DEMOGRAPHICS
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,909 people, 2,248 households, and 1,330 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,790.8/km² (9,721.8/mi²). There were 3,059 housing units at an average density of 2,362.2/km² (6,058.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.50% White (52.7% were Non-Hispanic White,) 1.28% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.51% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 43.53% of the population.
There were 2,248 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,927, and the median income for a family was $56,327. Males had a median income of $47,147 versus $39,181 for females. The per capita income for the town was $38,375. About 6.7% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, Spanish was spoken as a first language by 49.40% of residents, while English was spoken by 42.10% of the population. Other languages spoken included Portuguese 2.36%, Russian 2.04%, German 1.39%, Yiddish 1.39%, and French, which was the mother tongue for 1.28% of the population.
As of 2000, Surfside had the twentieth highest percentage of Brazilian residents in the US, with 1.60% of the US populace (tied with five other places in the US, including Ojus, FL.) It had the twenty-third highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 4.66% of the town's population, as well as the twenty-third highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, at 20.15% of the it's population.[9] It also had the thirty-fourth most Peruvians in the US, at 1.47%, while it had the eleventh highest percentage of Trinidadians and Tobagonians, at 1.30% of all residents (tied with North Amityville, New York and Gordon Heights, New York.) Surfside's Venezuelan community had the eleventh highest percentage of residents, which was at 1.41% of all residents.
