The city is known as the home of Gulfstream Park (horse racing and casino) and Big Easy Casino, a greyhound racing track which hosts the World Classic. The area surrounding those two major places created a sizable downtown financial district, with offices for a number of banks and brokerage houses, plus many restaurants. Together with neighbouring Hollywood, Florida, it is a popular centre for snowbird tourists and migrants from the Canadian province of Québec,[10] for whom it is called "Canada's southernmost city" or the "southernmost Canadian city".[1][2]
History
Railroad magnate Henry Flagler, owner of the Florida East Coast Railway, recruited Luther Halland, a brother-in-law of Flagler's agents, to found a settlement south of the community of Dania. Halland and Swedish immigrant Olaf Zetterlund touted the frost-free climate and cheap land of the settlement (then named Halland, later changed to Hallandale). Halland constructed a small trading post and became the first postmaster of the small community.
By 1900, the community had slowly grown to a dozen families—seven of Swedish, three of English, and two of African American descent. In 1904 the first school was built, and the first church followed two years later. Hallandale was primarily a farming community; the beach was undeveloped and used by the residents only for recreational purposes.
Hallandale was incorporated on May 11, 1927, the eighth municipality in Broward County. By that time, a thriving community of 1,500 residents, with electricity and street lights, was in place. In 1947, the Town of Hallandale was reincorporated as the City of Hallandale, allowing it to expand its borders through annexation of nearby unincorporated land lying adjacent to the Atlantic shore. On August 27, 1999, the city officially changed its name to Hallandale Beach.[5]
Although it appears from a map that a small portion of the Golden Isles neighborhood extends into Miami-Dade County, this land was actually transferred to Broward County, and annexed to Hallandale Beach in 1978.[12]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 41,217 people, 18,001 households, and 9,135 families residing in the city.[18]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 37,113 people, 17,616 households, and 8,770 families residing in the city.[19]
2000 census
As of 2000, there were 18,051 households, out of which 12.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.8% were non-families. 45.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88 and the average family size was 2.60.
In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 13.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 35.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $28,266, and the median income for a family was $37,171. Males had a median income of $31,287 versus $24,882 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,464. About 13.1% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
In almost all areas, elementary and middle school students are zoned for Gulfstream Academy of Hallandale Beach K–8.[22] A portion of the city is zoned to Colbert Elementary School and McNicol Middle School.[23][24] In all areas, high school students are zoned for Hallandale High School.[25] Private academies eschewing the public system are present in the area. [citation needed]
A free community minibus service, operated by the city of Hallandale Beach, also operates on four routes within the city limits and neighboring areas of Hollywood and Aventura.[29]