# South Bay, Florida

South Bay is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is the westernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. As of 2020, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 4,860 residents. While the current estimates place South Bay's population in the incorporated city limits at more than 4,000 people, surrounding areas increase the population figures to 54,000 people in a 25-mile (40 km) radius and more than 1.4 million in a 50-mile (80 km) radius.

## History

South Bay was named for its location on Lake Okeechobee. The town was incorporated in 1941. The first mayor of South Bay was Aubrey (a.k.a. "Orb") Walker, who, along with his brother, Haughty D. Walker (a.k.a. "Haught"), survived the great hurricane of 1928 by gathering his family members onto a boat in the canal.

## Geography

South Bay is located at 26°39′59″N 80°43′8″W﻿ / ﻿26.66639°N 80.71889°W﻿ / 26.66639; -80.71889 (26.666487, –80.718985), near the southern bank of Lake Okeechobee.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km$^2$), including 2.7 square miles (7.0 km$^2$) of land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km$^2$) of (26.95%) water. The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail runs through South Bay.

### Climate

Climate data for South Bay 15 S, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 87 (31) | 89 (32) | 92 (33) | 95 (35) | 94 (34) | 97 (36) | 98 (37) | 98 (37) | 96 (36) | 93 (34) | 92 (33) | 89 (32) | 98 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 84.1 (28.9) | 85.9 (29.9) | 88.1 (31.2) | 90.8 (32.7) | 91.9 (33.3) | 93.7 (34.3) | 94.9 (34.9) | 94.3 (34.6) | 92.9 (33.8) | 90.9 (32.7) | 87.0 (30.6) | 85.1 (29.5) | 95.5 (35.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 75.6 (24.2) | 78.1 (25.6) | 80.4 (26.9) | 84.0 (28.9) | 87.3 (30.7) | 89.6 (32.0) | 91.3 (32.9) | 91.3 (32.9) | 89.5 (31.9) | 86.3 (30.2) | 81.5 (27.5) | 77.6 (25.3) | 84.4 (29.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 63.8 (17.7) | 66.3 (19.1) | 68.7 (20.4) | 72.5 (22.5) | 76.8 (24.9) | 80.7 (27.1) | 82.1 (27.8) | 82.5 (28.1) | 81.0 (27.2) | 76.9 (24.9) | 70.8 (21.6) | 66.5 (19.2) | 74.0 (23.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 52.0 (11.1) | 54.4 (12.4) | 57.0 (13.9) | 61.0 (16.1) | 66.3 (19.1) | 71.9 (22.2) | 72.8 (22.7) | 73.7 (23.2) | 72.5 (22.5) | 67.4 (19.7) | 60.2 (15.7) | 55.4 (13.0) | 63.7 (17.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 34.9 (1.6) | 38.5 (3.6) | 42.5 (5.8) | 50.1 (10.1) | 57.7 (14.3) | 67.5 (19.7) | 69.9 (21.1) | 70.7 (21.5) | 68.2 (20.1) | 55.5 (13.1) | 45.1 (7.3) | 41.6 (5.3) | 32.6 (0.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 26 (−3) | 30 (−1) | 35 (2) | 42 (6) | 50 (10) | 64 (18) | 67 (19) | 69 (21) | 64 (18) | 43 (6) | 35 (2) | 28 (−2) | 26 (−3) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.50 (64) | 2.30 (58) | 2.81 (71) | 2.89 (73) | 4.78 (121) | 9.63 (245) | 7.93 (201) | 8.49 (216) | 7.45 (189) | 4.05 (103) | 2.22 (56) | 2.11 (54) | 57.16 (1,452) |
| Source: NOAA (mean maxima/minima 2006–present) ||||||||||||||

## Infrastructure
### Transportation

Two major roads, East-West State Road 80 and North-South U.S. 27 intersect in the town.

## Mayors

| Mayor | Years of service | Notes |
| John Deaton | ?–1974 | |
| Vernita Cox | 1974 1974–1975 | First African American mayor in Palm Beach county Named mayor by the City Council after then-mayor John Deaton resigned in January 1974 |
| Jay S. Smith | 1975–1976 | |
| Donald Tanner | 1976–1977 | |
| Billy Wells | 1977–1978 | |
| Donald Tanner | ?–1984 | |
| Clarence E. Anthony | 1984–2008 | |
| Shirley Walker Turner | 2008–2012 | |
| Shanique Scott | 2012–2016 | |
| Joe Kyles | 2016–Present | |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

South Bay racial composition (Hispanics excluded from racial categories) (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White (NH) | 580 | 11.93% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 3,097 | 63.72% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 2 | 0.04% |
| Asian (NH) | 2 | 0.04% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 1 | 0.02% |
| Some other race (NH) | 7 | 0.14% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 73 | 1.50% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,098 | 22.59% |
| Total | 4,860 | |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,860 people, 787 households, and 614 families residing in the city.

### 2010 census

South Bay Demographics :
| 2010 Census | South Bay | Palm Beach County | Florida |
| Total population | 4,876 | 1,320,134 | 18,801,310 |
| Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 | +26.4% | +16.7% | +17.6% |
| Population density | 1,819.4/sq mi | 670.2/sq mi | 350.6/sq mi |
| White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 24.6% | 73.5% | 75.0% |
| (Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian) | 11.4% | 60.1% | 57.9% |
| Black or African-American | 64.0% | 17.3% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 23.2% | 19.0% | 22.5% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 0.6% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Some Other Race | 0.0% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 4,876 people, 843 households, and 746 families residing in the city.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,859 people, 805 households, and 644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,425.4 inhabitants per square mile (550.4/km$^2$). There were 935 housing units at an average density of 345.4 per square mile (133.4/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the city was 12.5% White (non-Hispanic), 66.93% Black or African American, 19.56% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.29% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.83% from other races, and 2.44% from two or more races.
In 2000, there were 805 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 32.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.39 and the average family size was 3.76.
In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 172.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 210.6 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $23,558, and the median income for a family was $26,944. Males had a median income of $21,087 versus $22,321 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,126. About 29.2% of families and 36.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.4% of those under age 18 and 27.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of English made up 77.76% of all residents, while Spanish comprised 21.51%, and French as a mother tongue accounted for 0.72% of the population.