Chapter 3 - Foundations of Human Activity

Population

ey West can boast of the most unusual and eclectic population of any American city. "Key West isn't Florida," says a young boy in Joy Williams' short story, "The Blue Men." And it's true. With its cosmopolitan and well-educated population, its something of a cultural Noah's Ark adrift in the Gulf of Mexico-sending out white doves which always seem to loop back and nest in the branches of its own sturdy banyan trees.

The native population, those born on the island, refer to themselves as "Conchs" and represent a unique mix of Bahamian, Cuban, and New England seafaring heritage. Many well-known Conch families have been here for seven or more generations. Some confess to having never been off the island.

It has also attracted generations of artists and writers who popularized the mythology of the island. Key West has been home to Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, John Ciardi, John Hersey, Richard Wilbur, Philip Caputo, Alison Lurie, James Merrill, and Thomas McGuane, among many others. More Pulitzer Prize winners have lived in Key West per capita than in any other city.

Key West is also known for its sizable, accepted, and openly gay population which has contributed greatly to the island's burgeoning tourism and business community.

Despite its reputation for being "laid-back," Key Westers are hard-working people. They have to be. Virtually everything on the island has to be imported on a one-way truck. Add to that the desirability of island property and it is easy to understand why the cost of living is the highest in the state. With tourism as its only true economic base, and relatively low-paying tourism related jobs as the most common denominator, it is clear why many members of the working population hold two or more jobs in order to live in, what they consider paradise.

  Source:http://www.key-west.com/people.htm                                           
         

                                                 

The population of Key West, Florida is approximately 23,935.

Ancestries: English (12.4%), German (12.2%), Irish (11.3%), Italian (6.8%), United States (6.0%), French (3.6%).

Current Local Time: 9:07:20 PM EST time zone

Elevation: 8 feet

Land area: 5.95 square miles.

Population density: 4146 people per square mile For population 25 years and over in Key West: High school or higher: 84.7% Bachelor's degree or higher: 27.3% Graduate or professional degree: 9.8% Unemployed: 3.0% Mean travel time to work (commute): 12.6 minutes For population 15 years and over in Key West city: Never married: 33.8% Now married: 43.3% Separated: 2.3% Widowed: 5.4% Divorced: 15.2% 4,014 residents are foreign born (8.8% Latin America, 4.9% Europe). This city:   15.8% Florida:   16.7%                                                     Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West,_Florida Religion Religion Key West, FL United States Percent Religious 3.39% 49.19% Catholic 16.87% 13.08% LDS 0.29% 1.85% Baptist 3.38% 13.66% Episcopalian 1.09% 0.55% Pentecostal 1.01% 1.84% Lutheran 0.62% 4.91% Methodist 1.86% 6.08% Presbyterian 0.31% 1.22% Other Christian 1.72% 5.60% Jewish 0.70% 0.25% Eastern 0.11% 0.06% Islam 0.00% 0.09% 3.39% of the people in Key West, FL are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 16.87% are Catholic; 0.29% are LDS; 1.72% are another Christian faith; 0.70% in Key West, FL are Jewish; 0.11% are an eastern faith; 0.00% affilitates with Islam. Florida Keys & Key West appeal to visitors through a varied cultural menu. The islands' creative community is vibrant and varied, overflowing with an energy and enthusiasm that has drawn visitors for decades. Today this community is attracting a growing national and international market of people interested in heritage and cultural tourism and who want to experience the arts, with events ranging from an annual literary seminar to a professional symphony orchestra series. Many elements weave together the Keys' creative tapestry.