If you're planning a trip to Key West, you might be wondering - What is the population of Key West City? Here are some facts. Key West was a small town when it was settled, with only five hundred and seventeen residents in 1830. As the city developed as a military, maritime and county seat community, its population grew dramatically. The census records from this time period give an idea of the population's rapid growth. The census data from Key West shows that the city's population increased from just 517 people to 17,114 in 1900, and 20,000 in the 1920s.
Before Europeans came to Key West, it was inhabited by the Calusa tribe. In May of 1889, the Florida legislature granted a new charter to the city, incorporating the island into the city limits. The new charter also empowered the city to float bonds for street improvements and incorporated its mayor. Ultimately, Jacksonville eventually outgrew Key West, and incorporated most of Duval County. Key West is a prime example of a city rising from the ashes of overwhelming odds.
Key West's residential area, Bahama Village, is located at the center of the city. In the early 1800s, Bahamian settlers settled in Key West and built cozy homes. Nowadays, the city is home to the third largest barrier coral reef in the world, known as the Florida Straits. This barrier reef stretches 150 miles north toward Miami and 70 miles west to the Dry Tortugas. It is the third largest barrier reef in the world, and is located in a section of the Florida Keys, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico.