Mary Esther is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,982 at the 2020 US census, up from 3,851 at the 2010 census.
Etymology
Mary Esther gets its name from its first postmaster, John Newton, who named it for both of his daughters.
Geography
U.S. Route 98 is the main route through the city, leading east 4 mi (6 km) to Fort Walton Beach and west 37 mi (60 km) to Pensacola.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
Climate
Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. This climate type is found on the eastern sides of the continents between 20° and 35° N and S latitude. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (C = mild temperate, f = fully humid, and a = hot summer), which is a humid subtropical climate zone.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+Mary Esther racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|2,933
|2,755
|76.16%
|69.19%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|263
|262
|6.83%
|6.58%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|24
|12
|0.62%
|0.30%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|197
|185
|5.12%
|4.65%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|4
|8
|0.10%
|0.20%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|3
|9
|0.08%
|0.23%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|139
|305
|3.61%
|7.66%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|288
|446
|7.48%
|11.20%
|-
|Total
|3,851
|3,982
|
|
|-
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Mary Esther had a population of 3,982. The median age was 42.6 years. 19.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,690 households in Mary Esther, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 20.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 3,851 people, 1,770 households, and 1,071 families residing in the city.
2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 4,055 people in 1,623 households, including 1,147 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 1,732 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.65% White, 6.46% African American, 0.96% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.09%. The Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative eventually formed in 1997 with Mary Esther as one of the member libraries. The library received its most recent renovation in 2004 after receiving a $350,000 grant, adding an additional 2,000 square feet.
References
External links
- City of Mary Esther
- Northwest Florida Daily News