Jupiter, Florida is a town lying along the northern edge of Palm Beach County, making it one of the northernmost communities that make up the Miami metropolitan area. As of the 2015 census estimate, Jupiter has a population of 62,707, meaning that it accounts for roughly 1% of the Greater Miami area. The city is famed for its beautiful beaches and sparkling ocean, so much so that Coastal Living rated it as the 9th Happiest Seaside Town in America in 2012.
Jupiter’s countless annual visitors often wonder how a city ended up with the same name as a planet. The area where the town was built originally bore the name of the Hobe Native American tribe who lived along the nearby Loxahatchee River mouth; though the city no longer uses this name, the Hobe name is still preserved in the nearby Hobe Sound.[11] Sometime during the colonial period, a cartographer misunderstood the word “Jobe” (the Spanish spelling of the name “Hobe”) and recorded it instead as “Jove,” one of the variants of the Roman god Jupiter (king of the gods and god of light, weather, the sky, and law). Over time, the name’s origins with the Hobe tribe were nearly forgotten; Jove became widely accepted as a Latin translation for the Roman god, and people eventually anglicized the town name to simply “Jupiter.” This led to a trend of nearby places receiving similar names, such as Juno Beach being named for Juno, Jupiter’s consort in Roman mythology.
Jupiter is home to many famous landmarks, the most notable of which is the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, finished in 1860. The tower is made of sturdy brick, and was painted red in 1910 in order to hide the wide discoloration caused by Florida’s humidity. In 2004, Hurricane Jeanne hit the coast of Jupiter with such force that it stripped the paint from the upper portion of the tower. As a result, the lighthouse was repainted with a potassium silicate mineral coating designed to offer further protection. In modern times, the Inlet Lighthouse has become an unofficial symbol for Jupiter.
Jupiter has a Tropical savanna climate, meaning that the vast majority of the year is warm or hot; frost, snow, and other cold-weather signs are exceedingly rare. As with much of South Florida, Jupiter has two basic seasons: a dry and mild winter lasting from November through April, and a hot and wet summer stretching from May through October. Daily thunderstorms are common during the spring and summer, though they typically do not last more than a few hours at a time.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Jupiter comprises 21.1 square miles; 20.0 square miles of this is land, while the remaining 1.1 square miles is water. This land area is the home of many notable buildings and facilities, including two public high schools (Jupiter Community High School and William T. Dwyer High School) and two higher education facilities (Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College and the John D. MacArthur campus of Florida Atlantic University).
Throughout both Florida and the United States as a whole, Jupiter is famed for its stunning beaches, luxurious amenities, and friendly, easy-going lifestyle. The town plays host to many breathtaking tourist activities, including walking trails that offer the chance for a rare glimpse of turtle hatchlings, hiking or biking trails leading through lush parks and golden beaches, kayaking centers along the Loxahatchee River, and the famous view offered by the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. This same site also features a preserved pioneer-era homestead, and a museum devoted to regional history and housed in an old World War II U.S. Navy building. For sports fans, Jupiter’s Roger Dean Stadium is home to the spring training initiatives of both the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball teams. Nearby, the Abacoa Town Center features quaint shops, countless restaurants, weekly town events, and live music all summer long.
On the east edge of town, Jupiter’s beaches provide the perfect destination for those looking to surf, swim, or simply soak up some rays. Dubois Park offers more than 1,200 feet of playgrounds, pavilions, and palm-lined beach, while Carlin Park features an exercise trail and several picnic areas. Ocean Cay Park also has several pavilions and picnic locations, as well as playgrounds, showers, and public restrooms.
At just over an hour’s drive from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jupiter is easily accessible from virtually anywhere. Every year, thousands of visitors make their way up from Miami in order to enjoy all the amenities of a beachfront paradise without the hustle and bustle of a major city.
Though it may seem like just a tourist town at first glance, Jupiter is home to a thriving community of small businesses run by locals. This long list of businesses includes The Plumbing Company, the premier plumbing service on the Treasure Coast. If you need a fast and reliable plumber in Jupiter, call The Plumbing Company at 772-223-8688 to schedule your appointment today!