State:     Florida

City:       Lake Worth

Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the body of water along its eastern border, originally called "Lake Worth", and now generally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The lake itself was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the last part of the Second Seminole War. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 36,342.  The city is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which is home to 5,463,857 people.

Local folklore has it that the first post office in the Lake Worth area was founded in the 1880s by a married African American couple who were freed slaves. The initial name for the post office was Jewel. The post office was located in a small dry good shop which the couple operated to serve the lake traffic which connected the small pioneer homesteads located along the banks of the Lake Worth Lagoon.

Development started after World War II with many modest pensioners, especially from Quebec, Finland and eventually Germany, moving to the city and building 1,000-square-foot (93 m²) cottages. These new immigrants brought their industrious nature with them as well as their native customs, restaurants, shops, and churches and for decades the town flourished. To this day, one can find an abundance of beer halls, chocolatiers, Bavarian delicatessens, and Lutheran churches, which stand out in the semitropical urban sprawl of south Florida.

The South Florida construction boom brought a new wave of immigrants in the past few decades. Central American immigrants, largely from Guatemala, have added a Hispanic aspect to Lake Worth's culture. This influx of cash economy undocumented residents has occurred at the same time as a rise in crime. Their fear of reporting crimes due to their legal status may have contributed to a rise in crime among those who prey both on the immigrants' fear of deportation and the knowledge that the undocumented immigrants are paid in cash and rarely use the banking system. Gang related violence is also problematic in Lake Worth. In 2009, The History Channel aired a documentary on Lake Worth's notoriously violent gang "Top 6." Currently, the robbery rate is over 3 1/2 times the national average, and the overall crime rate is about 2 1/3 times the national average.

Lake Worth bills itself as "Where the Tropics Begin." Many tropical plants grow in the city; among the more prominent examples are mahogany, royal poinciana and many species of palm, including coconut palm. African tulip tree, avocado and many species of eucalyptus may also be found, although they are on the city's list of trees to avoid. Temperate-zone trees native to Lake Worth or Palm Beach County include American elm, live oak, red maple, red mulberry, and slash pine. Species grown south of their native areas include American sweetgum, Shumard oak, and tulip tree.

With 1,026 people claiming Finn descent in 2000,  Lake Worth boasts the second largest Finnish diaspora as a percentage of total population in the world. In addition, Lake Worth has a large population of new immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean, though the downtown area has become increasingly gentrified in recent years. Some of South Florida's most attractive architecture can be found in College Park, an affluent neighborhood in the northeast corner of the city. The festival is an annual fundraiser which supports an array of social services for low to moderate income individuals and families.

Income & Housing Costs Numbers:

Estimated median household income in 2008: $35,125 (it was $30,034 in 2000)

Estimated per capita income in 2008: $18,642

Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $172,601 (it was $75,300 in 2000)

Mean prices in 2008: All housing units: $203,828; Detached houses: $227,488; Townhouses or other attached units: $168,300; In 2-unit structures: $225,151; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $181,752; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $134,846; Mobile homes: $9,635; Occupied boats, RVs, vans, etc.: $5,000

Dec. 2009 cost of living index in Lake Worth: 88.1 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)

 In-Depth Facts and Figures as listed below, plus other information:

·        Climate Charts

1.      Average Temperature

2.      Precipitation (Rain)

3.      Humidity

4.      Wind Speed (MPH)

5.      Snowfall

6.      Sunshine

7.      Cloudy Days

·        Tornado Activity History

·        Hospitals & Medical

·        Airports

·        Colleges/Universities

·        High Schools

·        Locations of Interest

·        Shopping Centers

·        Churches

·        Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Creeks/Parks

·        Tourist Attractions

·        Banks

·        Housing Costs Information

·        Crime Statistics

·        Radio Stations AM/FM

·        TV Broadcast Stations

·        Discussion Forums

For the above information and photos, click this link:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Lake-Worth-Florida.html

Total Tax Burden--Data for Calculation

http://www.retirementliving.com/RLstate1.html#FLORIDA

Listing of Active Retirement Communities:

http://www.retirenet.com/location/communities/36-florida/1-active-lifestyles?city=33463-lake-worth

Visit our Senior Cruising Site at: http://seniorcruisers.org

Other sites of interest:

World of Collectibles

http://www.collectibleshg.info

Information on: Architectural Collectibles, Art Collectibles, Artist Trading Cards , Books & Paper Collectibles, Brand Name Products Collectibles, Clothing Fabric & Textiles Collectibles, Collectibles UnLimited, Doll Collectibles, Household & Furnishings Collectibles, Militaria Collectors, Movies & TV Collectibles, Music Collectibles, Musical Instruments Collectibles, Nature And Animal Collectibles, Numismatics (Currency Collecting), Pottery & Glass Collectibles, Technology Collectibles, Theme Collectibles

DOGS

http://www.zcanines.com

Information on:  Overview Of Dogs, Sporting Dogs, Hounds Dogs, Terrier Dogs, Toy Dogs, Non-Sporting Dogs, Herding Dogs, Miscellaneous Class Dogs, Foundation Stock Service® Breeds Dogs

CATS

http://www.zcats.com

Information on: Cats Overview, Abyssinian Cat, America Cat Bobtail, American Curl Cat, American Shorthair Cat, American Wirehair Cat, Balinese Cat, Birman Cat, Bombay Cat, British Shorthair Cat, Charteux Cat, Colorpoint Shorthair Cat, Cornish Rex Cat, Devon Rex Cat, Egyptian Mau Cat, European Burmese Cat, Exotic Cat, Havana Brown Cat, Japanese Bobtail Cat, Korat Cat, LaPerm Cat, Maine Coon Cat, Manx Cat, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ocicat Cat, Oriental Cat, Persian Cat, Himalayan Cat, Ragamuffin Cat, Russian Blue Cat, Scottish Fold Cat, Selrik Rex Cat, Siamese Cat, Siberian Cat, Singapura Cat, Somali Cat, Sphynx Cat, Tonkinese Cat, Turkish Angora Cat, Turkish Van Cat

BIRD WATCHING

http://www.zavians.com

Information on:  Overview Of Birds, Ostriches-Emus-Kiwis, Gulls, Plovers, Loons, Grebres, Albatrosses, Penguins, Pelicans, Tropical Birds, Storksm Flamingos-Birds, Falcons-Birds, Eagles-Birds, Hawks-Birds, Cranes-Birds, Doves And Pigeons, Parrots, Cuckoos, Owls, Nightjars, Hummingbirds, Kingfishers-Birds, Woodpeckers, Mousebirds, Passerines 

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