| Location, Infrastructure and Amenities |
The City of Plantation is highly accessible given its central location in Broward County and South Florida. Major highways enhance access to and from the city: to the East by the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 95, to the South by Interstate 595 and to the West by the Sawgrass Expressway and Interstate 75. State Road 7 provides quick north and south access to neighboring communities. The city is less than an hour away from Miami and Palm Beach and just minutes from Fort Lauderdale and the ocean. No other South Florida community can boast such accessibility to the highway network. Access to air transportation via the Fort Lauderdale International Airport and a deepwater port is available at Port Everglades, which is also an 8-minute drive from Plantation. Rail transportation is equally accessible with both Tri-Rail and Amtrak less than 15 minutes from the city. Plantation is arguably the most accessible South Florida community.
Quality of life is an increasingly important factor under consideration when companies are contemplating relocation as employers are concerned about employees' fulfillment outside of work as well as inside the work place.
Unlike many South Florida communities, Plantation is a safe community in which to live. This is becoming an increasingly important consideration for people and businesses that are leaving urban centers such as Fort Lauderdale and Miami in order to escape the threat and cost of crime. Plantation is a safe haven for individuals and companies interested in personal and public safety.
Quality public schools are an important consideration for individuals and businesses when considering relocation. Educational opportunities are a big attraction - Plantation students from both public and private schools have consistently scored in the upper percentiles on standardized tests, received recognition in local, regional and post-secondary schools. Plantation is conveniently located just a quarter mile north of the South Florida Education Center that houses Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University and Broward Community College. The "Guide to Education" explains the City's education resources in greater detail and is available to the public at City Hall and the Plantation Chamber of Commerce.
Plantation is home to major hospitals including Plantation General Hospital and Westside Regional Medical Center so quality health care is never far away.
Plantation offers residents a quality of life that cannot be found in other South Florida communities. With six golf courses, over 1,000 acres of open space, 38 city parks, and countless opportunities for youth and adult recreation, it is not surprising that the people who work in Plantation also enjoy living in the city. Plantation offers residents a feeling of a hometown community that cannot be found in neighboring cities.
 Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
|
Taxation |
| Plantation has the third lowest millage rate in Broward County. Among large Broward County cities, Plantation offers the best level of service for the lowest cost to taxpayers. Lower millage rates and a conservative fiscal approach to municipal finance create a stable and lucrative atmosphere for business and industry. A low millage rate means the city is pro-business and an inexpensive destination for business relocation. Maintaining a low millage rate offers Plantation a competitive advantage over other Broward County communities when attempting to attract new firms. |
Broward County Millage Rates (dollars per $1,000 of taxable value) |
Community |
Total Millage Rate* |
Weston |
21.4533 |
Pembroke Pines |
23.4268 |
Plantation |
23.6798 |
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea |
23.8753 |
Lighthouse Point |
23.9366 |
Coral Springs |
23.9536 |
Parkland |
24.0298 |
Hillsboro Beach |
24.2393 |
North Lauderdale |
24.9663 |
Oakland Park |
25.1357 |
Pompano Beach |
25.3064 |
Coconut Creek |
25.3199 |
Tamarac |
25.4198 |
Fort Lauderdale |
25.4962 |
Lauderhill |
25.5298 |
Cooper City |
25.7924 |
Hollywood |
25.8233 |
Sea Ranch Lakes |
25.8253 |
Davie |
25.9387 |
Dania |
26.0298 |
Deerfield Beach |
26.2531 |
Sunrise |
26.2548 |
Miramar |
26.4460 |
Hallandale |
26.5104 |
Wilton Manors |
26.5661 |
Margate |
27.0179 |
Pembroke Park |
27.7734 |
Source: Broward County Property Appraiser, 2000
* Includes Broward Co. General Fund, Capital Outlay, 1986, 1992, and 1993 Bond Repayment, School Board General Fund, Capital Outlay, Debt Service, S. Florida Water Management District, Okeechobee Basin, Everglades C.P., N. Hospital District, Florida Inland Navigation and Municipal Taxes. |
Population |
The City of Plantation is currently the 6th largest city in Broward County, following Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines and Sunrise. The 2000 Census indicates that the City of Plantation's population is 82,934. The city has enjoyed a sustained period of population growth since the city's incorporation in 1953. In fact, Plantation grew by 24.1% during the period of 1990-2000. Population projections prepared by the City of Plantation Planning Department, using University of Florida Bureau of Economic & Business Research data, estimate that the city's total population will grow to 98,379 in 2005 and 100,254 in 2010. The latter figures reflect the city's size as it nears build out.
Census data indicates that the median age of a Plantation resident is 37.1 years, as compared with 37.7 in Broward County as a whole. 14% of Plantation's population is age 65 and older. Plantation has a significantly lower percentage of elderly residents compared with Broward County, where 21% of the population is 65 and older. In Plantation, 21% of the population is less than 18 years of age. Plantation has more young people, which is consistent with Plantation being home to many families with children. The majority of the population is between the ages of 18 and 64. This age cohort is generally considered the working age population. 65% of Plantation residents are therefore considered to be of working age. |
Education |
In order to attract businesses to the City, they must be assured that they will have access to a suitably educated workforce. While employers seek a generally well-educated workforce, they also seek employees with specialized skills and training. Plantation residents constitute a generally well-educated workforce. 87% of Plantation residents have received at least high school equivalency in their education. 61% of residents have gone to college. 29% of the city's residents hold bachelor's degrees and 10% of residents hold graduate or professional degrees. Educational attainment at this level provides Plantation residents with access to higher than average paying employment opportunities. Plantation provides employers with access to a well-educated pool of individuals from which to build their workforce. And with four major universities less than 10 minutes away, employers have easy access to workforce development opportunities.
Plantation's proximity to institutions of higher learning allows the business community to have easy access to a suitably skilled workforce, adult education programs and higher education opportunities. In fact, lifelong learning is increasingly a requisite to ensure job security throughout a worker's career, so Plantation encourages a continuous dialogue between the private sector and educational institutions as part of its competitive advantage strategy.
|
Income |
| Plantation's residents are relatively affluent with a median household income of $44,090 in 1994 and $46,289 in 1998. In 1998, the national median household income was $38,135. Thus, a Plantation household earns $8,154 more than the median American household. In comparison with the rest of the United States, Plantation residents enjoy higher than average household incomes. 57% of Plantation households earn less than $50,000 annually as compared with 64% of Americans in general. Plantation households are wealthier than the rest of the nation's households. 8.5% of the nation's households earn more than $100,000 while 12% of Plantation households earn this level of income. |
Labor |
| In 1998 Plantation had a labor force of 45,198 men and women and 1,598 unemployed persons. |
Commuting |
| Commuting patterns of residents are generally indicative of where people work relative to where they live. Commuting patterns may be used to infer whether or not residents must leave their community to seek work elsewhere. In the City of Plantation, 27% of residents spend less than 15 minutes on their one way commute. Given the size of the city, it is reasonable to infer that most of these individuals live and work in Plantation. As a rule, Plantation residents do not travel far to get to work. 72% of the city's residents travel less than 29 minutes to work. This means that the majority of residents are able to find suitable employment in close proximity to their home. Longer commuting times would indicate that Plantation residents were unable to find suitable employment opportunities within their community. The average American commutes 26 miles from home to work. It is reasonable to say that Plantation residents have an average commute time that is equal to or less than the average American. |
Business and Industry |
An important part of a community's economic profile is an understanding of what types of businesses are located within the community. A look at existing business may reveal many things - the presence of an industrial cluster, for example. It may also reveal the presence of industries that employ individuals with specialized skills and training.
Understanding the types of businesses within a community is also necessary in order to truly formulate a strategy to diversify the local economy and insulate it from sudden changes in the market that can quickly extinguish entire industries. Building sustainable economies becomes an easier task when the local leadership and decision-makers understand what types of industries to attract to the local economy. Industries that exhibit steady growth and pay living wages are desirable to communities that are trying to build sustainable economies.
Plantation's economy is heavily reliant on service industries. Planatation's economy is comprised of services (43%), retail (22%), and FIRE (Finance, Insurance and Real Estate) (11%) with little reliance on manufacturing, transportation or agricultural industries.
|
Plantation Employment by Industry Classification 1995 |
Industry |
Number of Establishments |
Agriculture |
77 |
Construction |
294 |
Manufacturing |
86 |
Transportation |
115 |
Wholesale |
286 |
Retail |
841 |
Fire |
426 |
Services |
1637 |
Other |
50 |
Total |
3812 |
|
|
Source: US Bureau of the Census (Zip Code Business Patterns 1995) February 1998 |
Plantation Establishments by Employment Size |
| Number of Employees |
Number of Firms |
1-4 |
2188 |
5-9 |
542 |
10-19 |
330 |
20-49 |
221 |
50-99 |
56 |
100-249 |
36 |
250-499 |
6 |
500-999 |
5 |
1000 |
4 |
Total |
3388 |
|
|
Source: US Bureau of the Census (Zip Code Business Patterns 1995) February 1998
Plantation is also home to a number of large firms. The fact that the city is already an effective host to such national corporate headquarters speaks well for its ability to attract other corporate headquarters to the community. |
Major Private Employers (with more than 200 employees) |
American Express 4,500
Motorola 3,500
Florida Power and Light 1,900
Kemper National Services 1,200
Plantation General Hospital 827
Westside Regional Medical Center 821
InPhyNet Medical Management 800
Sears 430
JCPenny 425
Cigna Dental Health 300
Burdines 300
Dillards 215
The Travelers Insurance Company 200
Source: Greater Plantation Chamber of Commerce, 1999
|
