West Palm Beach, FL Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for West Palm Beach, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in West Palm Beach →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
West Palm Beach, Florida has a population of about 117,588. Typical household income is $64,044 per year, below the median across the cities in our dataset (-11%).
West Palm Beach's housing market shows a median home value of $324,800, roughly in line with the multi-city benchmark (-1%), alongside median rent of $1,614 per month. Both figures matter for anyone weighing a move here.
Home values run about 5.1× median income in West Palm Beach, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Year-over-year, home values around West Palm Beach are up 1.16%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. Climate and natural-hazard risk in West Palm Beach runs on the higher side, per FEMA's Relatively High rating — insurance premiums often track this closely.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,614/mo in West Palm Beach would take 30.2% of your income.
$13/mo over the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($324,800) would take 32.5% of your income toward principal & interest.
$240/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in West Palm Beach
Median home value is $324,800 and median gross rent is $1,614/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Palm Beach rose 1.16% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,254/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates West Palm Beach's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
West Palm Beach reported a violent crime rate of 492.9 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to West Palm Beach
Planning a move to West Palm Beach? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in West Palm Beach, FL?
- In West Palm Beach, the median home value is $324,800 and median rent is $1,614 per month, against a median household income of $64,044. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in West Palm Beach?
- West Palm Beach's median rent of $1,614/month works out to roughly $64,560 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for West Palm Beach.
- Is it better to rent or buy in West Palm Beach?
- Renting in West Palm Beach at the median $1,614/month calls for about $64,560 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $324,800 takes roughly $74,313 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is West Palm Beach safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, West Palm Beach's violent crime rate was 492.9 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for West Palm Beach →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of West Palm Beach's.