Flagler County Towns and Cities

Named after the railroad tycoon, Henry Flagler, Flagler County is located between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. An easy stop off Interstate 95, Flagler County has been the fastest growing county in the country for the last two years. It’s major city, Palm Coast, is the fastest growing city, growing by more than 19% in one year (estimate of US Census Bureau).  One of the last coastal areas of Florida to develop, Flagler County continues to be more affordable than the more congested areas of Southern Florida.  It offers miles of beaches, the Intracoastal Waterway, several new residential developments, great climate, and easy access to Interstate 95, making Orlando and Jacksonville an easy drive. Beautiful and historic St. Augustine is an easy 30 minutes away.

Bunnell is the County Seat of Flagler County. It is located west of I95 on SR100 and Rt 1. Sometimes considered the “poor step child” of the county, it is revitalizing. Bunnell benefits from the proximity of the new Town Center, the recently completed county government campus, and a soon to be adopted Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) . The continued expansion of industrial a commercial development along the Rt 1 corridor will also benefit Bunnell. Bunnell recently complete annexation of land primarily to the west and southwest, making it the second larges city by area in Florida.

Palm Coast is the largest city in the county with a population estimated at nearly 61,000 as of July 1, 2005. Palm Coast is a Planned Urban Development laid out by ITT. (See History of Palm Coast.) It is the residential and commercial hub of Flagler County and is located roughly between the Intracoastal Waterway on the east and Rt 1 on the west. Several homesites platted in the original PUD are still vacant and available. These homesites appreciated from about $5K per unimproved lot in 2000 to over $60k per lot in 2005. Since the burst of the real estate bubble, these lots have dropped to a median price near $40,000. Some homesites are along an extensive salt water canal system with access to the Intracoastal Waterway. Those east of the bridges comprise an area known as “sailboat country.”

Flagler Beach is along A1A on the Atlantic Ocean at the east end of SR100, east of the Intracoastal Waterway. Flagler Beach is a very quaint “old Florida” beach town with residents and city government very active about keeping Flagler Beach “the way it is.”  Flagler Beach is a great place to live and to play. It boasts several good restaurants, some with nightly entertainment. And where else can you find a bar/restaurant with valet parking for cars and priority parking right in front for bikers. A traditional farmer’s market occupies the town square every Friday morning. The area just south of the Flagler Pier is one of the best surfing spots on Florida’s east coast.

Marineland, at the northeast corner of the county along A1A is the smallest municipality. It boasts fewer than 10 residents. There are more dolphin at the Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center. Marineland’s population may soar soon. One reason is the proposed condominium development by Centex Destination Properties along the coast. The other is the possibility of annexing the adjoining areas south known as The Hammock.

The last developed area is located between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, east of the City of Palm Coast. This unincorporated area is know as The Hammock. The Hammock straddles A1A and offers both highly developed private gated communities such as Hammock BeachOcean Hammock, and Hammock Dunes as well as areas unchanged for decades – sections with quaint motels, single-wide trailers, and unadorned restaurants that serve their food in baskets to cut down on dish washing – they are on septic systems and wells with no public water and sewer.