Is West Palm Beach, FL a Good Place to Live?
West Palm Beach is a mid-sized city of 117,588 in Florida, with a median household income of $64,044 and a 6.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: West Palm 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 West Palm Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West 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: 111.8West Palm Beach's overall cost of living index is 111.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Palm Beach costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | West Palm Beach, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $324,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,614 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $64,044 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageWest Palm Beach's violent crime rate is 575.8 per 100,000 residents — 52% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
West 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 | West 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 | 37.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West Palm Beach sees average highs of 74.7°F in January and 90.0°F in July, with 61.7 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 74.7°F |
| Average High — July | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | West Palm Beach, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 117,588 | — |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 48.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 32.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, FL is covered by 6 ZIP codes: