Vero Beach, Florida | |
|---|---|
| City of Vero Beach | |
.jpg) Aerial view of the Vero Beach coastline at night  Downtown Vero in 2010  Vero Beach boardwalk | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: The Hibiscus City[1] | |
| Motto(s): The Gateway to the Tropics Where the Tropics Begin | |
 Location inIndian River County and the state of Florida | |
  Vero Beach Location in the United States Show map of Florida Vero Beach Vero Beach (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:27°39′N80°23′W / 27.650°N 80.383°W /27.650; -80.383 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Indian River |
| Settled | 1870 |
| viaPlat | 1913-1914 |
| Incorporated (Vero) | June 10, 1919 |
| Incorporated (Vero Beach) | May 19, 1925 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | John E. Cotugno[2] |
| • City Manager | Monte K. Falls[3] |
| • City Council | List
|
| Area | |
• City | 13.41 sq mi (34.72 km2) |
| • Land | 11.50 sq mi (29.78 km2) |
| • Water | 1.90 sq mi (4.93 km2) 14.31% |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 16,354 |
| • Density | 1,422/sq mi (549.1/km2) |
| • Metro | 159,788 |
| Census Bureau | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 32960-32969 |
| Area code | 772 |
| FIPS code | 12-74150[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0292760[6] |
| Website | http://www.covb.org |
Vero Beach is a city in and thecounty seat ofIndian River County, Florida, United States. According to the2020 census, the city had a population of 16,354.[7] Nicknamed "TheHibiscus City", Vero is situated about 85 miles (137 km) southeast ofOrlando along theIndian River Lagoon and theAtlantic Ocean on Florida'sTreasure Coast.[8] Because it is located about 65 miles (105 km) north ofWest Palm Beach at the northern end of theSouth Florida region, the city has adopted two similar mottos "The Gateway to the Tropics" and "Where the Tropics Begin".
Vero Beach was named the 7th Best Small Beach Town in Florida bySouthern Living Magazine in 2023.[9] The main roadways in the city areU.S. Route 1,Florida State Road A1A, andFlorida State Road 60 (20th Street), which has its eastern terminus at Sexton Plaza in the city.
Parts of a human skeleton were found north of Vero in association with the remains ofPleistocene animals in 1915. The find was controversial, and the view that the human remains dated from much later than the Pleistocene prevailed for many years.[10] In 2006, an image of a mastodon or mammoth carved on a bone was found in vicinity of the Vero man discovery. A scientific forensic examination of the bone found the carving had probably been done in the Pleistocene.[11] Archaeologists fromMercyhurst University, in conjunction with the Old Vero Ice Age Sites Committee (OVIASC), conducted excavations at the Old Vero Man site in Vero Beach in 2014–2015.[12] Starting in 2016, archaeologists fromFlorida Atlantic University joined the Old Vero Man site excavations.[13]
In 1715, aSpanish treasure fleet wrecked off the coast of Vero. Eleven out of twelve Spanish ships carrying tonnes of silver foundered in a hurricane. The remains of the silver attracted pirates. A group of 300 unemployed Englishprivateers led byHenry Jennings stole about £87,500 in gold and silver in their first acts ofpiracy. The coins still wash to the shore to this day.[14]
In 1872, Captain Allen W. Estes officially established the first land patent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, after settling in the area in 1870.[citation needed]
In 1893,Henry Flagler’sFlorida East Coast Railway began operation through the area.[15]
The town of Vero was chartered on June 10, 1919,[8][16] with a population of 71 residents.[17]
Vero was switched from being part ofSt. Lucie County to being designated thecounty seat of the newly-formedIndian River County on May 19, 1925 and was officially renamed "Vero Beach".[18]
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There are many theories on possible origin of the city name, but there's no consensus.[18] Early residential construction in the area often utilizedFlorida cracker architecture style.[19]
During the war year of 1942, the U.S. Navy selected 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) surrounding the Vero Beach Municipal Airport as the site of Fort Pierce Naval Amphibious Training Base, a Naval Air Station. Due to the bombing practices conducted during the WWII, there are many buried explosives and the Army Corps officials have conducted ongoing search & clearing exercises for the potentially dangerous items since 2014.[20][21]
In 1951, Barber Bridge was built from mainland to barrier islands. It was later demolished and replaced in 1995 with theMerrill P. Barber Bridge. It is named afterMerrill P. Barber who was the mayor of Vero beach in 1947.[22]
In 1957,Piper Aircraft began research and development in Vero Beach. In 1961 Piper Aircraft moved administrative and manufacturing operations to Vero after completing building additions.[23]
In 1965, theA1A bridge over theSebastian Inlet connected the two barrier islands.[24][15] In 1979, the17th Street Bridge was completed, allowing a second point of access from Vero Beach mainland to the barrier islands.
Like much of Florida, Vero Beach is mostly flat, stretching from the beach and running inland. The average elevation of the city is 23 feet above sea level.[25]
The exact coordinates for the city of Vero Beach are27°39′N80°23′W / 27.650°N 80.383°W /27.650; -80.383
Under theKöppen climate classification, Vero Beach has ahumid subtropical climate, bordering very closely on atropical monsoon climate, with hot and humid summers and warm, drier winters. Nevertheless, the city experiences a significant amount of rainfall, even during the month with historically low precipitation levels.
| Climate data for Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1942–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) | 90 (32) | 93 (34) | 97 (36) | 99 (37) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 98 (37) | 97 (36) | 94 (34) | 92 (33) | 89 (32) | 102 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 84.2 (29.0) | 86.0 (30.0) | 88.8 (31.6) | 90.7 (32.6) | 93.3 (34.1) | 95.1 (35.1) | 95.3 (35.2) | 95.0 (35.0) | 92.9 (33.8) | 90.8 (32.7) | 86.7 (30.4) | 84.4 (29.1) | 96.6 (35.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 73.3 (22.9) | 75.6 (24.2) | 78.4 (25.8) | 81.9 (27.7) | 85.7 (29.8) | 88.9 (31.6) | 90.5 (32.5) | 90.6 (32.6) | 88.4 (31.3) | 84.8 (29.3) | 79.3 (26.3) | 75.4 (24.1) | 82.7 (28.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 62.8 (17.1) | 65.0 (18.3) | 68.0 (20.0) | 72.1 (22.3) | 76.7 (24.8) | 80.6 (27.0) | 81.9 (27.7) | 82.1 (27.8) | 80.9 (27.2) | 76.9 (24.9) | 70.4 (21.3) | 65.7 (18.7) | 73.6 (23.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 52.2 (11.2) | 54.5 (12.5) | 57.7 (14.3) | 62.4 (16.9) | 67.8 (19.9) | 72.2 (22.3) | 73.3 (22.9) | 73.6 (23.1) | 73.4 (23.0) | 69.0 (20.6) | 61.4 (16.3) | 56.1 (13.4) | 64.5 (18.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 34.7 (1.5) | 37.8 (3.2) | 41.7 (5.4) | 48.0 (8.9) | 57.4 (14.1) | 66.9 (19.4) | 69.6 (20.9) | 69.9 (21.1) | 68.2 (20.1) | 54.9 (12.7) | 45.7 (7.6) | 39.3 (4.1) | 32.8 (0.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 21 (−6) | 28 (−2) | 26 (−3) | 36 (2) | 46 (8) | 57 (14) | 62 (17) | 63 (17) | 61 (16) | 45 (7) | 31 (−1) | 23 (−5) | 21 (−6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.74 (70) | 2.20 (56) | 3.44 (87) | 3.06 (78) | 4.20 (107) | 6.76 (172) | 5.68 (144) | 7.35 (187) | 7.04 (179) | 5.33 (135) | 2.91 (74) | 2.54 (65) | 53.25 (1,353) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.1 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 8.8 | 13.9 | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 11.9 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 125.4 |
| Source: NOAA[26][27] | |||||||||||||
Vero Beach is home to general aviation manufacturerPiper Aircraft, which is the largest private employer in Indian River County. As of July 2015, Piper employed approximately 750 people. Aside from Piper, the bulk of commercial activity in Vero Beach centers around tourism, the citrus industry and service activities.
There are two shopping malls: theIndian River Mall, and theVero Beach Outlets just west of I-95 on State Road 60.There are small specialty shops along Ocean Drive on the barrier island. There are also a set of shops directly inland in what is called "Miracle Mile”. The Historic Downtown is a newly revitalized area of shopping, dining, antique stores, and art galleries.
The beaches in Vero Beach are part of Florida'sTreasure Coast. Vero's three main public beaches are South Beach, accessible at the eastern end ofFlorida State Road 656 at the eastern end of 17th Street; Humiston Park, in Vero's Central Beach Business District on Ocean Drive and Jaycee Park which is adjacent to Conn Beach.There are 26 miles (42 km) of oceanfront shore in Indian River County.Vero Beach also has other free public access trails and walkways with beach access, such as Riomar Beach, Sea Cove, Sea Grape Trail, Sexton Plaza, and Turtle Trail.
TheIndian River Lagoon, passing through Vero Beach, forms a significant portion of theIntracoastal Waterway, and is a hub for boating, fishing, water skiing, diving, kayaking and other small-craft waterborne activities.
Disney's Vero Beach Resort is officially located inWabasso Beach, a small town north of Vero Beach. As of 2021[update], the city hosts 14 private golf clubs.[28]
Vero Beach is home toHistoric Dodgertown, which initially started operations during World War II as a U.S. Naval Air Station, and later served as thespring training facility of theBrooklyn Dodgers and successorLos Angeles Dodgers baseball teams,[29] until 2008. After the team's departure for a new Spring home in Arizona in 2008, it has served as a year-round multi-purpose facility for athletes of all ages. As of January 2, 2019,MLB has assumed control of the historic facilities with plans to expand the complex and rename it The Jackie Robinson Training Complex. This is to honor both the lateJackie Robinson and the site's history as the first racially integrated spring training center in the American South.[30]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 793 | — | |
| 1930 | 2,268 | 186.0% | |
| 1940 | 3,050 | 34.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,746 | 55.6% | |
| 1960 | 8,849 | 86.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,908 | 34.6% | |
| 1980 | 16,176 | 35.8% | |
| 1990 | 17,350 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | 17,705 | 2.0% | |
| 2010 | 15,220 | −14.0% | |
| 2020 | 16,354 | 7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[31] | |||
| Race | Pop 2010[32] | Pop 2020[33] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 12,394 | 12,741 | 81.43% | 77.91% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 676 | 681 | 4.44% | 4.16% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 26 | 32 | 0.17% | 0.20% |
| Asian (NH) | 279 | 360 | 1.83% | 2.20% |
| Pacific Islander orNative Hawaiian (NH) | 14 | 7 | 0.09% | 0.04% |
| Some other race (NH) | 17 | 88 | 0.11% | 0.54% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 180 | 508 | 1.18% | 3.10% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,634 | 1,937 | 10.74% | 11.84% |
| Total | 15,220 | 16,354 |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 16,354 people, 7,775 households, and 3,587 families residing in the city.[34]
In 2020, 14.4% of the population was under the age of 18, and 28.9% of the population was 65 years of age or older. Females made up 53.0% of the population in 2020, and the average household size was 2.12.[35]
In 2020, the median income for a household in the city was $54,311, and the per capita income for the city was $52,524. Out of the total population, 12.8% were living below the poverty line.[35]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 15,220 people, 7,201 households, and 3,982 families residing in the city.[36]
In 2010, there were 7,505 households, out of which 16.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.4% were non-families. 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, with 4.8% being 85 years and older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.65.[37]
In 2010, in the city the population was spread out, with 14.1% under the age of 16, 84.1% over 18, 4.3% from 15 to 19, 4.9% from 20 to 24, 5.5% from 20 to 25 and 29.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.9 years.[37]
In 2010, for every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. The population consists of 51.3% female and 48.7% male.[37]
Vero Beach Regional Airport is a public airport one mile northwest of Vero Beach, offering commercial jet service byBreeze Airways since February 2023.[38]
Vero Beach is served byGoLine Bus routes.[39] The permanent location for the main transit hub for GoLine is located in Vero Beach.[40]
TheFlorida East Coast Railway (FEC) mainline bisects Vero Beach, with an activeteam track in town serving two off-line lumber/building products customers, who receive boxcars, flatcars and gondolas.[41] TheVero Railroad Station served the transportation needs of the community and its surrounding agricultural area for almost 65 years from 1903 to 1968.[42] It now serves as a county historical exhibit center.[43]
The city government of Vero Beach follows aCouncil-manager model form of government[2] with a five-member city council as the elected governing body, from which a mayor is selected by fellow members, responsible for legislative functions such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision alongside a city manager hired by city council to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise it. Members of the city council serve two-year terms with staggered elections.
Indian River County Fire Rescue provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the citizens of Vero Beach. There are three fire stations assigned to the city:
The Vero Beach Police Department provides police protection for the city. Its headquarters is located at 1055 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL, and it is staffed with approximately 61 sworn officers.[46][47]
TheIndian River County School District operates the following public schools serving Vero Beach:[48]
_cropped.jpg)
Fielder, who lived briefly in Vero Beach growing up, spoke with Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers about his memories of St. Edward's high school, his off-season and his new team.
Hiaasen said by phone from his home in Vero Beach, Fla.
He lives with his family in Florida, splitting time between Vero Beach and Bradenton
having spent her childhood in Vero Beach, Fla., where she fronted an emo-ish punk band
Pete Peterson Vero Beach.
Municipalities and communities ofIndian River County, Florida,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
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