JUPITER, FL

Jupiter is the northernmost town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the town had a population of 61,047 as of April 1, 2020. It is 84 miles north of Miami, and the northernmost community in the Miami metropolitan area, home to 6,012,331 people in a 2015 Census Bureau estimate. Jupiter was named the 9th Best Southern Beach Town to live in by Stacker Newsletter for 2022, was rated as the 12th Best Beach Town in the United States by WalletHub in 2018, and as the 9th Happiest Seaside Town in the United States by Coastal Living in 2012.

History

The area where the town now sits was originally named for the Hobe Indian tribe which lived at the mouth of the Loxahatchee River and whose name is also preserved in the name of nearby Hobe Sound. A mapmaker misunderstood the Spanish spelling Jobe of the native people name Hobe and recorded it as Jove. Subsequent mapmakers further misunderstood this to be the name of the Roman god also known as Jupiter, and they adopted the more familiar name of Jupiter. The god Jupiter (or Zeus in the Greek 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 was Juno, inspiring a neighboring town to name itself Juno Beach.

The most notable landmark is the Jupiter 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 is often used as the symbol for Jupiter.

United States flag incident

In 1999, Jupiter resident George Andres wanted to display a United States flag in his front yard; however, the homeowners association had a bylaw prohibiting the display of a flagpole in the front lawn. Andres still displayed the flag, while the homeowners association went as far as foreclosing his home to cover legal fees after being in court at least twenty-eight times. Even after governor Jeb Bush visited his home along with members of the local and national media, the homeowners association 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.

On July 24, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, allowing residents to display the flag on their residential property despite any homeowners association rules.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 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.

Jupiter has a trade-wind Tropical rainforest climate. 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.

Demographics

As of 2010, there were 29,825 households, out of which 19.8% were vacant. In 2000, 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.15

In 2000, the town's population consisted of 20.7% 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% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

In 2017, the median income for a household in the town was $76,687, and the median income for a family was $71,233. Males had a median income of $44,883 versus $33,514 for females. The per capita income for the town was $48,563. 4.8% of the population and 3.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

As of 2000, those who spoke only English at home accounted for 88.5% of all residents, while those who reported speaking Spanish were 7.2%, and Italian 1.7% of the population.

Education

The School District of Palm Beach County provides public education. Jupiter is also home to several private schools and religious schools.

Jupiter's population is served by two public high schools: Jupiter Community High School in Jupiter, and William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens.

Jupiter Christian School is a private school in the town.

Universities and Colleges

Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University – John D. MacArthur campus

Public safety

Fire Department

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 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.

Police Department

The Jupiter Police Department consists of 118 sworn officers and 39 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.

Economy

Companies based in Jupiter include G4S Secure Solutions, Town Sports International Holdings, and Holtec International.

Notable people

Points of interest

Media

The fourth season of American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Freak Show, is set in 1952 Jupiter.

Gallery