Jupiter is the northernmost town inPalm Beach County, Florida, United States. According to the2020 US Census, the town had a population of 61,047. It is 84 miles north ofMiami and 15 miles north ofWest Palm Beach. Along with the adjacent Village ofTequesta, Jupiter is considered the northernmost municipality in theMiami metropolitan area. It was named the 9th Best Southern Beach Town to live in byStacker Newsletter for 2022, was rated as the 12th Best Beach Town in the United States byWalletHub in 2018, and as the 9th Happiest Seaside Town in the United States byCoastal Living in 2012.[5][6][7]
The area where the town now sits was originally named for theHobe Indian tribe which lived at the mouth of theLoxahatchee River and whose name is also preserved in the name of nearbyHobe Sound.[8] A mapmaker misunderstood the Spanish spellingJobe of the native people nameHobe and recorded it asJove.[9] Subsequentmapmakers further misunderstood this to be the name of theRoman godJupiter, because the declension of the word Jupiter inLatin includes the rootJov- in all cases but the nominative case and vocative case. They, therefore, adopted the more familiar name ofJupiter. The god Jupiter (orZeus in theGreek mythology) is the chief Roman god, and the god of light, of the sky and weather, and of the state and its welfare and laws. Jupiter's consort wasJuno, inspiring a neighboring town to name itselfJuno Beach.[10]
TheBattles of the Loxahatchee took place near the site of Jupiter during theSeminole Wars in 1838. The most notable landmark is theJupiter 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 often is used as the symbol for Jupiter.[10][11]
In 1999, Jupiter resident George Andres wanted to display aUnited States flag in his front yard; however, the homeowners association had a bylaw that prohibited the display of a flagpole in the front lawn. Andres still displayed the flag, while the homeowners association continued litigation until George Andres foreclosed his home to cover legal fees after being in court at least twenty-eight times. Even after governorJeb Bush visited his home along with members of the local and national media, the homeowners association, as well as George, refused to budge.
George Andres later won the case and was allowed to display his flag in his front lawn with the use of a flagpole.
According to theUnited 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 unique geographical location that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean further than any other point on the Florida coast. Since 1550, ships have considered it an important stop when sailing to Central and South America.[13]
Jupiter has a trade-wind[14]Tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Much of the year is warm to hot in Jupiter, and frost is extremely rare. Jupiter is also known for humid summers. As is typical in South 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 Town of Jupiter is home to a multitude of tropical trees, and is also known for its lush landscaping around private homes and public parks.
Jupiter, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2020 United States census, there were 61,047 people, 26,597 households, and 16,484 families residing in the town.[19]
In 2020, 19.1% of the population was under the age of 18, and 23.1% of the population was 65 years of age or older. Females made up 51.7% of the population in 2020, and the average household size was 2.43.
In 2020, the median income for a household in the town was $87,163, and the per capita income for the town was $57,865. Out of the total population, 7.9% were living below the poverty line.[20]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 55,156 people, 21,614 households, and 13,452 families residing in the town.[21]
In 2000, there were 16,945 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% weremarried couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.8% of all households are made up of individuals, and 10.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.32, and the average family size is 3.15
In 2000, the town's age distribution showed that 20.7% were 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% were 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females, there are 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.2 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the town is $54,945, and the median income for a family is $64,873. Males have a median income of $44,883 versus $33,514 for females. Theper capita income for the town is $35,088. 4.8% of the population and 3.0% of families are below thepoverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
As of 2000, speakers ofEnglish as afirst language accounted for 88.47% of all residents, whileSpanish was at 7.17%, andItalian made up 1.66% of the population.[23]
As of 2000, it's also home to the 102nd highest percentage ofGuatemalan residents, which made up 1.09% of the population (tied withCalverton, New York).[24]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic or Latino population in Jupiter has grown steadily since 2000. In the 2000 United States census, 7.3% of the town’s residents identified as Hispanic or Latino, increasing to 12.69% in 2010 and 15.96% in 2020.[25] More recent figures from the 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates indicate that Hispanics or Latinos now make up approximately 17.3% of the town’s population, or about 10,500 people.[26]
Since 1984,Palm Beach County Fire Rescue provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the citizens of Jupiter. There are three fire stations assigned to the town:
Station 16 – Engine 16, Rescue 16 and Brush 16;
Station 18 – Engine 18 and Rescue 18;
Station 19 – Squad 19, Rescue 19, Special Operations 19, Brush 19 and 3 command vehicles.
Station 19 is the headquarters for Battalion 1, which covers Jupiter, Juno Beach, Lake Park and unincorporated areas of Palm Beach County such as Jupiter Farms and Palm Beach Country Estates.[27]
The Jupiter Police Department consists of 122 sworn officers and 35 civilian support staff personnel, and is headquartered in the town's municipal campus. Its operational divisions include Road Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Traffic,K-9, Marine, Beach Patrol, Crime Scene Investigation, SWAT and Hostage Negotiation.[28]
Palm Beach International Raceway a racing facility built in 1965, and was remodeled in 2008 in an attempt to obtain aFIA Grade II Certification. The Facility currently hosts severalIHRA andNHRA sportsman events as well as anARCA 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.
Jupiter beaches, many of which are dog-friendly, draw many residents and visitors from all over the world.[58]
The Harbourside Place[59] is an outdoor, upscale shopping mall located just South of theJupiter Inlet Lighthouse.
DowntownAbacoa is a downtown area present adjacent toHarriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Southwest Jupiter. It houses an amphitheater, restaurants, coffee shops, a farmer's market, and the yearly Feast of Little Italy.
^Charles Nelson Reilly (2006).The Life of Reilly(Netflix Streaming Video) (Motion picture). Los Angeles, California: Civilian Pictures/L'Orange Films. Event occurs at 1:13:37. RetrievedAugust 14, 2011.
