Housing decision brief
Palm Beach County, FL Housing Market
Palm Beach County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
63rd lowest home value out of 67 Florida counties with data | 66th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$407,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,818/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,512/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
36.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$306/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $306/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.88% effective property-tax rate is 20% above Florida county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Palm Beach County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $407,300 | $254,300 | $281,900 | 60% pressure60% above Florida county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,818 | $1,230 | $1,163 | 48% pressure48% above Florida county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,512 | $1,041 | $1,672 | 45% pressure45% above Florida county median |
Median household income | $81,115 | $66,154 | $74,755 | 23% favorable23% above Florida county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.88% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 20% pressure20% above Florida county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 36.00% | 32.00% | N/A | 13% pressure36.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$8,395
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,315
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Palm Beach County is moderately affordable. The median rent is $1,818/month against a median household income of $81,115, putting rent at 26.9% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Palm Beach County pay $1,818/month on average, compared to $1,512/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 17%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $72,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $64,800/year. With a median household income of $81,115, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 36.0% of renter households in Palm Beach County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Collier County where rent averages $1,752/month, Palm Beach County is approximately 4% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County, FL | $373,100 | $1,715/mo | Same-state comparison near $373,100 home value and $1,715/mo rent. |
| Broward County, FL | $380,400 | $1,804/mo | Same-state comparison near $380,400 home value and $1,804/mo rent. |
| Walton County, FL | $376,400 | $1,674/mo | Same-state comparison near $376,400 home value and $1,674/mo rent. |
| Seminole County, FL | $357,300 | $1,686/mo | Same-state comparison near $357,300 home value and $1,686/mo rent. |
| Martin County, FL | $386,500 | $1,499/mo | Same-state comparison near $386,500 home value and $1,499/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Palm Beach County
Is Palm Beach County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Palm Beach County?
How much income do you need for housing in Palm Beach County?
What should I double-check before moving to Palm Beach County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.