Big Coppitt Key is an island in Monroe County,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, United States, in the lower Florida Keys. The name is said to be a derivation of the old English word "coppice", meaning thicket. According to A.D. Bache, in the notes for his coast survey conducted in 1861, this key was the location of Happy Jack's plantation in 1855.

Geography

Big Coppitt Key is located at (24.597677, -81.656546). U.S. 1 (the

Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Rail ...

) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 9.5-11, between East Rockland Key and the

Saddlebunch Keys The Saddlebunch Keys are a series of mangrove islands about east of Key West, Florida. The keys are scattered between Lower Sugarloaf Key and Shark Key. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. R ...

About the island

There are several businesses on Big Coppitt Key. There is also a Monroe County Fire/Rescue Station located on the island. Law enforcement services are handled by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. There are three churches located on Big Coppitt Key. The key features three parks, including one with a playground and another with a basketball court, in the avenues section. A cemetery is located at Avenue A and 4th Street. In 2005,

Hurricane Wilma Hurricane Wilma was an extremely intense and destructive Atlantic hurricane which was the most intense storm of its kind and the second-most intense tropical cyclone recorded in the Western Hemisphere, after Hurricane Patricia in 2015. Part o ...

caused catastrophic damage to the island; many structures were either destroyed or rendered almost uninhabitable due to flood damage. More recently, in 2017,

Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...

caused similarly catastrophic damage; most homes were left uninhabitable due to severe wind and water damage. However, damage to the island's world-famous Bobalu's Southern Cafe was light because of proper preparation. They boarded up their windows and took in their outdoor furniture and signs, saving the landmark.

Big Coppitt Key, Florida

Big Coppitt Key is the name of a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

and

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

that occupies Big Coppitt Key and the neighboring islands of

Geiger Key Geiger Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. It is located to the south of, and bridged to, Big Coppitt Key via Boca Chica Road ( County Road 941) at about mile marker 11 on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway). It h ...

and

Shark Key Shark Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. It is located north of, and connected to, U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) at approximately mile marker 11.5, between the Saddlebunch Keys and Big Coppitt Key. It is ...

. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 2,869. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 37.38%, are water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 2,869 people, 1,082 households, and 617 families residing in the CDP.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 2,595 people, 1,108 households, and 681 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 726.0/km² (1,885.2/mi²). There were 1,332 housing units at an average density of 372.7/km² (967.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.91%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 1.08%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.81% Native American, 1.46%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.08%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.04% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.62% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 16.76% of the population. There were 1,108 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.77. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 19.3% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 119.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,194, and the median income for a family was $49,783. Males had a median income of $31,915 versus $27,721 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $24,022. About 6.1% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Florida Unincorporated communities in Florida Islands of Monroe County, Florida Islands of the Florida Keys Islands of Florida