Palmetto Bay receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Palmetto Bay
West Palm Beach
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
31 · Bottom 18%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
81 · Top 17%
vs83 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs18 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs49 · Bottom 10%
Schools
38 · Bottom 32%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs46 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Palmetto Bay | West Palm Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,639 | 122,290 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $142,447 | $73,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $70,313 | $48,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,974/sq mi | 2,270/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $879,700 | $414,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,101 | $1,772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 50.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.1% | 39.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 554 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.0% | 536.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 64°F | 58°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.0" | 61.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.1 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.80 | 16.77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.7% | 43.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.4% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.2% | 58.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Palmetto Bay
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
West Palm Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Palmetto Bay
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
West Palm Beach
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Palmetto Bay, FL · West Palm Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology