Your EZ Home Search Moving Guide- West Palm Beach, FL

Do you want to live where the sun shines all year and have a beach in your backyard? Naturally, you’re probably thinking about Florida. Why not try the sunny shores of West Palm Beach, Florida? This former Florida farm town is a thoroughly modern city appealing to all ages. It ticks so many lifestyle boxes: decent cost of living, arts and culture, golfing, waterfront access, and cool architecture.

So get to know West Palm Beach. Our guide looks at the data on this popular retirement and lifestyle destination. We include what you need to know about getting around your new home and what to check out once you’re settled in.

About West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach is the county seat of Palm Beach County, a world-famous strip of gorgeous beaches and resort towns between Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Offshore from West Palm lies the luxury barrier island city of Palm Beach, where you can find some of Florida’s most opulent and expensive homes. And, if you hopped in a boat and kept going, you’d end up in the Bahamas.

Located on I-95, West Palm Beach is centered among the former winter resort towns of Boca Raton, Jupiter, and Pompano Beach. Day trip south to Fort Lauderdale or Miami, if you want, or head north to explore the interesting Treasure and Space Coasts.

To the west are Lake Okeechobee, nature reserves, and small towns of inland Florida.

West Palm Beach is a small city

If you want small-town living, this isn’t it. Over 110,000 people called West Palm Beach home as of 2021. But, with an average age of 39.1 years, it’s one of southeast Florida’s youngest cities.

Palm Beach County expects around 135,000 people to call West Palm Beach home by 2030, part of the growth that will bring its population up to 1.6 million.

In sum, you’re looking at a dense and popular area to live in Florida, which can drive up the cost of living and traffic times. But on the other hand, you’re close to essential lifestyle amenities like quality health care and schools, plus the fun stuff like beaches, museums, music venues, and sports facilities.

Palm Beach County’s affordable option

The cost of living in West Palm Beach is higher than the national average, but the good news is it’s way lower than other large cities like Denver, Atlanta, and New York City. It’s only 8% more expensive here than the national average and 5% above the state of Florida’s average. And, if you compare it to other Palm Beach County towns, it’s one of the more affordable choices!

Housing costs are what you’d expect for a city of its size that’s close to the waterfront and packed with amenities. The closer to the coastline you get, the more home prices rise. Still, West Palm Beach’s average housing price runs just 2% above average.

One place your budget will stretch living here is transportation costs, which are higher due to the limited public transport options available. Owning a car is the easiest way to get around, and with the thick traffic, you’ll burn more gas sitting around in congestion.

On the plus side, healthcare and utility costs in West Palm Beach are similar to the national average.

Traffic slows around West Palm Beach

Before you move here, you should know that getting around can be pretty easy–until it isn’t. Congestion is a major concern during peak hours and peak season.

What do we mean by season? We’re talking January-May when the town (and the whole state) sees an influx of part-time residents and visitors from the north, making already backed-up rush hour traffic even worse.

Downtown may be walkable, but when you want to leave, it’s notoriously bad for getting in and out. Not only do its restaurants and shopping attract visitors, but the two main arteries crossing the Intracoastal to Palm Beach run right through downtown, compounding the traffic woes. Around 56,000 cars travel Okeechobee Boulevard every day.

I-95 is the main highway running north-south for car travel, followed by Dixie Highway/US 1. An alternative is the Florida Turnpike toll road, which is far west in West Palm Beach in the more rural part of town.

Some like it tropical

You better like it hot and humid year round by choosing to live in West Palm Beach. Sure, an average temperature of 76°F (24°C) doesn’t sound bad, and it does make it perfect for outdoor activities such as swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing or golfing.

But that number doesn’t factor in Florida’s famous humidity, which can make 76F feel sweltering in the brilliant tropical sunshine. Closer to the coast, you might have Atlantic sea breezes to temper the temperatures, but that fades as you move inland. The moisture builds, leading to frizzy hair days.

The city also experiences frequent thunderstorms throughout the summer months. Drenching storms pop up within ten minutes, dump an inch of rain and vanish within an hour. Besides blinding rain, pop-up storms can generate high winds and lightning.

It’s all part of living in the tropics.

Half condos in West Palm Beach

As one of the more budget-friendly places to live in Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach will have homes to suit any taste or budget! June 2023 had 2,009 listings at a median price of $464,900, up 22% year-over-year.

If you’re looking for something easy on your wallet and more maintenance-free, there are plenty of apartments and condos available around town. In fact, about half of the 2,000 listings in June 2023 were condo, townhome, and villa properties! That’s great news for retirees, part-timers, and first-time buyers looking at maintenance-free but amenity-rich housing.

Move further west from downtown (but still within 15 minutes), and you may be able to snag yourself a single-family home or condo at prices near or below the national average. But as you get closer to Flagler Avenue and the historic parts of West Palm Beach, those prices will creep up.

Get a deeper dive into West Palm Beach’s top neighborhoods.

Find a job in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach started as a middle-class community, with its residents providing services for the surrounding resort towns, like those built in Palm Beach.

That’s not necessarily true anymore. Over the years, West Palm Beach has morphed into a thriving and lively city serving people of all ages and demographics. And the homes on Flagler Avenue and the Intracoastal waterway are equally luxurious to their counterparts in Palm Beach, showing the city is similarly wealthy.

Today’s diverse economy provides opportunities in all industry sectors, including aerospace, healthcare, tourism, finance, technology, and manufacturing. The largest employer in the city is Florida Crystals Corporation, part of South Florida’s sugar industry. But there’s also a division of Raytheon Technologies that designs and builds aircraft engines.

Quality education

If you have school-age children, then the quality of the local schools likely matters to you. West Palm Beach falls under the School District of Palm Beach County, which serves around 185,000 students, making it in the top 15 in the nation for its size.

Often large districts appear underperforming, partially because of their size and unequally spread resources, leading to low-performing schools. But Palm Beach County is often rated above average for its performance when looking at graduation rate and student proficiency in reading and math.

Locally, Bak Performing Arts Middle School ranked the best in Palm Beach County, and no. 7 in Florida in 2022 on US News and World Report. Dreyfoos Junior School of the Arts was the state’s no. 13 high school.

The West Palm Beach bucket list

Once you move into your West Palm Beach home, naturally, you’ll want to explore it. Here are a few bucket list attractions to check out:

Get a sense of West Palm Beach’s history and culture to better understand why this city is unique. Start with a tour of the Flagler Museum and the Norton Museum of Art–they’re both gems! The Norton Sculpture is one of West Palm Beach’s hallmark attractions. Ann Norton designed the 100 sculptures scattered throughout the namesake gardens. At the same time, the accompanying museums have large exhibitions of works from across the world.

Next, find the place where people gather for a good time. Stroll around Downtown West Palm Beach along Clematis Street or explore CityPlace, both entertainment and retail districts packed with local and name-brand restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.

West Palm Beach’s arts scene stays busy. While the Norton is probably the most well-known single attraction, the city’s love for arts and culture is apparent in the multiple art districts, galleries, and public displays. Two creative studios host classes in all art mediums year-round, while the performing arts venues host traveling Broadway shows and operas.

Complimenting the arts, check out arts festivals held throughout the year, like the SunFest music festival or the Palm Beach International Film Festival. Every February, the Street Painting Festival transforms West Palm Beach into one of the region’s largest outdoor events. Artists create incredible chalk masterpieces on the streets.

On a more weekly basis, try the USA TodayReader’s Choice Top 10 Farmer’s Market, the West Palm Beach GreenMarket. The shopping experience blends music, film, organic food, and local produce.

And at least once, head across the bridge into swanky Palm Beach. The island is renowned for its jaw-dropping homes, opulent shops on Worth Avenue and The Breakers Resort. Don’t be surprised by the number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Maseratis parked curbside on Worth Avenue. Try people-watching at least once.

If you’re coming to Florida for the golf, West Palm Beach won’t disappoint with 23 golf courses in city limits, seven of which are city-run. The top picks for courses and clubs include Osprey Point, The Legends of Palmer, Ibis Golf & Country Club, and Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. And you have another 77 courses within 20 miles, including the world-famous The Breakers Resort.

Living in West Palm Beach

As you can see, West Palm Beach has something for everyone: retirees seeking a beach lifestyle near downtown amenities to families looking for suburban life in nearby towns like Royal Palm Beach or Loxahatchee.

The cost of living may be higher than in other parts of Florida. Still, you can surely find the lifestyle that matches your budget because of the city’s size and diversity of options.

So where should you live in West Palm Beach? A local real estate agent can be your resource for finding the perfect combination of amenities, style, and price for your South Florida home.