Holmes Beach is a city on Anna Maria Island in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,010, During World War II, Holmes was stationed in Tampa. Holmes obtained the interest of three others, Frank B. Giles of Georgia, Pedar Mickelsen of Minnesota and Francis Karel of Chicago, to help develop it. In 1947 or 1948 a small airport was built. One person had a plane at the airport and used it as an air taxi during the tourist season and was used by residents and visitors taking them to wherever they wanted to go.
Manatee Public Beach located at the intersection of Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive opened in 1952, originally as Manatee County Public Beach. It was managed by a local Kiwanis Club chapter, with all proceeds going to local charity-related initiatives. During the 1950s and 1960s, the beach was racially segregated like many others in the Southeastern United States. It is not clear, however, when the beach was officially desegregated. The beach was renamed "Manatee Beach" before being changed to Manatee Public Beach.
In 1954, Holmes Beach annexed the neighboring subdivision communities of Ilexhurst, Jones, and Casanas, bringing the entirety of Anna Maria Island under municipal governments.
An airport that had existed closed in 1973 because of the cost to maintain it and that it needed improvements. Between 1975 and 1980, the airport land was redeveloped by the municipal government.
Climate
The city of Holmes Beach is part of the humid subtropical climate zone with a Köppen Climate Classification of "Cfa" (C = mild temperate, f = fully humid, and a = hot summer).
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+Holmes Beach racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|3,663
|2,769
|95.49%
|91.99%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|3
|5
|0.08%
|0.17%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|12
|4
|0.31%
|0.13%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|28
|31
|0.73%
|1.03%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|6
|5
|0.16%
|0.17%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|20
|93
|0.52%
|3.09%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|104
|103
|2.71%
|3.42%
|-
|Total
|3,836
|3,010
|100.00%
|100.00%
|-
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Holmes Beach had a population of 3,010. The median age was 64.7 years. 6.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 49.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.0 males age 18 and over.
There were 1,632 households in Holmes Beach, of which 9.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.0% were married-couple households, 16.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 3,836 people, 2,172 households, and 1,084 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 4,966 people in 2,538 households, including 1,482 families, in the city.