Flagler Beach is a city in Flagler County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. The population was 5,160 at the 2020 census. Flagler Beach is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area. It is named for oil tycoon and Florida railroad developer

Henry Flagler Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder ...

, who was a key figure in the development of East Florida as resort and vacation destinations.

Geography

Flagler Beach is located at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (9.80%) is water. The Ocean Palm Villas South subdivision east of the

Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...

is the only portion of Flagler Beach in Volusia County.

Florida State Road A1A State Road A1A (SR A1A) is a major north–south Florida State Road consisting of seven separate sections running a total of along the Atlantic Ocean, from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Fernandina Beach, Florida, Fernandina ...

travels through Flagler Beach along an approximate north–south axis. The road suffered significant damage during

Hurricane Matthew Hurricane Matthew was a powerful tropical cyclone which caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, as well as widespread devastation in the southeastern United States. The deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Stan ...

, due to

coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of Wind wave, waves, Ocean current, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts ...

facilitated by a

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

Demographics

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,160 people, 2,461 households, and 1,490 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 4,484 people, 2,363 households, and 1,410 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 4,954 people, 2,535 households, and 1,493 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 3,224 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.86%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.52%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

, 0.22% American Indian, 0.57% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.14% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.84% of the population. In 2000, there were 2,535 households, out of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.43. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 11.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 32.5% from 45 to 64, and 31.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $37,917, and the median income for a family was $47,073. Males had a median income of $31,848 versus $30,132 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $24,600. About 9.0% of families and 10.9% 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 ...

, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions

America's Coolest Small Town finalist

Flagler Beach was a finalist in the 2013 ''Budget Travel Magazine'' contest for "Coolest Small Town". The magazine described it by the following:

Twenty miles north of
Daytona Beach Daytona Beach is a coastal resort city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. Located on the East Coast of the United States, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropo ...
on A1A, Flagler Beach couldn't be more different from its party-hardy neighbor to the south. In fact, the area seems to attract more sea turtles and right whales than spring breakers. And it's not hard to see why: This thin strip of a beach town, between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...
, has remained significantly less developed than its neighbors. The six miles of pristine sand—which boast an orange hue thanks to crushed
coquina Coquina () is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically sorted fragments of mollusks, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates. The term ''coquina'' comes from the S ...
shells—are only interrupted by one fishing pier. In town, the vibe is laid back and retro, thanks to spots like Grampa's Uke Joint, which sells ukuleles, and High Tides at Snack Jack, a 1950s fish shack that attracts surfers with funky dishes like tuna reubens, ahi club sandwiches, and
sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...
Bloody Marys.

Retirement location

Flagler Beach was ranked by ''Where to Retire'' magazine as one of the top retirement destinations in Florida. It was featured in the November–December 2012 issue.

Flagler Beach Historical Museum

The Flagler Beach Historical Museum's permanent collection is entirely dedicated to Florida history, featuring Flagler Beach and Flagler County. The collection ranges from prehistoric bones and other remains of the Stone Age to a "Space Age" side. The latter has an exhibit with items provided by NASA astronauts, including space food and the Flagler Beach city flag, which was sent to orbit the Earth aboard the Space Shuttle ''Endeavour''. Orange Period pottery pieces from indigenous peoples of the region date from 2000 BCE to 500 CE Historic Native American Indian life is represented by an exhibit of arrowheads and other artifacts, all discovered in Flagler County. The Florida territory had changing European rulers in the war years between the 1500s and the early 1800s: Spanish, English and American. Mill and plantation artifacts make up the display about the Plantation Period. Personal use items, such as buttons and bottles obtained from area missions, represent the history of individuals in the area. From the Mala Compra Plantation, burned down during the Second Seminole War, the Museum has items from the early 19th-century home of Joseph Hernandez, who was elected as the first Hispanic congressman in the U.S. The period of the late 1800s and early 1900s are represented by books and exhibits about the area's economy: county farming of cabbage and potatoes, timber industry, railroad artifacts, and turpentine camp items. Exhibits also include documents and memorabilia associated with the 20th-century development boom that began in the western portion of Flagler County and was continued oceanside. Displays feature four Flagler Beach "first families" who purchased land and built what was once considered a seaside resort. Other display items from the early 1900s include memorabilia from early city government, the county's Old Brick Road, the Flagler Beach Hotel, World War II items, the A1A highway, Marineland, and early advertising brochures. Representations of local organizations from 1925 forward are represented in displays featuring the Flagler Beach Fire Department, Boy Scouts of Flagler, and Flagler Beach schools.

Fire department

The Flagler Beach Fire Department was established in 1926 by the Town of Flagler Beach's Commission. Currently, Flagler Beach has a population of roughly 5,500 year-round residents, and its fire department responds to approximately 1,500 calls a year. The City of Flagler Beach is served by a full-time professional staff of 16

fire department A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organi ...

FBFire.org has a great amount of information on it ie: local news and weather, along with current fire conditions. employees on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide an immediate response 365 days a year.

References

External links

City of Flagler Beach official website

Flagler Beach Historical Museum

Flagler County / Flagler Beach Tourism Office
{{Authority control Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean Cities in Flagler County, Florida Cities in Volusia County, Florida Populated places established in 1925 Cities in Florida Beaches of Flagler County, Florida Beaches of Volusia County, Florida Beaches of Florida