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West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach, FL

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Demographics

DiverseSimpson's Diversity Index: 70
Population119,508
Foreign Born12.8%
Population Density2,218people per mi²
Median Age40.2 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

141/100

41% above national average

B

The Real Cost of Living in West Palm Beach, Florida

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $27k$51k
Comfortable $72k$106k
Luxury $125k+$194k+
Elite (Top 5%) $176k+$272k+
Affordability Ratio

66%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean92%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
40
Poor
7
Negative
4

Groceries

3 within 10 miles

3.6mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

2.9mi

Airport

FLL — Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International

44.7mi

Post Office

USPS — West Palm Beach, FL

4.1mi

Critical Amenities

Golf4Nearest 4.3 mi
Camping20Nearest 7.6 mi
Marina15Nearest 0.3 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range5Nearest 0.9 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$69k+8.1%
8% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$632k
4% below US avg
College Educated
37.7%
8% above US avg
WFH
12.1%
15% below US avg
Homeownership
50.2%
23% below US avg
Median Home
$370k
31% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
C
Moderate

Crime rates similar to the national median for U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
19.8
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−33.2%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−37.4%
Homicide
0.08 / 1k Residents300% above state avg
Robbery
0.84 / 1k Residents271% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
3.42 / 1k Residents174% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−29.1%
Burglary
1.89 / 1k Residents131% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
12.73 / 1k Residents109% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.16 / 1k Residents62% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: D+4Tilts Liberal

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for West Palm Beach, Florida
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
B-
Fair9.1% of income
Property Rights
B+
GoodIJ Grade B+
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A+
GreatNo notice required

Energy independence: Importer (10% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
B
Broadly OpenTribal · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season365 days365 frost-free
Annual Rainfall66.3"
Elevation30 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C-
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A
Great1027 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,218/sq mi
Fallout Danger
D-
Poor11 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorHurricane
Border / Coast
D
Poorborder 1077 mi · coast 0.3 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$518.6M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityMiami442k people are 66 mi away
Nearest Major AirportFLL45 mi away
Distance to State Capital363 miTallahassee, FL
Nearest Prison8.8 mi3 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-16T00:08:57.000Z

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