Population 268,498 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Palm Beach
Household size in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.80 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.95 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.88 | 2.97 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.80 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.00 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, West Palm Beach sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Miami area overall, where it has 2.80 people. Household size has crept up from 2.55 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 39.9 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 40.9 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 41.9 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 42.8 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +2.9 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
West Palm Beach skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.3, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 14.3% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 14.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 13.3% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.1% | 13.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in West Palm Beach: 16.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. West Palm Beach has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Florida cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in West Palm Beach
Renters in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 34.2% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.5% | 37.9% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 40.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.6% | 39.5% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +5.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in West Palm Beach rent their homes (42.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Nearly half of owners (46.7%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 15.4% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 15.3% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 13.1% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 10.9% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −4.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in West Palm Beach: 12.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 6.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1979 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1983 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in West Palm Beach are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,122 | $1,256 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,123 | $1,306 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,380 | $1,586 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,826 | $2,112 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$703 | +$856 | +$724 | +$606 |
Rent in West Palm Beach runs $1,826 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Miami area as a whole ($2,112). Rent has climbed $703 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 36.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in West Palm Beach
Bachelor's degrees in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 29.1% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 29.3% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.7% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 37.1% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in West Palm Beach (32.5%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 83.0% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.7% | 84.2% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 85.6% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.7% | 87.4% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in West Palm Beach never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in West Palm Beach
| Period | West Palm Beach | Miami area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.8% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Palm Beach is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.2 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
West Palm Beach compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Palm Beach | 2.62 | 42.2 | 16.1% | 42.6% | 12.7% | 1984 | $1,826 | 32.5% | 84.7% | 5.5% |
| Westgate | 3.85 | 32.3 | 35.9% | 61.4% | 10.2% | 1980 | $1,383 | 9.6% | 55.2% | 6.7% |
| Haverhill | 3.09 | 37.0 | 21.4% | 51.7% | 3.0% | 1984 | $1,535 | 18.1% | 70.9% | 3.4% |
| Glen Ridge | 2.78 | 44.8 | 18.6% | 19.2% | 12.8% | 1972 | $1,758 | 27.6% | 87.7% | 2.9% |
| Cloud Lake | 2.78 | 44.8 | 18.6% | 19.2% | 12.8% | 1972 | $1,758 | 27.6% | 87.7% | 2.9% |
| Mangonia Park | 3.00 | 32.0 | 33.8% | 73.4% | 18.4% | 1985 | $1,723 | 14.6% | 77.3% | 9.0% |
| Palm Beach | 1.70 | 71.1 | 3.9% | 17.1% | 43.6% | 1969 | $2,700 | 72.2% | 97.3% | 5.7% |
| Acacia Villas | 2.52 | 38.0 | 11.2% | 51.3% | 27.3% | 1986 | $1,817 | 15.6% | 68.5% | 13.2% |
| Palm Springs | 3.00 | 38.0 | 16.8% | 44.5% | 12.0% | 1980 | $1,727 | 20.8% | 79.2% | 7.3% |
| Lake Clarke Shores | 2.69 | 51.9 | 4.7% | 15.0% | 14.9% | 1978 | $1,399 | 40.2% | 82.9% | 4.7% |
| Riviera Beach | 2.89 | 41.7 | 17.7% | 37.7% | 17.3% | 1982 | $1,750 | 28.7% | 87.8% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Union Dale, PA · Turtle River, MN · Tuscaloosa, AL · Twelve Corners, WI · Tunnel Hill, OH · Two Buttes, CO · Two Rivers, AK · Tulelake, CA · Tulare, CA · Tucson, AZ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up West Palm Beach. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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