West Palm Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Palm Beach
Fort Lauderdale
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs61 · Top 30%
Climate
83 · Top 11%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 11%
vs21 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs53 · Bottom 12%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 25%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | West Palm Beach | Fort Lauderdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,290 | 185,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,446 | $83,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,223 | $59,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,270/sq mi | 5,367/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $414,200 | $486,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,772 | $1,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.5% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 554 | 970 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 536.8% | -5.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 58°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.7" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 32 | 48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.77 | 20.07 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.4% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.9% | 51.6% | 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
West Palm Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Fort Lauderdale
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.
West Palm Beach
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Fort Lauderdale
52
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Palm Beach, FL · Fort Lauderdale, FL · How this is calculated: methodology