Living in West Palm Beach

What is the Cost of Living in West Palm Beach?

To get started, let’s take a look at the cost of living data for West Palm Beach as provided by Sperling’s Best Places.

Sperling’s uses a numerical scale to express costs of living, with 100 representing the US average. Scores that are higher than 100 indicate costs of living above the US average. Scores below 100 indicate costs of living below the US average.

On that scale, Florida gets a score of 102.8. West Palm Beach gets a score of 108.1.

While those scores are higher than the US average, this is a bustling metropolitan region, and therefore this is expected.

Some costs of living in West Palm Beach are actually lower than the nationwide average, including in the areas of health and utilities.

Housing is very affordable in this city. In fact, with a score of 104.4, it is scarcely higher than the US average. That equates to a median home cost of $297,400.

Employment Opportunities in West Palm Beach

What can you expect to earn working in West Palm Beach? The US Census lists a median household income for 2015-2019 of $54,334, and a per capita income of $33,839.

While that is a little lower than the median US household income of $65,712 in 2019, residents living and working in West Palm Beach have one huge advantage, and that is that they pay no personal income tax.

Less money being sent to Uncle Sam means more money in your bank account. So, that is something to look forward to.

This area also has a strong economy with a lot major companies based in the city.

Some examples include Affiliated Managers Group, ION Media Networks, The Palm Beach Post, Florida Public Utilities, Ocwen, and others.

There is also a strong aerospace industry in this area. Many people who live in West Palm Beach work for employers like Aerojet Rocketdyne, General Dynamics and Sikorsky Aircraft.

West Palm Beach Education

If you have children, they will most likely be attending a school that is part of the School District of Palm Beach County. This is the nation’s 11th largest school district.

Along with the public schools that are part of this school system, there are also a number of private schools you can have your children attend.

There are also some postsecondary educational institutions located in this area. Some of these include the Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Northwood University, the Lincoln College of Technology, Southeastern College, and the Florida Culinary Institute.

So, whether you have young children in elementary school, older kids in high school, or adult children looking to embark on their college educations, West Palm Beach is a great place to live.

Getting Around West Palm Beach

How can you get around West Palm Beach? Along with driving, you have the option of using public transit.

There is a trolley you can ride for free downtown, which is pretty awesome—not a lot of cities offer free trolley transit.

There also is an intercity bus service operated by Greyhound. You can take advantage of the area’s water taxi service as well.

One of the most exciting aspects of West Palm Beach with respect to transportation is how bicycle-friendly the city is.

Indeed, while many cities are only just now starting to make roads accessible and safe for cyclists, West Palm Beach did it many decades back.

There is also a bicycle share program you can take advantage of called SkyBike.

Wondering more about what it is like to commute in West Palm Beach? Sperling’s offers some insights.

78% of people in this city drive their own cars to work, while 8.6% carpool. 5.2% work from home, and 2.9% use public transit.

Keep in mind that since the pandemic, there is now likely a much higher percentage of people working from home.

The average time for a one-way commute in West Palm Beach is 22.7 minutes. The US average is 26.4 minutes. So, typically, it takes significantly less time to get to or from work in West Palm Beach than it does in many other US locations.

How is the Weather in West Palm Beach?

The climate in West Palm Beach can be described as tropical. That means that you can expect hot summers and temperate winters with lots of rainfall.

In fact, around 63 inches of rain is typical in this city. For comparison, 38 inches of annual rain is the US average.

There are also significantly more sunny days in West Palm Beach than there are nationwide on average. The US averages 205 days of sunlight each year, but West Palm Beach gets closer to 238 days of sun each year.

As for temperatures, during July, you will experience temperatures up in the 90s. During the winter, the lows drop down to the 50s.

Indeed, this means that it is one of the most comfortable places you can live during wintertime in the US.

Leisure and Entertainment in West Palm Beach

Another great reason to move to West Palm Beach is that there is no shortage of activities and amenities to look forward to enjoying.

Naturally, those who enjoy swimming, surfing, and other water-based activities will rejoice at the extensive beach access in this area.

Is shopping more your thing? Visit locations like Clematis Street, Palm Beach Outlets, Rosemary Square, Northwood Village and Antique Row.

If you are into the arts, you can watch shows at venues like the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the Carefree Theatre, and the Harriet Himmel Theater.

There are a few festivals that take place in this area. Some of these include SunFest, the Palm Beach International Film Festival, the Palm Beach Opera, and the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction.

You also will want to check out area attractions such as the Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park, the Rapids Water Park, the Norton Museum of Art and the South Florida Science Museum.