Pine Lake is one of the most eclectic cities in the state, including among its residents a number of locally, regionally and nationally known artists in the fields of music, fine art, sculpture, poetry and prose and other disciplines. The City is also known as one of the most neighborly of cities -- new residents are often told that when someone says, "Let me know what I can do to help," in Pine Lake, that's not an empty statement.
Pine Lake's beautiful lake is center of many of the City's activities. The City often hosts indoor and outdoor concerts featuring some of the area's finest performers as well as readings and showings of area writers and artists.
The Pine Lake Association of Involved Neighbors ([PLAIN][1]) is an integral part of many of the activities happening in Pine Lake. PLAIN sponsors coffee and pastries, a monthly pancake breakfast, annual chili cook-off, desert contests, how-to seminars, ice cream socials, a yard of the month contest, work-days and much more, all with the idea of increasing neighborliness and improving the City.
As of the census of 2000, there were 621 people, 321 households, and 139 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,293.0 people per square mile (1,261.9/km²). There were 349 housing units at an average density of 1,850.7/sq mi (709.2/km²). The population data was challenged in 2002 and the Census agreed that the housing units were under surveyed. The insufficient survey was due to the lack of postal delivery in the city (as with cities with fewer than 750 individual units). The Tax digest listed 690 houses. Since no official survey was done on all households, the Census did not change the population. The The racial makeup of the city was 74.72% White, 17.55% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 3.54% from other races, and 3.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.76% of the population.
There were 321 households out of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.5% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 56.4% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.58.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 43.2% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,029, and the median income for a family was $35,313. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $28,295 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,529. About 11.4% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.