Editing Lake Hamilton, Florida

{{Short description| Town in the state of Florida, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| name                     = Lake Hamilton, Florida
| official_name            = Town of Lake Hamilton
| other_name               = 
| native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname                 = 
| settlement_type          = [[Town (Florida)|Town]]
| motto                    = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline            = Lake Hamilton Fl post office01.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = United States Post Office of Lake Hamilton
| image_flag               = 
| flag_size                = 
| image_seal               = Lake hamilton logo.jpg
| seal_size                = 
| image_shield             = 
| shield_size              = 
| image_blank_emblem       = 
| blank_emblem_type        = 
| blank_emblem_size        = 
| image_map                = Polk_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Lake_Hamilton_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250x200px
| map_caption              = Location in [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| image_dot_map            = 
| dot_mapsize              = 
| dot_map_caption          = 
| dot_x                    = 
| dot_y                    = 
| pushpin_map              = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption      = 
| pushpin_mapsize          = <!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Florida}}
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = {{noflag|[[Polk County, Florida|Polk]]}}
| subdivision_type3        = 
| subdivision_name3        = 
| subdivision_type4        = 
| subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Mayor-council government|Mayor-Council]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Michael W. Kehoe
| leader_title1            = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1             = Marlene Wagner
| leader_title2            = [[City Council|Council Members]]
| leader_name2             = Cora Perry Roberson,<br>Robert Mathis, and<br>Patrick Slavens
| leader_title3            = [[City Manager|Town Administrator]]
| leader_name3             = Michael Teague
| leader_title4            = [[City Clerk|Town Clerk]]
| leader_name4             = Jacqueline Borja
| established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date         = 
| established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date2        = November 6, 1924<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lake Hamilton Town Council Overview|url=https://www.townoflakehamilton.com/citycouncil|website=www.townoflakehamilton.com}}</ref>
| established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Formally Incorporated]]
| established_date3        = 1925<ref>{{Cite web|title=FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR|url=http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/docs/default-source/CMRI/2016citiesbyincorporationb682b2c41a9e6c4e8be5ff0000e8da5f.pdf?sfvrsn=0|website=www.floridaleagueofcities.com}}</ref>
<!-- Area    --------------------->
| area_magnitude           = 
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 10.63
| area_land_km2            = 8.08
| area_water_km2           = 2.55
| area_total_sq_mi         = 4.10
| area_land_sq_mi          = 3.12
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.98
| area_water_percent       = 
| area_urban_km2           = 
| area_urban_sq_mi         = 
| area_metro_km2           = 
| area_metro_sq_mi         = 
| area_blank1_title        = 
| area_blank1_km2          = 
| area_blank1_sq_mi        = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_note          = 
| population_total         = 1537
| population_density_km2   = 190.21
| population_density_sq_mi = 492.63
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_urban         = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 
| population_blank1_title  = 
| population_blank1        = 
| population_density_blank1_km2 = 
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| coordinates              = {{coord|28|2|48|N|81|37|20|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3"/>
| elevation_m              = 
| elevation_ft             = 148
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 33851
| area_code                = [[Area code 863|863]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 12-37975<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 0285246<ref name="GR3">{{GNIS|285246}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.townoflakehamilton.com/}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}
'''Lake Hamilton''' is a town in [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]], [[Florida]], United States. The population was 1,537 at the 2020 census. It is part of the [[Lakeland, Florida|Lakeland]]&ndash;[[Winter Haven, Florida|Winter Haven]] [[Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

The town is named after the lake itself: [[Lake Hamilton (Florida)|Lake Hamilton]], which is one of the many lakes in the [[Chain of Lakes (Winter Haven)|Chain of Lakes]]. Also, [[Middle Lake Hamilton]] and [[Little Lake Hamilton]] are located nearby.

From 1964 through the 1970s, [[Hurricane Aircat]]s, military [[airboat]]s used by the [[US Army]] in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], were manufactured in Lake Hamilton. The airboats were made by Hurricane Fiberglass Products Company, an [[airboat]] and [[fiberglass]] manufacturer based in the neighboring town of [[Auburndale, Florida|Auburndale]].<ref name=Brochure>{{cite book |title=Aircat...Year 'Round! |date=May 1972 |publisher=Hurricane Fiberglass Products Corp |location=Lake Hamilton, Florida |url=http://www.takuriver.com/HURRICANEAIRCATTOMCATPAGE1.htm |access-date=July 12, 2018 |archive-date=July 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712215643/http://www.takuriver.com/HURRICANEAIRCATTOMCATPAGE1.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
The approximate coordinates for the '''Town of Lake Hamilton''' is located in [[Central Florida]] at {{coord|28|2|48|N|81|37|20|W|}}.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|3.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|3.0|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}} (22.51%) is water.

The dominant geographic feature in the city is the large lake after which the city is named. Lake Hamilton is part of the [[Chain of Lakes (Winter Haven)|Chain of Lakes]]. The lake has a surface area of {{convert|2,184|acre|m2}} and an average depth of {{convert|7.2|ft|m}}.<ref>polk county water atlas http://www.polk.wateratlas.usf.edu/lake/?wbodyatlas=lake&wbodyid=160497</ref>

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], the Town of Pierson has a [[humid subtropical climate]] zone (''Cfa'').<ref name="Koppen">{{cite web
 |url=http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/ 
 |title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated 
 |date=November 6, 2008 
 |access-date=September 10, 2010 
 |publisher=University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906034159/http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/ 
 |archive-date=September 6, 2010 
}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 399
|1940= 344
|1950= 604
|1960= 930
|1970= 1165
|1980= 1552
|1990= 1128
|2000= 1304
|2010= 1231
|2020= 1537
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Lake Hamilton (FL) Town Hall and Police Department-4.jpg|right|thumb|Lake Hamilton Town Hall and Police Department]]

===2010 and 2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Lake Hamilton racial composition'''<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lake Hamilton town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Lake+Hamilton+town;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lake Hamilton town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Lake+Hamilton+town;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|730
|659
|59.30%
|42.88%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|296
|258
|24.05%
|16.79%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3
|7
|0.24%
|0.46%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|10
|18
|0.81%
|1.17%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|6
|40
|0.49%
|2.60%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|21
|52
|1.71%
|3.38%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|165
|503
|13.40%
|32.73%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,231'''
|'''1,537'''
|
|
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,537 people, 444 households, and 348 families residing in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Lake Hamilton town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Lake+Hamilton+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 1,231 people, 474 households, and 284 families residing in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Lake Hamilton town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Lake+Hamilton+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 1,304 people, 482 households, and 362 families in the town. The population density was {{convert|430.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 535 housing units at an average density of {{convert|176.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 71.09% White, 25.15% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 2.30% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.06%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 482 households in 2000, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 21.0% of households were one person and 8.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.09.

The age distribution in 2000 was 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

In 2000, the median household income was $33,438 and the median family income  was $38,050. Males had a median income of $28,281 versus $21,833 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,199. About 13.3% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 40.5% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==

* [[Florida State Road 17|State Road 17]] – The '''Scenic Highway''' going through the center of town, paralleling US 27 and leading southward to downtown [[Dundee, Florida|Dundee]] and [[Lake Wales, Florida|Lake Wales]]
* [[U.S. Route 27 in Florida|US 27]] – Located just west of town, this divided highway leads to Lake Wales and Haines City.

==References==

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{commons category|Lake Hamilton, Florida}}

== External links ==

*[http://www.townoflakehamilton.com/ Lake Hamilton] Town website

{{Polk County, Florida}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Polk County, Florida]]
[[Category:Towns in Florida]]
[[Category:Lakes of Polk County, Florida|Hamilton]]