Riviera Beach today
What this means
Home values here climbed 1.8% in a year.
Builders are busier: 278 homes permitted so far in 2026, up 61%.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Riviera Beach | vs Palm Beach County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,357 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 4.6% | -1.0 pts | -4.3 pts |
| Median home value | $354,500 | 21% lower | 1% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,702 | 11% lower | 2% higher |
| Median household income | $68,060 | 19% lower | 9% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 62.2% | -7.9 pts | -5.4 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 19.1% | -5.7 pts | -2.2 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 25 | 7% lower | 12% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 8.3% | -0.9 pts | -5.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,224 | 16% lower | 18% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Riviera Beach
Northeast central Palm Beach County city, renamed Riviera in 1893 and incorporated in 1922.
Riviera Beach is a city with its own government, located in Palm Beach County.
Known for: Port of Palm Beach; Blue Heron Bridge dive site; Rapids Water Park
Getting around and growth: Grew from 811 residents in 1930 to 37,604 in 2020.
Compared with Palm Beach County as a whole, homes are cheaper than the county median ($354,500 vs $447,300); household incomes are lower ($68,060 vs $83,581); the population is younger (19.1% age 65 or older vs 24.8%) and fewer homes are owner occupied (62.2% vs 70.1%).
Closest matches on price and rent: St. Cloud ($356,200, $1,683), Chuluota ($362,100, $1,693), Pompano Beach ($349,300, $1,724).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 39,357 residents in 2025, up from 37,617 in 2020: 4.6% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Riviera Beach |
|---|---|
| Single family | 8 |
| 5 or more units | 161 |
| Total units | 175 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 4.4 |
The typical home here was built around 1981. The housing mix is 41.1% detached houses and 31.1% larger buildings. Households average 2.74 people.
Fewer newcomers from out of state than the county average (1.2% vs 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 |
Insurers will want a four point inspection on most older homes here (47.8% predate 1980). Inspections
Large buildings hold 22.5% of homes here; read the reserve study before buying a condo. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Riviera Beach has its own flood program rating: CRS class 8, which takes 10% off federal flood premiums in high risk zones. 178 flood claims ($987,288) have come from Riviera Beach since 2000. The Palm Beach County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 8.2% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Riviera Beach
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $667,000 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $354,500 |
Homes cost 5.2 times median household income here (Palm Beach County 5.3, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: mortgage insurance drops off as equity builds.
- FHA: $312,500 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
Investing in Riviera Beach
Long term rentals
| Riviera Beach | vs Palm Beach County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 37.8% | +7.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 13.8% | +6.5 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 44.6% | +7.8 pts |
Short term rentals
Vacation home share is above the county (13.7% vs 9.5%), so nightly demand here is stronger.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Rules vary street by street; verify zoning and HOA limits early. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 41.1% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 31.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 4.2% |
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.