By Jodi Mailander Farrell
Florida’s most diverse place isn’t Miami or Tampa or any of those other big cities. It’s a little neighborhood called Loch Lomond in Pompano Beach.
The tiny enclave even makes America’s 100 most racially diverse cities, ranking 29th in the country and the only Florida location on the list.
At the last census count, Loch Lomond Pompano Beach had 3,537 people. About 44 percent are white, 30 percent are African American, 14 percent identify as multi-racial and 12 percent are Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American or “other.” About 25 percent are Hispanic.
The young, predominantly single households there speak English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and French.
The tiny area is part of Pompano Beach, a seaside city centrally located between Palm Beach and Miami. It’s known as an excellent launch point for boaters, deep sea fishing fans and divers. Anglers and families flock to the 1,000-foot-long city fishing pier and beachside playgrounds.
Pompano is known for its holiday boat parade in December, a seafood festival in April and a fishing rodeo in May.
