Palm Beach
One of the world’s wealthiest enclaves, a place of wealth and sunny leisure for the “snow birds”
One of the world’s wealthiest enclaves, a place of wealth and sunny leisure for the “snow birds”
The original resort destination of the elite
Palm Beach, “The Island,” playground of the rich and famous, is what got this whole place started. It’s where Standard Oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler built his first hotel in 1893, and eventually his mansion, opening up the entire region to development. Local lore has it Palm Beach got its name when coconuts washed ashore from a 19th Century shipwreck.
Palm Beach life is increasingly year-round, but is still primarily dominated by “The Season,” when many northerners, often wealthy, often from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and many other points north, move down for the best weather months of the year – roughly Thanksgiving to Easter. Due to this, Palm Beach real estate has increased significantly throughout the past few years.
The Island essentially has two waterfronts: First, the properties lining the Atlantic Ocean possess sunrise-over-the-water views, and are considered among the most desirable properties in the world. Yet the island's west side beautifully runs along the gorgeous Intracoastal Waterway, offering world-class sunset views over West Palm Beach.
Palm Beach’s long list of trophy properties is such that a $50 million purchase wouldn’t land you anywhere near the island’s Top 10. A recent Palm Beach Daily News article found 33 billionaires on the Forbes 400 with ties to the island.
The most influential architecture, sometimes referred to as “The Palm Beach Style,” was pioneered by Gilded Age architect Addison Mizner, who designed 67 structures on the island between 1919 and 1924 that suggest Mediterranean influences with added touches of romance and glamour.
Today, “The Island,” as Palm Beach is often referred to, is one of the world’s wealthiest enclaves, a place of wealth and sunny leisure for the “snow birds,” residents who come down from colder climates in the winter. Together with permanent retirees and others who have decided to make this paradise their full-time home, just under 9,000 live on the island.
Real estate on Palm Beach can be divided into: North End and Mid-town.
North End real estate features predominantly single-family homes on typically larger lots than Mid-town Palm Beach, with some smaller bungalows mixed in. In addition to historic estates, there are new construction homes mixed in with numerous oceanfront homes and lakefront homes with private boating docks.
Mid-town Palm Beach real estate features the most diverse residences in all of Palm Beach, everything from smaller boutique condominium buildings to oceanfront homes and newer elegant townhomes. Additionally, Mid-town living is that much closer to the shopping, restaurants, and town life of the island.
Shopping in Palm Beach begins, but doesn’t end, with “Worth Avenue.”
In a hamlet known for housing some of the world’s greatest philanthropists, Palm Beach not surprisingly features a bevy of cultural options, including:
As a playground for the elite, some real estate in Palm Beach features a fantastic list of members-only, private clubs, including:
9,175 people live in Palm Beach, where the median age is 70.6 and the average individual income is $194,944. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Median Age
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
Average individual Income
