Research Institute has opened a satellite campus adjacent to the MacArthur Campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter. Approximately 360 scientists and technical staff operate in a 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m²) state of the art research facility. Scripps Florida focuses on the development of therapeutic opportunities in several disease areas.
• The Max Planck Society has also opened a facility on the FAU campus, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and is the Max Planck Society's first non-European research institute.
• Jupiter beaches are what draws many residents and visitors many of which are dog friendly.
• LORAN-C transmitter Jupiter
• Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a non-profit, educational based care facility for injured wild animals.
• The television program American Horror Story: Freak Show was set in Jupiter.

United States flag incident

In 1999, Jupiter resident George Andres wanted to display a United States flag in his front yard, however, the homeowners association had a bylaw prohibiting the display of a flagpole in the front lawn. Andres still displayed the flag, while the homeowners association went as far as foreclosing his home to cover legal fees after being in court at least twenty-eight times. Even after governor Jeb Bush visited his home along with members of the local and national media, the homeowners association refused to budge. Andres said, "Well, first they said that it was going to cost more to cut the grass around the pole, which is kind of funny. And then they told me that the flagpole was going to take away from the value of the property. And I said, well, then we should be able to take away all the trees around here, because they're the same as the pole. And my pole is a portable pole. And the state government says I can do it."

George Andres won and was allowed to display his flag in his front lawn with the use of a flagpole.

During the last week of July 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, allowing residents to display the flag on their residential property despite any homeowners association rules.

Economy

Companies based in Jupiter include G4S Secure Solutions, Town Sports International Holdings, and Holtec International.

Education

The School District of Palm Beach County provides public education. Jupiter is also home to several private schools and religious schools.

Jupiter's population is served by two public high schools: Jupiter Community High School in Jupiter, and William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens.

Jupiter Christian School is a private school in the town.

Universities and Colleges

Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University – John D. MacArthur campus

Notable people

• Robert Allenby, Australian professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Rick Ankiel, professional baseball player
• Briny Baird, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Daniel Berger, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Matt Bosher, professional football player
• Don Brewer, drummer, singer, original member of Grand Funk Railroad
• Tyler Cameron, Contestant on the Bachelorette
• Philip J. Corso, U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and author of The Day After Roswell
• Ernie Els, South African professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Rickie Fowler, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Hermes Franca, Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC fighter
• Drew Garrett, actor
• Brendan Grace, Irish comedian
• Rob Grill, singer, The Grass Roots
• Matt Holliday, professional baseball player
• Hugh Howey, writer
• Michael Jordan, Hall of Fame NBA basketball player, majority owner of Charlotte Hornets
• Sarah Kauss, Entrepreneur - S'well water bottles
• Brooks Koepka, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Debi Laszewski, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Daryl Logullo, business executive and Ecommerce thought leader
• Jamie Lovemark, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Shane Lowry, Irish professional golfer on PGA tour
• Will MacKenzie, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Steve Marino, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Vincent Marotta, entrepreneur, co-developer of Mr. Coffee
• Rory McIlroy, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Miles Mikolas, professional baseball player
• Jason Newsted, former bass player of Metallica
• Cody Parkey, professional football player
• Charles Nelson Reilly, actor and teacher, lived in house given to him by Burt Reynolds, who had previously lived in it with Sally Field
• Burt Reynolds, actor
• Mike Schmidt, Hall of Fame major league baseball player
• Justin Thomas, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Dara Torres, five-time Olympic swimmer and gold medalist
• Charles Vanik, former Democratic congressman from Ohio
• Richy Werenski, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Brett Wetterich, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Tiger Woods, professional golfer on the PGA Tour
• Zion Wright, Professional Skateboarder, USA Olympic Skateboard Team

Images for kids

• 

  Jupiter Municipal Building

• 

  Jupiter, FL, USA - panoramio

• 

  Jupiter Community High School

See also

In Spanish: Jupiter (Florida) para niños