The Town FilesWest Palm Beach, Florida
City in Palm Beach County · population 117,415 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $414,200
- Household income
- $73,446
- Jan low / Jul high
- 58° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 56
- Median age
- 41.1
West Palm Beach is a city of 117,415 people in Palm Beach County, Florida. The median home is worth $414,200, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks hipper than 95% of Florida towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Florida towns, better transit than 92% of Florida towns.
How West Palm 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 West Palm Beach is worth $414,200, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $73,446, which is more affordable than 23% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,772 a month. 50.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Palm Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $414,200 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,772 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $73,446 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 50.5% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.8% | — |
Who lives in West Palm Beach
| People | West Palm Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in West Palm Beach
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 57.9°F. About 61.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 74 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
56 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Palm Beach since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on October 9, 2024 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 7, 1962.
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 West Palm Beach itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in West Palm Beach
54 public schools with 34,474 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PALM BEACH LAKES HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,783 | 23.2 |
| WILLIAM T. DWYER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,320 | 19.2 |
| FOREST HILL COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,108 | 18.2 |
| ALEXANDER W DREYFOOS JUNIOR SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | 9-12 | 1,368 | 18.5 |
| BAK MIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | 6-8 | 1,217 | 16.9 |
| RENAISSANCE CHARTER SCHOOL AT SUMMIT (charter) | K-8 | 1,106 | 17.8 |
| CONNISTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,105 | 15.1 |
| BERKSHIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 1,031 | 15.2 |
| RENAISSANCE CHARTER SCHOOL AT WEST PALM BEACH (charter) | K-8 | 995 | 17.2 |
| FOREST HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 910 | 14.4 |
| JEAGA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 862 | 17.2 |
| BEAR LAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 850 | 15.7 |
Towns near West Palm Beach
- Westgate, FL3.6 mi · 8,435 people · home $251,300
- Riviera Beach, FL4.0 mi · 37,604 people · home $354,500
- Lake Park, FL5.3 mi · 9,047 people · home $394,400
- Palm Beach, FL6.3 mi · 9,245 people · home $2,000,001
- North Palm Beach, FL6.8 mi · 13,162 people · home $513,000
- Royal Palm Beach, FL7.0 mi · 38,932 people · home $437,700
- Palm Beach Gardens, FL7.6 mi · 59,182 people · home $606,100
- Lake Clarke Shores, FL7.6 mi · 3,564 people · home $573,800
West Palm Beach questions
Is West Palm Beach, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Palm Beach scores better for retirees than 34% of Florida towns and quieter than 17%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in West Palm Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in West Palm Beach is valued at $414,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,446, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,772 a month.
What is the weather like in West Palm Beach?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 57.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does West Palm Beach get tornadoes?
56 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Palm Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on October 9, 2024. 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)