Lake Clarke Shores, Florida

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Lake Clarke Shores is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,451 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,475 ^[1].

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Location of Lake Clarke Shores, Florida

Lake Clarke Shores is located directly adjacent to the cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. Direct access to those cities is by Forest Hill Boulevard and Keller Road respectively. The Village of Palm Springs is located directly west of the town. The town is roughly bounded by Interstate 95 to the east, Florida Mango Road to the west, Summit Boulevard to the north, less the Lake Patrick neighborhood, and 10th Avenue North to the south, less the Waterside neighborhood.

Lake Clarke Shores is located at 26°38′44″N, 80°4′31″W (26.645644, -80.075379)^GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²). 2.5 km² (1.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (7.62%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,451 people, 1,407 households, and 1,029 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,359.6/km² (3,538.9/mi²). There were 1,462 housing units at an average density of 576.0/km² (1,499.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.16% White, 1.04% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.46% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.52% of the population.

There were 1,407 households out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $61,328, and the median income for a family was $71,641. Males had a median income of $48,000 versus $33,774 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,526. About 2.3% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Lake Clarke Shores developed from a community of a few homes on the shores of Lake Clarke. The improvement of Selby Road and connection to Forest Hill Boulevard eastward from Florida Mango Road (Selby Road was later renamed as the western portion of Forest Hill Boulevard) via a bridge over the West Palm Beach Canal in the 1950's encouraged large scale development. The off-center connection of Selby Road to Forest Hill Boulevard explains the sweeping curve of Forest Hill Boulevard through the town. Large scale development also required dredging of canals and bulkheading nearly the entire shore of Lake Clarke. Development had occurred at such rate that by 1957 the community incorporated as a town. The original town hall and police station was located at southeast corner of Pine Tree Lane and Forest Hill Boulevard before being relocated to the present Barbados Road location in the late 1970s. The 1970s and 1980s saw additional, non-residential development occur in the town along Forest Hill Boulevard, as well as street lighting and signage improvements on the town's residential streets. Many interesting examples of "retro" 1950s and 1960s architecture can be found on some homes, particularly close to Forest Hill Boulevard. Other stately homes are located directly on the lake.

Somewhat unusual for a community of its size, the town maintains its own police force, while other larger communities have opted to contract out with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department for public safety.

Since 2000, the town's proximity Interstate 95 and the trendy downtowns of both West Palm Beach and Lake Worth, as well as its leafy streets and well maintained housing stock, has led to a fast acceleration in housing prices. Despite this recent trend, Lake Clarke Shores has maintained itself, as it has throughout its history, as an attractive residential enclave that is attainable to middle as well as more upper income households.