The Town FilesWatergate, Florida
Community in Palm Beach County · population 3,459 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $222,000
- Household income
- $67,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 60° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 55
- Median age
- 40.8
Watergate is a community of 3,459 people in Palm Beach County, Florida. The median home is worth $222,000, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 100% of Florida towns, more vibrant than 98% of Florida towns, more of a college town than 96% of Florida towns.
How Watergate 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 Watergate is worth $222,000, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $67,071, which is more affordable than 86% of Florida towns. Median rent is $2,076 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watergate | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $222,000 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $2,076 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $67,071 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.8% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Watergate
| People | Watergate | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Watergate
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 60.4°F. About 55.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watergate since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 27, 2022 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 21, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 1989.
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 Watergate itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Public schools in Watergate
1 public school with 1,037 students, about 19.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLAM BOCA (charter) | 6-12 | 1,037 | 19.9 |
Towns near Watergate
- Parkland, FL2.8 mi · 34,670 people · home $983,000
- Coconut Creek, FL4.2 mi · 57,833 people · home $309,600
- Coral Springs, FL5.3 mi · 134,394 people · home $545,400
- Deerfield Beach, FL5.7 mi · 86,859 people · home $309,600
- Margate, FL6.1 mi · 58,712 people · home $316,200
- Boca Raton, FL7.2 mi · 97,422 people · home $722,700
- Pompano Beach, FL8.1 mi · 112,046 people · home $349,300
- North Lauderdale, FL8.5 mi · 44,794 people · home $307,100
Watergate questions
Is Watergate, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watergate scores better for retirees than 6% of Florida towns and quieter than 1%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.8).
How much does a house cost in Watergate?
The median owner-occupied home in Watergate is valued at $222,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,071, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $2,076 a month.
What is the weather like in Watergate?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 60.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Watergate get tornadoes?
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watergate 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)