Many people who work in Key West, including many employees of the Lower Keys Medical Center, commute to homes in the nearby Keys of Big Coppitt, Sugarloaf or Cudjoe. Key West s greatest asset is its balmy, sub-tropical weather. There has never been a frost here, and the sun shines just about every day of the year. Key West is also Florida s driest city, with an annual average rain fall of only 38 inches. The Florida Keys have the advantage of being situated between two very powerful bodies of water, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
Trade winds make even the hottest days of the year tolerable.
Water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean are in the lower 70s during cooler winter months. Founded by the U.S. Navy as a headquarters for pirate-fighting in 1822, Key West has had a long and remarkable history. It is one of the oldest and earliest developed cities in Florida. Cuba is only 90 miles to the south still live here, and traces of Spanish influence are visible in the the island s historic architecture. The large collection of well preserved or restored 19th century houses, many built by skilled sea-faring and adventurous carpenters, is considered to be one of our nation s greatest outdoor museums.