Delray Beach today
What this means
Home values here climbed 4.6% in a year.
Builders are pulling back: 173 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 30%.
Rents are area estimates; check comps for the exact house. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Delray Beach | vs Palm Beach County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,809 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 4.4% | -1.2 pts | -4.5 pts |
| Median home value | $420,300 | 6% lower | 17% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,961 | 2% higher | 17% higher |
| Median household income | $82,041 | 2% lower | 10% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 63.2% | -6.9 pts | -4.4 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 28% | +3.2 pts | +6.7 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 23 | 13% lower | 18% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 9.3% | +0.1 pts | -4.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,351 | 13% lower | 23% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Delray Beach
Southeast Palm Beach County beach city between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, a farming settlement renamed Delray in 1901 and later an artists colony.
As an incorporated city, Delray Beach sets its own zoning inside Palm Beach County.
Known for: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens; Old School Square; Delray Beach Tennis Center; Delray Medical Center
Development and roads: Tri Rail and Amtrak stop at Delray Beach Station; Interstate 95 drove growth west of the old town.
Against the Palm Beach County averages, households are smaller (2.24 vs 2.49 people); fewer homes are owner occupied (63.2% vs 70.1%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (38.9% vs 31.4%) and commutes are shorter (23 vs 26 minutes).
Closest matches on price and rent: Alafaya ($425,500, $1,999), Ocoee ($406,400, $1,946), Kendale Lakes ($404,500, $1,968).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 69,809 residents in 2025, up from 66,848 in 2020: 4.4% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Delray Beach |
|---|---|
| Single family | 100 |
| 5 or more units | 191 |
| Total units | 291 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 4.2 |
Half the homes are older than 1983. Apartments and condos make up a large share: 38.9% of homes are in buildings of five or more units. Average household size is 2.24.
3.7% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 2.5%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $6,323 a year |
| Hurricanes tied to Palm Beach County since 2000 | Frances (2004) |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
Older homes (42.8% built before 1980) draw insurer questions about roofs and wiring. Inspections
Before buying in one of the larger buildings (22.6% of housing), check reserves, minutes and insurance. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
The city earned Community Rating System class 6; federal flood policies in its high risk zones cost 20% less. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $1,278,718 on 251 claims inside Delray Beach. For county flood claims, disaster history and jobs, see the Palm Beach County guide (8.2% of homes there are in high risk zones).
Buying a home in Delray Beach
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $667,000 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $420,300 |
Price to income: 5.1x, compared with 5.3x for the county.
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: the Delray Beach median of $420,300 fits under the $667,000 limit.
Investing in Delray Beach
Long term rentals
| Delray Beach | vs Palm Beach County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 36.8% | +6.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 11.5% | +4.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 35% | -1.8 pts |
Short term rentals
With 11.7% of homes kept for seasonal use, Delray Beach is a true vacation market.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Nightly rentals depend on local zoning and the HOA; check both. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 34% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 38.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 0.6% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.