Overview

Introduction to Daytona Beach, Florida

The city of Daytona Beach is located on the eastern coast of central Florida, about 55 miles northeast of Orlando, 90 miles south of Jacksonville and 90 miles north of Melbourne. Famous for its beaches and vacationers (especially college students on spring break), the city is also home to the Daytona International Speedway, site of the Daytona 500, the opening race of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Nextel Cup season. Local institutes of higher education include Daytona Beach Community College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethune-Cookman College and Keiser College (Daytona Beach Campus).

Incorporated in 1876, the city was named for its founder, Matthias Day, a wealthy northern entrepreneur who moved to the area and built its first hotel (the Palmetto House) in 1874. Other moguls soon followed, taking advantage of the area's popularity as a vacation spot. By the turn of the century, automobile and motorcycle racing along the smooth hard-packed beaches became very popular. Ormond Beach acquired the nickname the "birthplace of speed" owing to the number of land speed records set there. In 1936, the first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course and 11 years later, NASCAR was founded in the city. Motor sporting took a giant leap forward in 1959 with the opening of the Daytona International Speedway, which replaced the beach course. Automobiles are still allowed on the beach, only now at much slower speeds. Today, a combination of beach goers, motor sport enthusiasts and other vacationers regularly descends on the Daytona Beach area, which accommodates approximately 8 million visitors each year.

Things to do in Daytona Beach

The Daytona Beach calendar is full of year-round events which draw visitors. The city has a long reputation as the nation's #1 Spring Break destination. The Black College Reunion (BCR) is also held in Daytona Beach every spring. The Bike Week and Biketoberfest motorcycle events draw bikers from all over the world numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Other Daytona Beach annual motor events include the Daytona 500 NASCAR race, the Rolex 24 sports car race, the Daytona 200 motorcycle race and the Pepsi 400 NASCAR race.

There is more to Daytona Beach than motor sports. Performing arts take center stage at the Daytona Beach Bandshell, an outdoor oceanfront concert series featuring jazz, Dixieland, folk, big band and rhythm and blues music held every year from April to October. The Daytona Playhouse has been around for over 40 years, offering a variety of stage productions annually from September through June. The Seaside Music Theater offers performances in winter and summer. Some of the city's prominent sites for visual arts include:

  • Museum of Arts & Sciences.
  • Halifax Historical Museum.
  • Southeast Museum of Photography.
  • African American and Caribbean American Museum of Art.
  • Harvey W. Lee Jr. Memorial Gallery.
  • Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens.
  • Southeast Museum of Photography.

Central Florida is replete with world-class attractions located within reasonable driving distance of Daytona Beach. Following is a partial list:

  • Kennedy Space Center (Merritt Island, near Cape Canaveral).
  • Universal Studios (Orlando).
  • Sea World Florida (Orlando).
  • Walt Disney World (Orlando).

For sports fans, the city is home to the Daytona Cubs, the single-A Minor League Baseball farm team of the Chicago Cubs. Also, the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) is headquartered here. And not surprisingly, NASCAR is headquartered here too. Sports fans can also catch the following major league action within a two hour drive or less:

  • NBA Basketball: Orlando Magic.
  • NFL Football: Jacksonville Jaguars.
  • Arena Football: Orlando Predators.
  • Minor League Baseball: Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewer AAA-affiliate playing in Viera, just outside of Melbourne).
  • Jacksonville Suns (LA Dodgers AA-affiliate).

During the month of March, the following Major League baseball teams play their Spring Training games nearby:

  • Atlanta Braves (Walt Disney World in Orlando).
  • Houston Astros (Kissimmee, located 22 miles south of Orlando).
  • Washington Nationals (Viera).

Demographics

People

Total Population66,520
Male Share of the Population49.8%
Female Share of the Population50.2%
Senior Citizens20.4%
Employed Population 16+26,658
Age of the Population41

Families

% of people married30.8%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher26.9%
Median Earnings25+$27,212
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$23,117
Median Earnings With High School Degree$25,715

Wealth

Median Family Income$47,933
% Above Poverty Level73.7%
% Below Poverty Level26.3%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time20 minutes
% Working from Home4.6%
% Walking and Biking to Work3.6%
% Using Public Transportation4.1%

Housing

People Living Alone43.1%
Median Gross Rent$894
Median House Value$141,000

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)42.6%
German9.4%
Irish8.3%
English6.5%
Italian4.9%
French Except Basque2%
Polish1.9%
West Indian1.8%
Scottish1.6%
African0.8%
Dutch0.7%
Canadian0.7%
Jamaican0.7%
Swedish0.6%
Brazilian0.6%
Arab0.6%
Hungarian0.6%
Russian0.6%
Norwegian0.6%
Portuguese0.5%
Nigerian0.4%
Guyanese0.4%
Welsh0.4%
Greek0.3%
Czech0.3%
Belizean0.3%
British0.2%
Haitian0.2%
Ukrainian0.2%
Lebanese0.2%
Egyptian0.2%
Lithuanian0.2%
Trinidad Tobago0.1%
Turkish0.1%
Swiss0.1%
Iranian0.1%
Australian0.1%
Syrian0.1%
Moroccan0.1%
US/American0.1%
Austrian0.1%
Belgian0.1%
Slovak0.1%
Romanian0.1%
Danishn0.1%
Slovene0.1%
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Daytona Beach Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyVolusia County
Standard Zip Codes32114, 32124, 32118, 32117, 32119
P.O. Box Zip Codes32115, 32126, 32122, 32120, 32116, 32121, 32125, 32123
Company Zip Codes32198
Phone Area Codes386
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude29.19
Approximate Longitude-81.05

Daytona Beach Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationDAYTONA BEACH INTL AP
Distance2.5 miles
Jan Temp47 to 70 F
Apr Temp58 to 80 F
Jul Temp72 to 91 F
Oct Temp65 to 83 F
Annual Precip49.2 inches
StationDELAND 1 SSE
Distance22.2 miles
Jan Temp45 to 70 F
Apr Temp56 to 81 F
Jul Temp71 to 91 F
Oct Temp62 to 83 F
Annual Precip57 inches
StationCRESCENT CITY
Distance32.6 miles
Jan Temp46 to 68 F
Apr Temp59 to 81 F
Jul Temp74 to 92 F
Oct Temp65 to 83 F
Annual Precip49.7 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Daytona Beach Shores4,413$75,875
Holly Hill12,042$40,407
Ormond Beach41,907$72,568
Ponce Inlet3,192$88,235
Port Orange61,601$66,507
South Daytona12,734$46,088

Daytona Beach Public Libraries

Volusia County Public Library
1290 INDIAN LAKE RD.
Daytona Beach, Florida
(386) 248-1745

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More Information for Librarians

Daytona Beach Hospitals

Halifax Health Medical Center
(Government - District/authority)
303 N Clyde Morris Blvd
(386) 254-4000
Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center
(Non-profit)
301 Memorial Medical Pkwy
(386) 231-6000
Halifax Psychiatric Center-north
(Government - District/authority)
841 Jimmy Ann Dr
(386) 274-5333

Daytona Beach Public Schools

Campbell Middle School
625 S Keech St
ZIP: 32114
(386) 239-6250
Middle
Total Enrollment 850
Easter Seals Child Development Center, Daytona Beach
1219 Dunn Ave
ZIP: 32114
(386) 255-4568
Primary
Total Enrollment 40
Mainland High School
1255 W International Speedway, Lvd
ZIP: 32114
(386) 226-0300
High
Total Enrollment 1913
Palm Terrace Elementary School
1825 Dunn Ave
ZIP: 32114
(386) 274-3430
Primary
Total Enrollment 635
The Chiles Academy
868 George W Engram Blvd
ZIP: 32114
(386) 322-6102
Other
Total Enrollment 164
Turie T. Small Elementary School
800 South St
ZIP: 32114
(386) 239-6340
Primary
Total Enrollment 442
Volusia Halfway House
1047 Madison Ave
ZIP: 32114
(386) 947-5990
Amikids Volusia
1420 Mason Ave Ste A
ZIP: 32117
(386) 274-5786
Other
Total Enrollment 24
David C Hinson Sr Middle School
1860 N Clyde Morris Blvd
ZIP: 32117
(386) 258-4682
Middle
Total Enrollment 909
Halifax Behavioral Services
841 Jimmy Ann Dr
ZIP: 32117
(386) 425-3963
Other
Total Enrollment 34
Richard Milburn Academy
1031 Mason Ave
ZIP: 32117
(386) 304-0086
High
Total Enrollment 361
Richard Milburn Academy Middle School
1025 Mason Ave # 1031
ZIP: 32117
(386) 304-0086
Middle
Total Enrollment 96
Westside Elementary School
1210 Jimmy Ann Dr
ZIP: 32117
(386) 274-3400
Primary
Total Enrollment 599
Ortona Elementary School
1265 N Grandview Ave
ZIP: 32118
(386) 239-6380
Primary
Total Enrollment 243
R. J. Longstreet Elementary School
2745 S Peninsula Dr
ZIP: 32118
(386) 756-7280
Primary
Total Enrollment 446
Riverview Learning Center
801 N Wild Olive Ave
ZIP: 32118
(386) 258-4673
Other
Total Enrollment 21
Seabreeze High School
2700 N Oleander Ave
ZIP: 32118
(386) 676-1400
High
Total Enrollment 1665
Champion Elementary School
921 Tournament Dr
ZIP: 32124
(386) 274-6500
Primary
Total Enrollment 629
Dept. Of Corrections Educational Program
1300 Red John Dr
ZIP: 32124
(386) 947-5990
High
Total Enrollment 10
G4s Youth Services Inc.
1386 Indian Lake Rd
ZIP: 32124
(386) 947-5904
Other
Total Enrollment 23
Stewart Treatment Center
3875 Tiger Bay Rd
ZIP: 32124
(386) 947-5990
Other
Total Enrollment 31
Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center
3840 Old Deland Rd
ZIP: 32124
(386) 238-4788
Other
Total Enrollment 49

Daytona Beach Private Schools

Basilica School Of St Paul
317 Mullally St
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 141
Halifax Academy
275 N Williamson Blvd
ZIP: 32114
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 90
Indigo Christian Jr Academy
401 N Williamson Blvd
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 34
Lilies Of The Fields
201 San Juan Ave
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 14
Mount Calvary Academy
700 Bellevue Ave
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 66
Mt Calvary Academy
700 Bellevue Ave
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 80
The Chase Academy
910 Beville Rd
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 19
Word And Praise Christian Learning Center
955 Orange Ave Ste 120
ZIP: 32114
Elementary
Total Enrollment 11
Living Faith Academy
950 Derbyshire Rd
ZIP: 32117
Elementary
Total Enrollment 23
Lourdes Academy
1014 N Halifax Ave
ZIP: 32118
Elementary
Total Enrollment 223
Father Lopez Catholic High School
3918 Lpga Blvd
ZIP: 32124
Secondary
Total Enrollment 346
Sources :
Additional Details
Daytona Beach Colleges
Daytona Beach colleges and trade schools.
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Historic Daytona Beach

photo

Ridgewood Hotel and Avenue between 1910 and 1920

Select a photo to view (Source):

Ridgewood Hotel and Avenue between 1910 and 1920

Residence on North Beach St. c1903.

Residences on Ridgewood Avenue 1904 (est.)

Additional Resources
Info for Daytona Beach Government Officials


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