Palm Beach for many is quintessential Florida living.
Part of what’s marketed as The Palm Beaches, Palm Beach sits across the Intracoastal Waterway from West Palm Beach. Palm Beach is located on a 16-mile long barrier island and is The Sunshine State’s easternmost town. The 105-year-old town of about 8,600 residents benefits from its proximity to many water-related and water-dependent activities.
You can enjoy the Palm Beach International Boat Show, or the Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade, which lights up the Intracoastal for the winter holidays. Or, maritime-related events in or near Palm Beach celebrate marine life, such as the Loggerhead Turtle Festival. If dry land is more your thing, you won’t be left out, as Palm Beach also boasts a Book Fair, with multiple locations participating.
And don’t forget the Flagler Museum, which is a link to the history that made Florida much of what it is today.
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Living in Palm Beach
The U.S. Census Bureau say that Palm Beach has a total area of 10.4 square miles, with the majority of that being water. Land accounts for 3.9 square miles of Palm Beach and 6.5 square miles is water.
More than half of the population is age 65 or better. Most of Palm Beach’s residents are affluent, with a median household income of $124,562.
The famous Flagler name is prevalent in Palm Beach.
The town was established as a resort by Henry Morrison Flagler, who connected the town to the rest of the country by railroad, and built the first two luxury hotels. He coaxed many who were made wealthy during the Gilded Age to join him, either for luxurious parties or for longer term stays in their own custom-built homes. The town’s bigger neighbor, West Palm Beach, came later but was begun to provide services to Palm Beach.
The climate is warm and rainy, as thunderstorm pop up often and don’t last long during the summer’s heat.
Even though most people get around by car, bicycling is popular, especially on the Lake Trail, which is reserved for foot and bike traffic. It extends almost the entire length of the island.
Living in this community does not come cheap. The median price of a home, according to Bestplaces.net, is $745,600. Over on Areavibes, Palm Beach is rated as “exceptionally livable” with access to plenty of amenities, beautiful weather and a low crime rate. The only negative ranking on that scorecard was for affordability.
Two schools serve Palm Beach, including the highly regarded Palm Beach Day Academy. There are no high schools in Palm Beach.