Median Income
$190,824
household / year
Median Home Value
$1,679,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,793
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Palm Beach, FL a Good Place to Live?

Palm Beach is a small town of 9,205 in Florida, with a median household income of $190,824 and a 5.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Palm Beach stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Palm Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Palm 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: 111.8

Palm Beach's overall cost of living index is 111.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palm Beach costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Palm Beach, FL National Avg
Median Home Value $1,679,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,793 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 84.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $190,824 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Palm Beach's violent crime rate is 172.7 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
172.7 /100k
Property Crime
1274.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Palm 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 Palm 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 68.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Palm Beach sees average highs of 74.7°F in January and 90.0°F in July, with 61.7 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricPalm Beach, FL
Average High — January74.7°F
Average High — July90.0°F
Annual Precipitation61.7"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricPalm Beach, FLNational Avg
Population9,205
Median Age70.738.9
Unemployment Rate5.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)93.8%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.9%18.9%
Asian1.3%6.3%
Under 185.6%22.2%
65 and over63.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Palm Beach

Palm Beach, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Palm Beach vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Palm Beach's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Palm Beach roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,679,800 and median rent is $1,793/month.
Palm Beach's violent crime rate is 172.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1274.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Palm Beach are operated by PALM BEACH. The district has 132 elementary, 37 middle, and 50 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. 68.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Palm Beach, FL has a population of 9,205, a median household income of $190,824, and an unemployment rate of 5.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Palm Beach averages 74.7°F in January and 90.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 61.7 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Palm Beach, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 33480.
The population of Palm Beach, Florida is 9,205 with a median age of 70.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Palm Beach: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $1,679,800, median household income $190,824, crime index 52 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palm Beach side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.