West Palm Beach today
What this means
Values in West Palm Beach are still rising: +2% in the past year.
Permits January to September 2026: 555 homes, 704% more than 2025.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| West Palm Beach | vs Palm Beach County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 127,189 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 8.4% | +2.8 pts | -0.5 pts |
| Median home value | $414,200 | 7% lower | 15% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,772 | 8% lower | 6% higher |
| Median household income | $73,446 | 12% lower | 2% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 50.5% | -19.6 pts | -17.1 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 21.5% | -3.3 pts | +0.2 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 23 | 12% lower | 16% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 11.6% | +2.4 pts | -2.6 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,862 | about the same | 41% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in West Palm Beach
Palm Beach County seat across Lake Worth Lagoon from Palm Beach, platted by Henry Flagler in 1893 and incorporated in 1894.
West Palm Beach is an incorporated city in Palm Beach County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Clematis Street; Norton Museum of Art; Kravis Center; Rosemary Square
Development and roads: Brightline opened a downtown station in 2018.
Next to the rest of Palm Beach County, fewer homes are owner occupied (50.5% vs 70.1%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (43.6% vs 31.4%); households are smaller (2.25 vs 2.49 people) and household incomes are lower ($73,446 vs $83,581).
Closest matches on price and rent: Kendall West ($409,500, $1,808), Palm Harbor ($405,300, $1,806), Clermont ($418,400, $1,828).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 127,189 residents in 2025, up from 117,290 in 2020: 8.4% growth.
| 2025 building permits | West Palm Beach |
|---|---|
| Single family | 99 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total units | 101 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.8 |
The typical home here was built around 1988. This is a multifamily heavy market (43.6% in buildings of 5+ units). Households average 2.25 people.
Each year about 3.6% of residents arrive from other states.
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 (37.7% predate 1980). Inspections
30.6% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in West Palm Beach get a 25% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 5. 285 flood claims ($3,065,810) have come from West Palm Beach since 2000. 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 West Palm Beach
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $667,000 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $414,200 |
Price to income: 5.6x, compared with 5.3x for the county.
- Conventional: the most common loan in Palm Beach County.
- FHA: works for the typical $414,200 home here.
Investing in West Palm Beach
Long term rentals
| West Palm Beach | vs Palm Beach County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 49.5% | +19.6 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 8.9% | +1.6 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 34.8% | -2.0 pts |
Short term rentals
6.8% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use (Palm Beach County 9.5%).
| 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 | 38.4% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 43.6% |
| 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.