Census Data for Surfside Beach
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Surfside Beach a population of 580 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Surfside Beach a population of 482 people.
The city of Surfside Beach is located in Brazoria County. The 2010 Census gave Brazoria County; a population of 313,166 people. This means that Surfside Beach had 0.15% of the county's total population, making it Brazoria's 20th most populous community.
At the same time, Texas had a population of 25,145,561 people.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Surfside Beach has a total area of 2.25 square miles [5.8 km²]. Of this total, 1.68 square miles [4.3 km²] is land, with the balance (25.21%) being water (0.57 square miles [1.5 km²]).
Brazoria County has a land area of 1,357 square miles [3,516.4 km²]. At 1.68 square miles [4.3 km²], Surfside Beach has 0.12% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Surfside Beach, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Surfside Beach reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Surfside Beach might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 28° 57' 7" (or 28.95°)
- Lon: -95° 17' 4" (or -95.28°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Surfside Beach had 975 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 482 people, this averages 0.49 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Surfside Beach had a land area of 1.68 square miles [4.3 km²]. This translates to 434.3 Housing Units per square mile [167.7 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Surfside Beach had 879 Housing Units, a population of 763 people and a land area of 1.78 square miles [4.6 km²]. This gives a density of 0.87 people per Housing Unit and 393.3 Housing Units per square mile [151.8 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Surfside Beach and you need to be careful when comparing results between the censuses. More information about these differences can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Brazoria County ...
Surfside Beach is located in Brazoria County<4>.
The county had a population of 313,166 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 482 people, Surfside Beach represented 0.15% of the county's total.
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Brazoria County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Surfside Beach, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Surfside Beach. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Surfside Beach or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Surfside Beach, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Surfside Beach.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 28.952155° (or 28°57'7" N)
- Lon: -95.284630° (or -95°17'4" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 28.952136° (or 28°57'7" N)
- Lon: -95.284415° (or -95°17'3" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 68.9 feet to the west<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2412015) to Surfside Beach. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Surfside Beach. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 28.954189° (or 28°57'15" N)
- Lon: -95.284112° (or -95°17'2" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 759 feet to the south<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Surfside Beach. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Surfside Beach.
Miscellaneous Information for Surfside Beach ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Brazoria County or the city of Surfside Beach:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 48 (Texas)
- County Code: 039 (Brazoria County)
- Place Code: 71384 (Surfside Beach)
- State & County Code: 48/039 (Texas / Brazoria County)
- State & Place Code: 48/71384 (Texas / Surfside Beach)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Surfside Beach is located in Census Region #3 (the South Region) and Division #7 (the West South-Central Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Surfside Beach.
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Surfside Beach. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Brazoria County: www.brazoria-county.com/
The official website for State of Texas: https://texas.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of Texas' counties, including Brazoria, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 84 degrees and a distance of 68.9 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 167 degrees and a distance of 759 feet. |