The Town FilesHighland Beach, Florida
Town in Palm Beach County · population 4,295 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $909,200
- Household income
- $145,485
- Jan low / Jul high
- 56° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 65
- Median age
- 70.8
Highland Beach is a town of 4,295 people in Palm Beach County, Florida. The median home is worth $909,200, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks more upscale than 100% of Florida towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Florida towns, more of a college town than 98% of Florida towns.
- #12 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #13 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #15 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Florida
- #24 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- #25 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #32 in 50 Places in America With the Most Remote Workers
How Highland Beach ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Highland Beach is worth $909,200, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 6.2 times the median household income of $145,485, which is more affordable than 15% of Florida towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 92.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Highland Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $909,200 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $145,485 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 92.9% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 41.1% | — |
Who lives in Highland Beach
| People | Highland Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 70.8 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 64.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 2.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.4% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.5% | — |
| Work from home | 44.7% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Highland Beach
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 55.5°F. About 63.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
65 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland Beach since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 27, 2022 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 15, 2016.
Severe weather in Palm Beach County since 1996
Palm Beach County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| December 13, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4680: Hurricane Nicole |
| November 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm | EM-3587: Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 29, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4673: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County had 666,889 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,246 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Highland Beach itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Towns near Highland Beach
- Delray Beach, FL3.5 mi · 66,846 people · home $420,300
- Boca Raton, FL3.6 mi · 97,422 people · home $722,700
- Deerfield Beach, FL7.9 mi · 86,859 people · home $309,600
- Boynton Beach, FL8.1 mi · 80,380 people · home $351,100
- Lighthouse Point, FL9.4 mi · 10,486 people · home $688,400
- Watergate, FL10.6 mi · 3,459 people · home $222,000
- San Castle, FL10.6 mi · 3,755 people · home $303,900
- Hypoluxo, FL10.8 mi · 2,687 people · home $290,900
Highland Beach questions
Is Highland Beach, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highland Beach scores better for retirees than 94% of Florida towns and quieter than 58%. 64.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 70.8).
How much does a house cost in Highland Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Highland Beach is valued at $909,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $145,485, so homes cost about 6.2 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Highland Beach?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 55.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 63.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Highland Beach get tornadoes?
65 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 27, 2022. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)