Broward County is located in the southeastern part of Florida, within the Miami metropolitan area. Home to over 1.94 million residents as of 2020, it is Florida’s second-most populous county and 17th-most populous in the United States. Its county seat and largest city is Fort Lauderdale, with a population of 182,760 in 2020.
Broward County is one of three counties which make up the Miami metropolitan area, with a population of 6.14 million people in 2020. It also boasts one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the country. Spanning 1,322.8 square miles, it is also Florida’s seventh-largest county by land area – with 427.8 square miles urbanized and 796.9 square miles consisting of wetlands – stretching 50.3 miles east to west at its widest points and 27.4 from north to south on average 5-25 feet in elevation.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Broward County has a total area of 1,323 square miles, of which 1,210 square miles is land and 113 square miles is water (8.5%). It has an average elevation of 6 feet above sea level, composed mainly of Oolite limestone with western parts composed of Bryozoa – its creation and population largely took place in the Pleistocene.
Out of the 471 square miles of developable land in Broward County, most is built upon as it borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Everglades Wildlife Management Area to the west. With a population density within this area of 3,740 per square mile, Broward approved construction for Osborne Reef – an artificial reef made from tires off Fort Lauderdale beach – but it has ended up causing environmental issues.
Counties Nearby:
- Palm Beach County – north
- Miami-Dade County – south
- Collier County – west
- Hendry County – northwest
Colleges and Universities
- Broward College
- Florida Atlantic University (Branch campuses)
- Nova Southeastern University
- Keiser University
Other Education Options
- DeVry University
- University of Phoenix
- The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale
- Florida Career College
- Brown Mackie College
- Atlantic Technical Center and Technical High School
- McFatter Technical College and Technical High School
- Sheridan Technical College and Technical High School
| Area | |
|---|---|
| • Total | 1,322.817 sq mi |
| • Land | 1,203.105 sq mi |
| • Water | 119.712 sq mi |
Zip Codes: 33004, 33009, 33019–33021,33023–33029, 33060, 33062–33069, 33071, 33073, 33076, 33301, 33304–33306, 33308–33317, 33319, 33321–33328, 33330–33332, 33334, 33351, 33441–33442
| Primary airport | Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport FLL (major/international) |
|---|---|
| Secondary airport | Miami International Airport North Perry Airport Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport Pompano Beach Airpark |
Popular Places
- Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale
- Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale
Historical Places
- African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, Fort Lauderdale
- Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale
- Coral Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs
- Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum, Fort Lauderdale
Nature Areas
- Butterfly World, Coconut Creek
- Anne Kolb Nature Center, Hollywood
- Butterfly World, a botanical sanctuary in Coconut Creek
- Everglades Holiday Park, featuring airboat rides and alligator shows
- Fern Forest Nature Center, Coconut Creek
