Greenacres is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area in South Florida. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 43,990 residents.
Frederick E. Bryant, Harold J. Bryant, and William Greenwood of the Palm Beach Farms Company began buying and selling thousands of acres of land in the area by 1909. However, difficulties with farming in wetland conditions left the land mostly unused until the 1920s land boom. Lawrence Carter "L. C." Swain then platted the original section of Greenacres beginning in 1923. The community was incorporated as Greenacres City on May 24, 1926, with the name being drawn out of a hat. The city was dis-incorporated under controversial circumstances in 1945, before being officially re-incorporated in 1947. The city's population remained small until rapid growth began in the 1970s. Residents voted to rename the community Greenacres in 1990.
Today, Greenacres is a diverse and relatively large community in terms of population. John I. Leonard High School, the largest high school in Palm Beach County and one of the largest in Florida, has been located in Greenacres since the city annexed the property in 1994.
History
In 1909, Frederick E. Bryant—a British agriculturalist—Harold J. Bryant, and William Greenwood of the Palm Beach Farms Company in Colorado, bought thousands of acres of land in the Everglades and later along the coast of Lake Worth in 1910. The men sold the land to buyers throughout the United States and Canada, offering plots for $250, with a $10 down payment and a $10 per month charge, which also included a parcel on the shore of Lake Worth. However, difficulties involved with farming in the Everglades forced 308 buyers to settle at their properties along Lake Worth, an area that would later become the city of Lake Worth Beach. Until the land boom of the 1920s, these lots were effectively abandoned. Around that time, Lawrence Carter "L. C." Swain of Massachusetts acquired of land, with the intention of creating a community for the working class. He initially platted approximately half of the land in 1923, with a plat just west of Military Trail becoming the original section of the city. By 1925, Swain began selling lots for $225.
The town was originally incorporated as Greenacres City on May 24, 1926. Upon incorporating, the town had an estimated 1,250 residents. In September of that year, a hurricane destroyed the civic building and community hall, but did not cause much other significant damage. Two years later, Greenacres City was devastated by the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane,
Swain died in 1944; Swain Boulevard and L. C. Swain Middle School are named in his honor. In 1945, about 125 residents petitioned for the Florida Legislature to abolish Greenacres City as a municipality. Additionally, Grabowski accused a resident of starting the dissolution movement out of spite after being denied a homestead exemption and claimed that many of the signatories did not actually own property in Greenacres City. Grabowski also asserted that the pleas of city officials and a large number of residents in favor of remaining a town were ignored. On December 4, 1945, a meeting was held to reincorporate Greenacres City. A total of 86 out of 120 registered voters turned out, more than the two-thirds of voters quorum required. The 86 voters unanimously decided to reincorporate. The area's rights as a city were restored, while Greenacres City was officially reincorporated in 1947. Over the subsequent decades, Greenacres City eventually expanded to through annexation. On November 6, 1990, about 60% of voters chose to drop the word "city" from the official name, thus renaming the municipality Greenacres. After the 1990 census indicated a population of 18,638, city council authorized a special census in 1993, which added more than 3,000 additional residents to the official population count, making Greenacres eligible for funds from the state government of Florida. In July 2007, construction was completed on a new city hall and public works facility on Melaleuca Lane.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+Greenacres racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|15,347
|11,739
|40.85%
|26.69%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|6,008
|9,430
|15.99%
|21.44%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|57
|50
|0.15%
|0.11%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|1,104
|1,649
|2.94%
|3.75%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|25
|5
|0.07%
|0.01%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|122
|310
|0.32%
|0.70%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|520
|1,127
|1.38%
|2.56%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|14,390
|19,680
|38.30%
|44.74%
|-
|Total
|37,573
|43,990
|100.00%
|100.00%
|-
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Greenacres had a population of 43,990 and 16,113 households, of which 9,601 were family households. The median age was 38.2 years; 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.4 males age 18 and over. 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
Of the 16,113 households, 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.1% were married-couple households, 17.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 15,671 || 35.6%
|-
| Black or African American || 9,771 || 22.2%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 418 || 1.0%
|-
| Asian || 1,682 || 3.8%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 8 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 7,151 || 16.3%
|-
| Two or more races || 9,289 || 21.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 19,680 || 44.7%
|}
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 37,573 people, 14,282 households, and 8,405 families were residing in the city. The population density was 6,487.5 inhabitants per square mile (2,504.84/km<sup>2</sup>). The 17,249 housing units averaged 2,928.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,130.7/km<sup>2</sup>).
In 2010, in the city, the age distribution was 16.6% at 65 or older, 24.8% was under 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, and 22.1% from 45 to 64; the median age was 36.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. Around 35.4% of the households in 2010 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 16.4% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 34.4% were not families. About 27.9% of all households were made up of one individual, and 32.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.17.
2000 census
As of 2000, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80.
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,569 people, 12,059 households, and 7,585 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,917.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,284.2/km²). There were 14,153 housing units at an average density of 3,037.9 per square mile (1,172.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 83.21% White (69.2% were Non-Hispanic White), 6.49% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.61% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.25% of the population.
The age distribution of the population was spread out in 2000, with 20.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males. As of 2000, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 37.1% were non-families. Approximately 29.7% of all households were made up of one individual, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80.
As of 2000, Greenacres had the ninety-ninth highest percentage of Cuban residents in the United States, with 2.41% of the populace (tied with Forest, Mississippi). It also had the ninety-seventh highest percentage of Colombian residents in the United states, at 1.67% of the city's population.
Education
All K–12 public education is administrated by the School District of Palm Beach County, which is the tenth-largest school district in the United States by enrollment.
Public Elementary Schools
- Cholee Lake Elementary School
- Diamond View Elementary School
- Greenacres Elementary School
- Heritage Elementary School
- Liberty Park Elementary School
- Forest Hill Elementary School
Public Middle Schools
- L. C. Swain Middle School
- Okeeheelee Middle School
- Tradewinds Middle School
Public High School
- John I. Leonard High School