Crestview, Florida

Crestview, Florida
City
Location in Okaloosa County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Okaloosa
Area
• Total	12.8 sq mi (33.2 km2)
• Land	12.8 sq mi (33.1 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	236 ft (72 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	14,766
• Density	1,153.6/sq mi (444.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	32536, 32539
Area code	850
FIPS code	12-15475Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	0281044Template:GR

Crestview, Florida from above.

Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City.

Okaloosa County Courthouse

It is the county seat of Okaloosa County.Template:GR With an elevation of 235 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest points in the state; it receives 65 inches of rainfall annually, the most of any city in the state of Florida. The town was once known as "the Icebox of Florida", due to it having the coldest winters in the state. Today it goes by a more popular nickname as the "Hub City" of Northwest Florida. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 17,707; though by 2008 that number grew to over 22,000, with 82,500 residents living in the immediate area. Crestview is one of Florida's fastest growing cities, residential developments, shopping, and land area to grow. It has, as of July 2007, become the largest city in Okaloosa County. This has not yet been verified by the US Census because figures for 2007 have not yet been published. (www.factfinder.census.gov). In 2007, Mayor Whitehurst, who had been mayor for nearly 20 years, resigned, leading to the inauguration of David Cadle. Cadle had a base of support from parents and former students who had firsthand knowledge of his leadership skills, as he had just retired from directorship of the Big Red Machine, the local high school's band.

Geography

Topography

Crestview is located at 30°45′15″N 86°34′22″W (30.754211, -86.572650).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.2 km² (12.8 sq mi). 12.8 square miles (33.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.

Climate

Crestview's climate is officially described as humid subtropical, with hot, humid summers, and cool to cold winters. In summer, Crestview has some of the hottest temperatures in the state, with an average summer high of 93°F (33°C). Lows in summer average in the high 60s to low 70s, with each year seeing a handful of 100°F+ days. The all-time record high is 109°F (42°C), recorded on July 10, 1996.

Winters compare to those of interior Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. Highs average in the lower to mid 50s (11°-13°C), and lows average in the lower to mid 30s (near 0°C). The all-time record low is -1°F (-21°C), on February 13, 1899. Snowfall occurs every two to three years on average, however, significant amounts only happen once every 10 years. On Christmas Eve of 1989, Crestview received over 3 inches of snow.

Vegetation here consists of typical Floridian vegetation as well as several deciduous species from further north. Some palm trees are found here, although only hardy ones, as well as types of dogwood, maple, hickory, and sweetgum. Some fall follage can be seen in November and December, and Spring blossoms occur from early March through May. Summer roughly lasts from early June to early September, and winter lasts from mid-December through mid-February.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 14,766 people, 5,297 households, and 3,893 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,153.7 people per square mile (445.4/km²). There were 5,918 housing units at an average density of 462.4/sq mi (178.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.71% White, 18.41% African American, 0.60% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population. The population estimate for 2005 was 17,707 people.

There were 5,297 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,122, and the median income for a family was $38,824. Males had a median income of $30,829 versus $19,261 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,479. About 13.2% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Bob Sikes Airport is a public-use airport located 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of the central business district.

External links

• City of Crestview, Florida - Official Site
• Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce