Florida is about more than Miami, Disney World, retirement homes and swamps full of alligators. In fact, there are several cities here that are surprisingly sophisticated. One of these, a great place to raise your children or to enjoy your retirement, is Boca Raton.
While the Spanish name literally translates to \’mouth of a mouse\’, the city wasn\’t actually named after any part of a rodent. The \’mouth\’ is actually an inlet a little to the north, where rocks line the bottom. These rocks were once referred to by the word \’ratones\’, which also means \’mice\’. The city itself lies a little over 40 miles to the north of Miami and forms part of the county of Palm Beach.
Back in the 1930s, only about 500 people lived in Boca. Nowadays around 85,000 people live in the nearly thirty square miles that form the city. This means that there is a population density of about 2,600 people per square mile. Between 2000 and 2010, the population grew by almost 12 percent.
The sophisticated seaside city is known for the fact that it has quite a high average income. In fact, the annual per capita income here is in the region of 45,000 dollars and most people earn their money from white-collar jobs. About 12 percent of residents have an income of over 200,000 dollars per year and among them are well-known names in sports and entertainment. Many of the wealthy residents live in gated communities that count among the most expensive in America. In contrast, only 6 percent or so of residents earn less than 10,000 dollars in a year.
The vast majority of residents are married couples. Of the almost 75,000 households within the city, nearly 16,000 have children and since the average family size is just under three people, this means that those couples who do have children, only have one or maybe two. Most of these children are of school-going age as well and Boca has plenty of schools, among them four public high schools and several excellent private schools.
The City for All Seasons is a great choice for retirees as well. In fact, nearly a fifth of the population are older than 65 and about 17 percent of them live on a retirement income. Seniors will find many facilities that take their needs into account, such as a great choice of healthcare facilities as well as retirement communities where they can live an independent life but have assistance at their fingertips.
The vast majority, in fact about 80 percent of the people speak English as first language. Most were born in other US states. Spanish is the first language of around 9 percent of the residents. Other significant linguistic communities include those who speak Portuguese, French or Italian at home. More than half the people are Christian and most of these attend the Catholic Church. About a quarter of Boca\’s residents belong to the city\’s substantial Jewish community and there is a small Muslim community too.
There are many reasons to make the South Florida city your home. It\’s an especially good choice for people who like spending time outdoors, with a tropical climate that remains warm even in winter. It\’s safe too, with comparatively low levels of violent crime.
If you are looking to call Boca Raton home, visit the luxury community called Seven Bridges. Seven Bridges has luxury Boca Raton homes for sale / new South Florida homes.