What it's like to live in Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens is a smaller city in Florida with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Palm Beach Gardens deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and very rainy.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High rent burden for renters
- Very rainy — 66" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Palm Beach Gardens compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Palm Beach Gardens
Based on Palm Beach Gardens's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,834
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $96,680 a year
- 53% of Palm Beach Gardens renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$121,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $60,610
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 71% above US
$2,417/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,417 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $606,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $606,100 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 78% below US
72 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1149/100k · Palm Beach Gardens Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 57°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 59% above US
57% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Big Cypress National Preserve (83 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Palm Beach Gardens's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,417/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
See all the data for Palm Beach Gardens →·All Florida cities →
Other places near Palm Beach Gardens
All Florida guides →Moving to Jupiter →
6 mi away · pop. 61,883
Rent $2,381/mo · Income $110,240
Compare with Palm Beach Gardens →Moving to North Palm Beach →
7 mi away · pop. 13,238
Rent $2,010/mo · Income $90,049
Compare with Palm Beach Gardens →Moving to West Palm Beach →
7 mi away · pop. 122,290
Rent $1,772/mo · Income $73,446
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