Port Charlotte is a
census-designated placeA census-designated place is a type of place identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in
Charlotte CountyCharlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814 . Its county seat is Punta Gorda, Florida. Charlotte County is the sole county in the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the
Punta GordaPunta Gorda is a city in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,762. It is the county seat of Charlotte County and the only incorporated municipality in the county...
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area consisting of Charlotte County in the state of Florida in the United States. The principal city in the MSA is Punta Gorda. In 2005 the population of the MSA was 154,030...
.
Port Charlotte is located at (26.990181, -82.105831).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the CDP has a total area of . of it is land and of it (6.66%) is water.
The Port Charlotte area was largely platted and developed by the now-defunct
General Development CorporationGeneral Development Corporation, also known as GDC, was the largest land development company in Florida. Founded in 1954 by brothers Elliot, Robert, and Frank Mackle Jr., and based in Miami, Florida, GDC established several communities in the 1950s & 1960s, and promoted inexpensive Florida...
, which also developed many other subdivisions and municipalities along Florida's west coast.
Port Charlotte is a
census-designated placeA census-designated place is a type of place identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in
Charlotte CountyCharlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814 . Its county seat is Punta Gorda, Florida. Charlotte County is the sole county in the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the
Punta GordaPunta Gorda is a city in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,762. It is the county seat of Charlotte County and the only incorporated municipality in the county...
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area consisting of Charlotte County in the state of Florida in the United States. The principal city in the MSA is Punta Gorda. In 2005 the population of the MSA was 154,030...
.
Geography
Port Charlotte is located at (26.990181, -82.105831).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the CDP has a total area of . of it is land and of it (6.66%) is water.
History
The Port Charlotte area was largely platted and developed by the now-defunct
General Development CorporationGeneral Development Corporation, also known as GDC, was the largest land development company in Florida. Founded in 1954 by brothers Elliot, Robert, and Frank Mackle Jr., and based in Miami, Florida, GDC established several communities in the 1950s & 1960s, and promoted inexpensive Florida...
, which also developed many other subdivisions and municipalities along Florida's west coast. Port Charlotte is not a chartered municipality but is, however, the most-populated area in Charlotte County.
Port Charlotte is home to the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall, the Charlotte County Administration Center (home of the Charlotte County Commission chambers) as well as
Charlotte Sports ParkCharlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida...
which is the current
spring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
home of the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and are the defending American League champions. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League...
.
Port Charlotte was hard hit by
Hurricane CharleyHurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...
on August 13, 2004. The hurricane, predicted to hit
TampaTampa is a Gulf Coast city in Hillsborough County, on the west coast of the state of Florida in the United States. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. The population of Tampa in 2000 was 303,447...
, took a last-minute hard right turn into
Charlotte HarborCharlotte Harbor Estuary is a natural estuary spanning the west coast of Florida from Venice to Bonita Springs on the Gulf of Mexico and is one of the most productive wetlands in Florida...
and caused severe damage in the city of
Punta GordaPunta Gorda is a city in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,762. It is the county seat of Charlotte County and the only incorporated municipality in the county...
and in the Port Charlotte area.
Government
Since Port Charlotte is unincorporated, it is governed by the government of Charlotte County. The county is governed by a 5-person county commission. They take turns rotating into the commission chair position every year. County commissioners frequently sit on other regional boards involving other municipalities and counties.
Sports
Port Charlotte is home to the
Charlotte Stone CrabsThe Charlotte Stone Crabs are a minor league baseball team in the Florida State League based in . The team is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and is owned by Ripken Baseball...
, which is a member of the
Florida State LeagueThe Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced Minor League Baseball league operating in the state of Florida. Class A is the middle of five classifications of minor leagues that are affiliated with Major League Baseball teams...
and Class High-A affiliate of the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and are the defending American League champions. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League...
, which also hold its
spring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
at
Charlotte Sports ParkCharlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida...
. The Rays also hold extended spring training in Port Charlotte, and have a
Gulf Coast LeagueThe Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
team beginning play in June 2009.
Education
Public schoolsIn most of the world, excluding England and Wales and some Commonwealth countries, a public school is an educational institution that is funded with tax revenue and most commonly administered by a local government or government agency...
in Port Charlotte are operated by
Charlotte County Public SchoolsCharlotte County Public Schools operates all public K12 schools in Charlotte County, Florida . It covers Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, Rotonda West and surrounding areas...
. For the 2007/2008 school year, all schools in Port Charlotte have received "A"s from the state department of education.
Port Charlotte High SchoolPort Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...
is the only public
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
located in Port Charlotte, but not the only high school in Charlotte County.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 46,451 people, 20,453 households, and 13,601 families residing in the CDP. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 2,085.9/sq mi (805.3/km²). There were 23,315 housing units at an average density of 1,047.0/sq mi (404.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.23% White, 6.53% African American, 0.28% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.16% of the population.
There were 20,453 households out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,193, and the median income for a family was $38,406. Males had a median income of $29,019 versus $21,892 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the CDP was $18,563. About 7.3% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. The Herald Tribune stated in an article October 11, 2007, Charlotte County had the region’s highest unemployment rate at 5.8 percent in August, outstripping both the national and state averages.
Notable Residents
- Chris Demakes
Christopher Douglas "Chris" Demakes is a rock musician from the United States, best known as the guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter for the ska punk band Less Than Jake....
, the lead singer and guitarist of the ska band Less Than JakeLess Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, alternative rock, third...
, grew up in Port Charlotte.
- John Hall
John Hall is an former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He kicked for Port Charlotte High School and played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While at Wisconsin, Hall played and won three bowl games...
, former KickerPlacekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points, and, in many cases, kickoffs....
of the National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
's Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community...
; attended Port Charlotte High SchoolPort Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...
- Vincent Hancock
Vincent Hancock is an American shooter and Olympic athlete who won the gold medal at the Men's skeet at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ....
, Olympic gold medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics, was born in Port Charlotte.
- Anthony Hargrove
Anthony La'Ron "Tony" Hargrove is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
, NFL Defensive EndDefensive End is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
currently playing for the New Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints play in the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
; attended Port Charlotte High SchoolPort Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...
.
- Matt LaPorta - MLB Left Fielder
A left fielder , is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
currently playing for the Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field . The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, on US Olympic baseball team for 2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, were a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one...
; attended Port Charlotte High SchoolPort Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...
and Charlotte High SchoolCharlotte High School is a historic public high school in Punta Gorda, Florida, United States serving ninth through twelfth grade students. The school is part of the Charlotte County School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Established in 1926, Charlotte...
- Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who currently plays as a striker for English Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team....
- Professional soccer player for Manchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
of the English Premier League owns a home in Port Charlotte with his wife Colleen McLoughlin.