Is Delray Beach, FL a Good Place to Live?
Delray Beach is a mid-sized city of 66,646 in Florida, with a median household income of $76,558 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Delray Beach stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Delray Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Delray Beach city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 111.8Delray Beach's overall cost of living index is 111.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Delray Beach costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Delray Beach, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $352,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,821 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $76,558 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageDelray Beach's violent crime rate is 422.0 per 100,000 residents — 11% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Delray Beach is served primarily by PALM BEACH. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Delray Beach, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | PALM BEACH | — |
| Elementary Schools | 132 | — |
| Middle Schools | 37 | — |
| High Schools | 50 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Delray Beach sees average highs of 74.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July, with 65.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Delray Beach, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 74.7°F |
| Average High — July | 89.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Delray Beach, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,646 | — |
| Median Age | 50.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 57.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 30.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 27.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Delray Beach
Delray Beach, FL is covered by 4 ZIP codes: