West Palm Beach is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.
It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent
Palm Beach, which is situated on a
barrier island
Barrier islands are a Coast#Landforms, coastal landform, a type of dune, dune system and sand island, where an area of sand has been formed by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of an ...
across the
Lake Worth Lagoon.
It is the largest city in Palm Beach County, and at the time of the
2020 census, its population was 117,415.
West Palm Beach is a principal city of the
Miami metropolitan area
The Miami metropolitan area is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the sixth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the lar ...
, which was home to 6.14 million people in 2020. It is the oldest incorporated
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the South Florida area, incorporated as a city two years before
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
in November 1894. West Palm Beach is located approximately north of
Downtown Miami.
History

The beginning of the historic period in south Florida is marked by
Juan Ponce de León's first contact with native people in 1513.
Europeans
Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common ancestry, language, faith, historical continuity, etc. There are ...
found a thriving native population, which they categorized into separate tribes: the
Mayaimi in the Lake Okeechobee Basin and the
Jaega and
Ais people in the East Okeechobee area and on the east coast north of the
Tequesta. When the Spanish arrived, there were around 20,000 Native Americans in south Florida. By 1763, by the time the English gained control of Florida, the native peoples had been all but wiped out through war, enslavement, or European diseases.
Other native peoples from
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
and
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
moved into Florida in the early 18th century. They were of varied ancestry, but Europeans called them all Creeks. In Florida, they were known as the
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...
and
Miccosukee Indians. The Seminoles clashed with American settlers over land and escaped slaves who found refuge among them. They resisted the government's efforts to move them to the
Indian Territory
Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...
west of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. Between 1818 and 1858, three wars were fought between Seminoles and the United States government. By 1858, very few Seminoles remained in Florida.
The area that became West Palm Beach was settled in the late 1870s and 1880s by a few hundred settlers who called the vicinity Lake Worth Country. These settlers were a diverse community from different parts of the United States and the rest of the world. They included founding families such as the Potters and the Lainharts, who later became leading members of the business community in the fledgling city. The first white settlers in Palm Beach County lived around Lake Worth, which was then an enclosed freshwater lake, named after Colonel
William Jenkins Worth, who fought in the Second Seminole War in Florida in 1842. Most settlers engaged in the growing of tropical fruits and vegetables for shipment to the north via Lake Worth and the Indian River. By 1890, the U.S. Census counted over 200 people settled along Lake Worth in the vicinity of what later became West Palm Beach. The area at this time also boasted a hotel, the "Cocoanut House", a church, and a post office. The city was platted by
Henry Flagler
Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder ...
as a community to house the servants working in the two grand
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
s on the neighboring island of
Palm Beach, across
Lake Worth in 1893, coinciding with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad. Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined sum of $45,000 for the original town's site, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth.
On November 5, 1894, 78 people met at the "Calaboose" (the first jail and police station located at Clematis St. and Poinsettia, now Dixie Hwy.) and passed a motion to incorporate the Town of West Palm Beach in what was then Dade County (now
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous coun ...
).
This made West Palm Beach the first incorporated
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in Dade County and in
South Florida
South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
. The town council quickly addressed the building codes, and the tents and shanties were replaced by brick, brick veneer, and stone buildings. The city grew steadily during the 1890s and the first two decades of the 20th century; most residents were engaged in the tourist industry and related services or winter vegetable market and tropical fruit trade. In 1909, the Florida legislature formed Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach became its county seat. In 1916, a new neoclassical courthouse was opened. It has been painstakingly restored to its original condition and is now a local history museum.
The city grew rapidly in the 1920s as part of the
Florida land boom. The population of West Palm Beach quadrupled from 1920 to 1927, and all kinds of businesses and public services grew along with it. Many landmark structures and preserved neighborhoods were constructed during this period. Originally, Flagler intended his
Florida East Coast Railway to have its
terminus in West Palm, but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.
The land boom was already faltering when the city was devastated by the
1928 Okeechobee hurricane. The Depression years of the 1930s were a quiet time for the area, which saw slight population growth and property values lower than during the 1920s. The city only recovered with the onset of World War II, which saw the construction of
Palm Beach Air Force Base, which brought thousands of military personnel to the city. The base was vital to the allied war effort, as it provided an excellent training facility and had unparalleled access to North Africa for a North American city. Also during World War II, German U-boats sank two dozen merchant ships and oil tankers off the coast of West Palm Beach. Nearby Palm Beach was under blackout conditions to minimize night visibility to German U-boats.
The 1950s saw another boom in population, partly due to the return of many soldiers and airmen who served nearby during the war. Also, the advent of
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
encouraged growth, as year-round living in a tropical climate became more acceptable to northerners. West Palm Beach became one of the nation's fastest-growing metropolitan areas during the 1950s; the city's borders spread west of Military Trail and south to Lake Clarke Shores. However, many city residents still lived in a narrow six-block wide strip from the south to north end. The neighborhoods were strictly segregated between White and African-American populations, a legacy that the city still struggles with today. The primary shopping district remained downtown, centered around Clematis Street.
In the 1960s, Palm Beach County's first enclosed shopping mall, the
Palm Beach Mall, and an indoor arena were completed. These projects led to a brief revival for the city, but in the 1970s and 1980s crime continued to be a serious issue and suburban sprawl continued to drain resources and business away from the old downtown area. By the early 1990s there were very high vacancy rates downtown, and serious levels of urban blight.
Since the 1990s, developments such as
CityPlace and the preservation and renovation of 1920s architecture in the nightlife hub of Clematis Street have seen a downtown resurgence in the
entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...
and shopping district. The city has also placed emphasis on neighborhood development and revitalization in historic districts such as Northwood, Flamingo Park, and El Cid. Some neighborhoods still struggle with blight, crime, and lowered property values caused by the Great Recession, which hit the region particularly hard. Since the recovery, multiple new developments have been completed. The Palm Beach Mall, located at the Interstate 95/Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard interchange became abandoned as downtown revitalized - the very mall that initiated the original abandonment of the downtown. The mall was redeveloped into the Palm Beach Fashion Outlets in February 2014. The
West Palm Beach station for
Brightline, a
high speed passenger rail service serving Miami,
Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, was opened in 2018.
Timeline
* 1893
** "Town
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
ted on
Lake Worth."
**
Florida East Coast Railway begins operating.
* 1894
** West Palm Beach
incorporated.
** John S. Earman becomes
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
.
* 1896 – Fire.
* 1900 – Population: 564.
* 1903 – "City of West Palm Beach" established.
* 1905 – Population: 1,280.
* 1907 – Flagler Park established.
* 1908 – ''
Palm Beach Post'' newspaper begins publication.
* 1909 – West Palm Beach designated seat of newly created
Palm Beach County.
* 1912 –
Palm Beach County Fair begins.
* 1916 – County courthouse constructed.
* 1917 – Beaux Arts Theatre in business.
* 1919
** Office of city manager created.
** City Hall built.
* 1923 – Kettler Theatre in business.
* 1924 –
Public Library
A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...
building opens.
* 1925 –
Seaboard Air Line Railway begins operating;
West Palm Beach station opens.
* 1926
** West Palm Beach Canal (to
Lake Okeechobee) constructed.
** September:
1926 Miami hurricane occurs.
* 1928 – September:
1928 Okeechobee hurricane occurs.
* 1930 – Population: 26,610.
* 1933 –
Palm Beach Junior College opens.
* 1936
**
Morrison Field (airport) begins operating.
** WJNO
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
begins broadcasting.
[ ]
* 1937 – Historical Society of Palm Beach County founded.
* 1941 –
Norton Museum of Art established.
* 1942
** April 17: City gets "8.35 inches of rain in just two hours."
** U.S. military
Palm Beach Air Force Base begins operating near West Palm Beach.
* 1947 – WIRK
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
begins broadcasting.
* 1948
**
Palm Beach International Airport active.
** WEAT
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
begins broadcasting.
* 1951 – Beach Drive-In cinema in business.
* 1954 –
WPTV (
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
) begins broadcasting.
[ ]
* 1955 – WEAT-TV (
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
) begins broadcasting.
* 1961 –
Cardinal Newman High School established.
* 1962 –
West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium opens.
* 1964 – Palm Beach County Genealogical Society formed.
* 1967 –
Palm Beach County Library System established.
* 1967 – Palm Beach Mall opens.
* 1967 – West Palm Beach Auditorium opens (capacity: 5,000). It would later be sold in 1998 to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc (Jehovah's Witnesses) It was renovated and renamed the
West Palm Beach Christian Convention Center.
* 1968 –
Palm Beach Atlantic College established.
* 1977 –
Snow is reported on January 19 at Palm Beach International Airport from 6:10 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
* 1979 –
Cross County Mall in business.
* 1980 – Population: 63,305.
* 1985 –
Plaza hi-rise built.
* 1991
**
Yesteryear Village (museum) opens.
** March 12:
Strong mayor referendum succeeds.
** November 19: Nancy M. Graham
elected first strong mayor of West Palm Beach.
* 1994 – "County Judicial Complex" built.
* 1997 –
West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium closes.
* 1999 –
Trump International Golf Club in business.
* 2000
** May:
Lake Worth Middle School shooting occurs.
** October 27:
CityPlace opens
** December 4: ''
Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board'' lawsuit decided during the
2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida.
** City website online (approximate date).
* 2010 – Population: 99,919.
* 2011 –
Jeri Muoio becomes mayor.
* 2014 –
Palm Beach Outlets opens on the former site of the Palm Beach Mall which closed in 2010.
* 2017 – Ballpark of the Palm Beaches opens (renamed
FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in 2018)
* 2017 –
Lois Frankel becomes
U.S. representative for
Florida's 21st congressional district.
* 2024 –
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, a former
president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
and
nominee
A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...
of the
Republican Party in the
2024 presidential election, survives an
assassination attempt while golfing at
Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
Environment
West Palm Beach Canal (C51)
According to the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the West Palm Beach Canal (C-51)/Stormwater Treatment Area (STA)1 East project was authorized by the
U.S. Congress under the Flood Control Acts of 1948, 1954, 1962, 1968, and the
Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1996. The project is located in
Palm Beach County and runs east to west from
West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lag ...
at Lake Worth to Water Conservation Area (WCA) No. 1 (
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge). The authorized project will provide 30-year flood protection to the urbanized eastern basin and 10-year flood protection to the western basin. All eastern basin features have been completed.
During mediation of the Everglades water quality litigation, a technical plan was developed for resolution of the litigation. The technical plan included a substantially modified C-51 project. The modified plan expands the original 1,600-acre floodwater detention area into a 6,500-acre stormwater detention area. In addition to the flood damage reduction benefits provided by the original project, the modified plan provides
water treatment
Water treatment is any process that improves the quality of water to make it appropriate for a specific end-use. The end use may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, river flow maintenance, water recreation or many other uses, ...
, reduction of damaging freshwater
discharges to
Lake Worth, and increased
water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Th ...
for the
Everglades and other users.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the total estimated cost of the West Palm Beach Canal (C51) is $375.47 million, with an estimated $345.04 million as the Federal Government's cost share. A total of $1.05 million was appropriated for this project by the U.S. Congress in Fiscal Year 2015. The Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request from the
U.S. President to the U.S. Congress was for $1 million.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, this city has a total area of , of which is land and (5.26%) is water.
Due to vast areas of
wetland
A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
immediately west of the city's downtown, growth occurred north and south in a linear fashion. Until the 1960s, the city was only several blocks wide but over 100 blocks in length. Large scale development finally expanded westward with improved access and drainage in the 1960s. However, the city boundaries were not expanded much with the exception of the "Water Catchment Area," an uninhabited area in the northwest part of the city. Known as Grassy Waters, it serves as a reservoir for the city drinking water and a nature preserve.
Places
Historic neighborhoods and communities
Bel Air Historic District: Developed from 1925 to 1935 as a neighborhood for tradesmen and real estate salesmen who helped develop Palm Beach County, some of Belair was originally a pineapple plantation owned by Richard Hone. Hones's frame vernacular house, built around 1895, still stands at 211 Plymouth Road. After Hone was murdered in 1902, his property was sold to George Currie, who created Currie Development Co. But before it was developed, the land was sold to William Ohlhaber, who raised coconut palms and ferns. Eventually, Ohlhaber platted the subdivision and sold off lots. The first house built in the subdivision was Ohlhaber's mission-style home at 205 Pilgrim. Ohlhaber's grandson said Ohlhaber bought the tract to provide dockage for his yacht, but the yacht ran aground in the Gulf of Mexico and never reached Lake Worth. In 1947, Hone's house was bought by Henry Flagler's chief engineer Max Brombacher, and it remains in the Brombacher family today. Belair became West Palm Beach's fourth historic district in August 1993.
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
: Central Park is a collective name for several subdivisions north of Southern Boulevard. It originally was part of the Estates of South Palm Beach (which extended from Wenonah Place to Pilgrim Road east of Dixie Highway). Like other West Palm Beach neighborhoods, the Estates of South Palm Beach boomed after Henry Flagler's descent on Palm Beach. In 1884, James W. Copp, a bachelor in the boating business, borrowed $367.20 from Valentine Jones to buy the land. The ownership of what is now Central Park changed hands many times before being developed. Around 1919, the tropical wilderness was transformed into an exclusive neighborhood with curbed roads, sidewalks, and a pier (at the foot of what is now Southern Boulevard). The neighborhood became part of West Palm Beach in 1926, and was named a city historic district in December 1993. In 1999, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
El Cid
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar ( – 10 July 1099) was a Castilian knight and ruler in medieval Spain. Fighting both with Christian and Muslim armies during his lifetime, he earned the Arabic honorific ("the Lord" or "the Master"), which would evolve i ...
: Noted for its Mediterranean revival and mission-style homes, El Cid developed in the height of Florida's real estate boom. In the late 19th century, most land north of Sunset Road was pineapple fields, but the crop dwindled in the early 20th century. Pittsburgh socialite Jay Phipps subdivided the old pineapple fields in the 1920s and named it El Cid after celebrated Spanish hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, who conquered Valencia in 1094. He was called "Cid," meaning "lord." El Cid became a city historic district in June 1993. In 1995 the neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Flamingo Park: Originally a pineapple plantation, Flamingo Park was established by local contractors and developers, who saw the potential in this area—one of the highest coastal ridge sections from downtown West Palm Beach to Miami. Some ridge houses even had ocean views from upper floors. Houses cost about $10,000 to $18,000 in the boom era, and many buyers owned shops and businesses on fashionable Dixie Highway nearby. Recently, residents rallied to have stop signs installed through the neighborhood and banded together to ward off commercial and industrial zoning. Property values are rising as residents renovate and restore Spanish-style houses. Most homes in the neighborhood, developed from 1921 to 1930, are mission style, but nearly every style is represented. There are many Mediterranean revival-style houses along the high ridge line. Only two buildings in the historic district are known to have been designed by architects: 701 Flamingo Drive designed by Harvey and Clarke, and the Armory Arts Center designed by William Manly King. The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in January 1993 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Grandview Heights: One of the city's oldest intact neighborhoods, Grandview Heights was built as an extension of Palm Beach Heights from around 1910 to 1925. Almost all of Palm Beach Heights and half of Grandview Heights was demolished in 1989 to make way for the proposed Downtown/Uptown project, which became CityPlace. Grandview Heights originally attracted construction workers who helped build the luxury hotels, ministers, and store owners. The neighborhood has one of the city's best collection of early craftsman-style bungalows, as well as some modest, Mediterranean revival-style homes. The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1995 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Mango Promenade: Mango Promenade became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1995 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Lies just south of Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Northboro Park: An expansion of Old Northwood, Northboro Park was mostly custom houses for upper-middle-class professionals. Most of the houses are Mediterranean revival, mission and frame vernacular. Developed from 1923 to 1940, the neighborhood became the city's second historic district (November 1992) and the historic designation may soon expand north to 45th Street. The oldest building in the neighborhood is Northboro Elementary School at 36th Street and Spruce, built in 1925 by DaCamara and Chace. The demolition of Northboro Elementary School began in late 2009. The first home in Northboro Park is 418 36th St., built in 1923.
Northwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...
: West Palm Beach's first historic district to be included on the National Register of Historic Places (February 1992), the Northwest neighborhood was first settled in 1894, when the black community was moved from the Styx in Palm Beach to West Palm Beach. It also served as the city's segregated black community from 1929 to 1960 (along with Pleasant City). Northwest remains a predominantly black community but according to the city planning department, most middle- and upper-class blacks moved to other neighborhoods after desegregation. Tamarind and Rosemary Avenues were the commercial centers for blacks by 1915, but most commercial buildings have been demolished or remodeled so the architecture is no longer significant. There are still good examples of late 19th- and early 20th-century American bungalow/craftsman-style homes in this neighborhood, which also has mission, shotgun, Bahamian vernacular, and American Foursquare styles. The Alice Frederick Mickens house, at 801 Fourth St., is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mickens was a philanthropist and humanitarian who promoted education for black youth. Another notable house is the
Gwen Cherry house at 625 Division Ave. Cherry, Florida's first Black woman legislator and a resident of Miami, inherited the house from relative Mollie Holt, who built the house in 1926. Now it is the Palm Beach County Black Historical Society. The Northwest neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The next year the neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1993.
Old Northwood Historic District: Old Northwood was developed from 1920 to 1927—the height of the city's real estate boom. The Pinewood Development Co., platted and developed the area. Old Northwood became a neighborhood of what was considered extravagant Mediterranean revival, mission, and frame vernacular houses, at $30,000 to $36,000. The buyers were professionals, entrepreneurs and tradesmen. Among them was David F. Dunkle, who was mayor of West Palm Beach. There are houses here designed by notable architects John Volk (best known for his Palm Beach houses), William Manly King (who designed Palm Beach High School and the Armory Arts Center) and Henry Steven Harvey (whose Seaboard Railroad Passenger Station on Tamarind Avenue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places). The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1991 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in June 1994.
Northwood Hills Historic District: On August 4, 2003, the City Commission designated the Northwood Hills neighborhood as the 13th Historic District in the City of West Palm Beach. Northwood Hills comprises the area from 29th Street on the South to 39th Court on the North. The east side of Windsor is the Western boundary, and Greenwood Avenue is the Eastern boundary.
The Neighborhood Association has worked several years to achieve the distinction of historic designation. This is the first district to be designated since 1996. Northwood Hills has a number of Mission Revival houses, a significant collection of Post-World War II architecture, a unique street layout, and one of the highest elevations in the city. The Northwood Hills neighborhood has also elected to allow the establishment of Bed and Breakfast establishments within the neighborhood.
Prospect Park: Promoted as a
high-end neighborhood patterned after the prominent Prospect Park district in Brooklyn, this area consisted of mostly smaller estates for prominent businesspeople and northern investors. The neighborhood has a high concentration of Mediterranean revival and Mission revival houses. It was developed from 1920 to 1935 and became a city historic district in November 1993.
West Northwood Historic District: Cashing in on the real estate boom, developers of West Northwood built speculative and custom houses for upper-middle-class professionals from 1925 to '27. Dominant architectural styles are Mediterranean revival and mission. Although the area was declining, that has reversed in recent years, as more investors buy and restore the houses. West Northwood became a city historic district in August 1993.
West Palm Beach Census Designated Places and Urbanized Area
The estimated 2012 population of West Palm Beach and the immediately adjacent Census Designated Places is 134,795.
Much of this urbanized area lies directly west of the city and includes the neighborhoods of Westgate, Belvedere Homes, Lakeside Green, Century Village, Schall Circle, Lake Belvedere Estates, Plantation Mobile Homes, and Golden Lakes. These neighborhoods are not technically within the boundaries of West Palm Beach, being located in unincorporated Palm Beach County. However, residents possess a "West Palm Beach" address and urban services, such as police, fire, parks, water and sewer, are provided by a combination of Palm Beach County and the City of West Palm Beach in these areas. The City of West Palm Beach also provides water and sewer service to the Town of Palm Beach. The contiguous "urbanized" area, of which West Palm Beach is the core city, includes most of eastern Palm Beach County and has an estimated 2008 population of around 1,250,000.
Key incorporated cities and their populations within the West Palm Beach
urbanized area include:
# 89,407 –
Boca Raton
# 71,097 –
Boynton Beach
# 64,072 –
Delray Beach
# 60,202 –
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
# 58,298 –
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
# 50,699 –
Palm Beach Gardens
# 38,696 –
Greenacres
# 36,306 –
Royal Palm Beach
# 36,000 –
Lake Worth Beach
# 33,263 –
Riviera Beach
# 20,872 –
Palm Springs
# 12,348 –
North Palm Beach
# 10,867 –
Lantana
''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial plant, perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropics, tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in num ...
# 8,649 –
Palm Beach
# 3,472 –
Lake Clarke Shores
# 3,283 –
Loxahatchee
# 2,057 –
Atlantis
# 1,940 –
Haverhill
# 1,939 –
Mangonia Park
Notable buildings
Climate
West Palm Beach has a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
(Af). The city is situated in USDA
hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
10b, with an annual mean minimum temperature of .
There is year-round rainfall, with the majority falling in a wet season from May through October that is hot and humid. The average window for temperatures is April 15 through October 10, but temperatures of or higher have only occurred four times since record-keeping began in 1888. During this period, more than half of the days bring afternoon thunderstorms and sea breezes that cool the air for the rest of the day. Late in the season, there is also a chance for a tropical storm or hurricane to strike. The area was unusually hard-hit in 2004 and 2005, when Hurricanes
Frances
Frances is an English given name or last name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'the French.' The male version of the name in English is Francis (given name), Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "F ...
,
Jeanne and
Wilma caused property damage and power outages.
Although it lacks a fully
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
, the period from November through April is warm and drier, with temperatures remaining fairly commonplace even from December through February. Occasionally, a stronger cold front can lower daytime temperatures to around , the annual mean minimum max temperature, and lows to around . Freezes are rare; the most recent was in 2010. This dry season can also bring about potential for drought during hotter, drier seasons.
Demographics
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $36,774, and the median income for a family was $42,074. Males had a median income of $30,221 versus $26,473 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $23,188. About 14.5% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 14.8% of those ages 65 and older.
Government and infrastructure

West Palm Beach is governed via the
Mayor-council system. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The five members of the city council are each elected from districts.
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates several post offices in the city limits:
* Downtown West Palm Beach
* Northwood
* Palm Beach Carrier Annex
Additionally, the Haverhill BR, Palms Central, and West Palm Beach (including the window unit) post offices are located in an
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
, while the Lake Park Post Office is located in
Lake Park, despite having a West Palm Beach address.
West Palm Beach has its own police force, the West Palm Beach Police Department.
In 2014, an officer with a history of misconduct pled guilty to selling drugs while on duty.
Education
Public K–12 education
K–12 public education
A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in part by taxation and operated by the government of the state. State-f ...
is administrated by the
School District of Palm Beach County, which is the tenth-largest
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...
in the United States by enrollment.
Overall, 18 public elementary schools serve students within the city limits or in unincorporated areas, including Belvedere, Benoist Farms, Egret Lake, Forest Hill, Grove Park, Hope-Centennial, Meadow Park, Northboro, Northmore, Palm Beach, Palmetto, Pleasant City, Roosevelt, Seminole Trails, South Olive, U.B. Kinsey/Palmview (Performing and Visual School of the Arts
Magnet School), West Gate, and Westward Elementary School.
Public middle school students are served by nine different schools, including Bak Middle School of the Arts, Bear Lakes, Conniston, Jeaga, John F. Kennedy, Okeeheelee, Palm Springs, Roosevelt, and Western Pines. There are also six public high schools for students in West Palm Beach or nearby unincorporated areas, including
Dreyfoos School of the Arts (Performing and Visual School of the Arts Magnet School),
Forest Hill,
G-Star School Of The Arts,
Palm Beach Gardens,
Palm Beach Lakes, and
Royal Palm Beach.
Charter and multi-level
* Palm Beach Maritime Academy – K–10 moving to K–12
* Gardens School Of Technology Arts – K–8
* University Preparatory Academy – K–3
Private schools
Private schools in the area include:
*
Berean Christian School
*
Cardinal Newman High School
*
The King's Academy
*
American Heritage School
* Indian Ridge School
*
Palm Beach Day Academy
*
The Benjamin School
*
Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches
*
Rosarian Academy
* Saint Ann Catholic School
* Matlock Preparatory Academy
Post-secondary education

The original
Palm Beach Junior College building was
restored and is now adjacent to the campus of the
Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a
magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...
performing and visual arts
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
. It is now a satellite building of
Palm Beach State College.
Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU), a four-year private Christian university with approximately 3,200 students, is located in the city on seven blocks within the south end of downtown. The campus includes several historic structures converted to academic use. PBAU has recently added schools of nursing and of pharmacy.
Northwood University formerly had a residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. The campus now belongs to
Keiser University, a regionally accredited school that offers a variety of degrees at the Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels. It is one of their 16 Florida campuses.
Various private
for-profit institutions are located in the city, including the Lincoln College of Technology (formerly known as New England Institute of Technology), Florida Culinary Institute, owned by the
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
-based
Lincoln Group of Schools, and
Southeastern College.
Libraries
The
Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach serves the city. The new city public library opened in April 2009 at 411 Clematis Street, replacing the 1962 building which stood at the intersection of Clematis Street and Flagler Drive, along the Intracoastal Waterfront. Named for a Mandel Foundation grant received in 2012, the Mandel Public Library provides books, performances, classes, research, entertainment, technology, music and more.
The Main Branch of the
Palm Beach County Library System is also located in West Palm Beach, as well as the Okeechobee Branch Library.
Economy
Companies based in West Palm Beach include
Affiliated Managers Group,
Florida Public Utilities,
ION Media Networks,
Ocwen, and ''
The Palm Beach Post''. Other major employers are
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
,
Aerojet Rocketdyne,
Sikorsky Aircraft,
General Dynamics,
Cemex, and
CSC.
Arts and culture
Norton Museum of Art: is the largest art museum in Florida and also organizes traveling exhibits. The permanent collection features 19th and 20th century European and American art, Chinese, contemporary art and photography.
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: Built in 1992, the Kravis Center hosts performances of music, dance, opera and theatre.

Meyer Amphitheater: An abandoned Holiday Inn, demolished on New Year's Eve 1993 and transformed into an outdoor waterfront
amphitheater.
Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum: is operated and maintained by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, and is in the Historic 1916 Court House in downtown West Palm Beach. The museum provides access to Palm Beach County history through on-site investigation in the Research Library, on-line research on www.pbchistoryonline.org, the Public Programming Series and the Distinguished Lecture Series. The museum is free to visitors and offers Docent-led tours for adults and school groups.
Palm Beach County Convention Center: A complex with of exhibit halls and meeting rooms in downtown West Palm Beach.
Harriet Himmel Theater: is a multi-use theater and historic church, and is the cultural centerpiece of
CityPlace.

The Carefree Theatre: Built in 1940, in the historic Flamingo Park district, it was variously an
art house cinema and alternative music performance venue until severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma.
There is a Jewish community offering learning and cultural activities.
Festivals and shows
SunFest: an annual music, art, and waterfront festival in
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, founded in 1982 to draw visitors to the area during the "shoulder season" of April and May. SunFest has an annual attendance of more than 275,000 people. Artists who have performed include
Nas,
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
,
Celia Cruz,
Hall & Oates,
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
,
Earth Wind and Fire,
Logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure o ...
,
Kool & the Gang,
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
,
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic,
Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
* Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp
** Santana 20
** Santan ...
,
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
,
Willy Chirino,
The Roots,
Damian Marley,
Isaac Hayes,
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...
,
The Temptations,
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
,
Ohio Players
Ohio Players are an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire" and " Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of the women were models f ...
,
Cee Lo Green,
Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known by the stage name Mac Miller, was an American rapper. He began his career in Pittsburgh's local hip hop music, hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of 15. In 2010, he signed ...
,
Musiq Soulchild
Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by his stage name Musiq Soulchild (or simply Musiq; pronounced "music") is an American singer-songwriter. His music blends Rhythm and blues, R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, ...
,
Ray Charles,
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
,
J. Cole,
Pitbull,
Billy Idol,
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...
,
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...
, and
The Wailers. SunFest is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
The Sandi Tree is a 35 foot tall sand sculpture weighing 700 tons and decorated with lights. The tree is displayed at the Centennial Square Fountain during Decembers. A laser light show plays each night during the Holiday Season.
Palm Beach International Film Festival
Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction: Classic car auction held every March in the
South Florida Expo Center.
Palm Beach Opera
Sports
West Palm Beach does not host any professional sports team, but the
Florida Panthers of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
play at
Amerant Bank Arena in
Sunrise to the south.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
's
Miami Marlins, the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
's
Miami Dolphins and the
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
all play in nearby
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous coun ...
. In the past, West Palm Beach has hosted various professional teams such as
arena football, minor-league
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
,
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
, and
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports are sports in which athletes are not participating on a full-time basis, but still receive some payment. Semi-professionals are not amateur because they receive regular payment from their team, but generally at a cons ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
teams.
Spring Training Baseball:
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, formerly called The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, is a baseball park located in West Palm Beach, Florida, West Palm Beach, Florida. The stadium has a capacity of 6,500 people in fixed seats with room for 1,000 more ...
opened in February 2017 and accommodates the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
and
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
for
spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
. The
Miami Marlins and
St. Louis Cardinals conduct
spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
in suburban West Palm Beach in the town of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
at
Roger Dean Stadium. In the past, West Palm Beach hosted spring training for the
St. Louis Browns from 1928 to 1936, the
Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...
from 1946 to 1954, and the
Kansas City Athletics
The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...
from 1955 to 1962 at
Connie Mack Field, which was demolished in 1992, and for the
Milwaukee Braves from 1963 to 1965, the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
from 1969 to 1972 and from 1981 to 1997, and the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
from 1966 to 1997 at
West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium, which was demolished in 2002.
Collegiate Athletics:
Palm Beach Atlantic University competes in NCAA Division II basketball, baseball and soccer. PBAU recently purchased a large tract of land west of downtown where a multi-use athletic stadium will be constructed. Indoor athletics play their home games at the Greene Complex which is an on-campus arena.
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. The university is a member of the State University System of Florida and has s ...
's athletic programs are played in nearby
Boca Raton. FAU competes in the highest level of NCAA athletics including football, basketball, baseball, softball and tennis.
Keiser University competes at the NAIA level, where their former basketball coach
Rollie Massimino, helped in giving the athletic program national exposure.
Professional Golf:
PGA National Resort & Spa in suburban
Palm Beach Gardens hosts the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
Honda Classic.
Polo and Equestrian: Palm Beach Polo and Country Club counts seven polo fields among its world-class facilities and many high-goal games are played in the area. The equestrian events at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center are the world-renowned Winter Equestrian Festival, the Global Dressage Festival, and over 40 weeks a year of equestrian competitions, hosted in
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
.
Tennis: The
Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, a hard court stop on the
ATP Tour
The ATP Tour (known as ATP World Tour between January 2009 and December 2018) is the sole worldwide top-tier tennis tour for men organized by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) founded in 1990 that replaced the earlier dual Grand Prix ...
, takes place annually in
Delray Beach, slightly to the south of West Palm Beach.
Croquet: The National Croquet Center has 12 full sized croquet lawns, making it the largest dedicated croquet facility in the world. It hosts several national championships and in May 2009 will host the World Championship when representatives of up to 25 countries will be competing for the Wimbledon Cup.
BMX Racing: Okeeheelee park contains one of the most celebrated BMX race tracks in the state of Florida. Insured by USA BMX, the Okeeheelee track is host to State Qualifiers and National Races, it is also home to several National Champions.
Tourism and recreation

*
Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park
*West Palm Beach Parks and Recreation
*
Rapids Water Park
*
South Florida Science Museum
*
Lion Country Safari
*
International Polo Club Palm Beach
*National Croquet Center
*
Trump International Golf Club (West Palm Beach)
Shopping areas/districts
Clematis Street: is West Palm Beach's historic "main street" and shopping venue, home to Clematis by Night, an outdoor event held on the street with live music and food. During the fall and winter months, Clematis is also home to the WPB GreenMarket.
CityPlace: Opened in 2000 on re-developed land where dilapidated single family homes and apartments once stood, CityPlace houses night clubs, restaurants, clothing and home-decor retail outlets, and multi-story town houses and apartments.
Palm Beach Outlets: Opened in 2014, it was developed on the site of the former Palm Beach Mall. Palm Beach Outlets features over 130 stores and is located directly off Interstate 95 on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.
Antique Row: is a shopping district on the south side of the city along Dixie Highway. Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Art & Antiques, and House Beautiful have all noted Antique Row as one of the east coast's premier antique districts, considered the "antique design center" of Florida.
Northwood Village: is an historic commercial district north of downtown. The city invested money in rebuilding the streetscape and promoting the area as an arts district.
Transportation

Air: The city is served by
Palm Beach International Airport, located in unincorporated Palm Beach County. The airport attracts people from all over the county as well as from the
Treasure Coast and
Space Coast counties to the north. In 2014 there were over 6.5 million passengers who passed through the gates of PBIA making it the 52nd busiest airport in the nation.
Bicycle The city's flat terrain, early paved streets, and year-round climate quickly earned it the designation as the "bicyclingest town in the U.S.A.". The historic core consists of a dense grid of narrower streets, laid out by
Henry Flagler
Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder ...
.
Clematis Street was one-lane each direction with a speed limit of 12 mph, and the middle of the street between lanes was used to park bicycles. The popularity of bicycling declined during the later half of the 20th century, but has undergone a renewed increase in popularity. In addition, a bike share program, SkyBike, was introduced in 2015, and the city's mobility plan calls for protected bike lanes on most downtown streets.
Highways:
U.S. 1 passes through the city's downtown, commercial, and industrial districts.
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
bisects the city from north to south with multiple interchanges serving West Palm Beach, including an entrance to Palm Beach International Airport.
Florida's Turnpike passes through West Palm Beach further west, connecting with the western suburbs of
Royal Palm Beach and
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
.
State Road 80, running east–west, is a partial expressway, that runs from Interstate 95 to State Road 7.
Rail:
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
has daily long-distance trains, ''
Silver Meteor
The ''Silver Meteor'' is a Long-distance Amtrak routes, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. Introduced in 1939 as the first diesel-powered streamliner between New York and Florida, it was t ...
'' and ''
Silver Star,'' arriving and departing to points north and Miami to the south as well.
Tri-Rail commuter rail
Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
system serves the city from a
historical station located on the west side of Tamarind Avenue, just east of I-95. Tri-Rail provides commuter rides north to Mangonia Park and south to Miami. All Aboard Florida began track upgrades in 2015 in preparation for
higher-speed passenger service serving
Miami, Florida
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
through
Orlando, FL
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
. Service on All Aboard Florida's
Brightline service from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale began on January 12, 2018. Service was extended from Fort Lauderdale to Miami on May 19, 2018. The
freight rail companies,
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
and the
Florida East Coast Railway also serve the city.
Trolley: There is a free downtown trolley that provides transportation around downtown including Clematis, City Place, Tri Rail Station, Palm Beach Outlets, and Waterfront districts of the city.
Bus:
Greyhound Lines operates scheduled
intercity bus service out of the train station on the west side of Tamarind Avenue.
Palm Tran, the Palm Beach County municipal bus service, operates scheduled service throughout the city and the suburban areas of Palm Beach County.
Port: The
Port of Palm Beach is located on the northern edge of the city limits. It is the fourth busiest container port in Florida and the 18th busiest in the continental United States. In addition to intermodal capacity, the Port is a major modal point for the shipment of various goods
as well as being the home to several small passenger cruise lines.
Water Taxi: As a waterfront city there is specific need for water transportation between points in the city and surrounding areas. Waterway transportation is available to and from the downtown Clematis Street District, Sailfish Marina Resort, waterfront attractions,
Peanut Island, and special events.
Media
Newspapers
''
The Palm Beach Post'' is owned by Virginia-based
Gannett
Gannett Co., Inc. ( ) is an American mass media holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation.
It owns the national newspaper ''USA Today'', as well as several ...
. Its name notwithstanding, the Post is based in West Palm Beach, not Palm Beach. The Post is the 57th highest daily circulation in the country, according to the 2007 BurrellesLuce survey, and is the city's sole daily newspaper. It serves Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, the area north of Palm Beach County that includes Martin and St. Lucie Counties.
The ''
Palm Beach Daily News
The ''Palm Beach Daily News'' is a newspaper serving the town of Palm Beach in Palm Beach County in South Florida. It is also known as "The Shiny Sheet" because of its heavy, slick newsprint stock.
History
The newspaper was founded in 1897 ...
'', another publication owned by Gannett, serves the town of Palm Beach. It frequently covers issues and affairs of the Palm Beach city council. It also extends coverage to events taking place in West Palm Beach.
''
South Florida Sun-Sentinel'', is based in Fort Lauderdale and covers portions of Southern Palm Beach County.
''
New Times Broward-Palm Beach'' is an alternative weekly publication serving West Palm Beach along with Fort Lauderdale.
''WPB Magazine'' is a quarterly publication serving West Palm Beach.
Radio
West Palm Beach is ranked as the 46th largest radio market in the country by
Arbitron
Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio broadcasting audiences. It was founded as the American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by mergin ...
.
Television
West Palm Beach is ranked as the 38th largest television market in the country by
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. The market is served by stations affiliated with major American networks including
WPTV-TV/5 (
NBC),
WPEC/12 (
CBS),
WBWP-LD/19 (
Ind.),
WPBF
WPBF (channel 25) is a television station licensed to Tequesta, Florida, United States, serving the West Palm Beach area as an affiliate of American Broadcasting Company, ABC. Owned by Hearst Television, the station maintains studios on RCA B ...
/25 (
ABC),
WFLX/29 (
FOX),
WTVX/34 (
CW),
WXEL-TV/42 (
PBS),
WTCN-CD/43 (
MYTV),
WWHB-CD/48 (
Azteca),
WFGC/61 (
CTN), and
WPXP-TV/67 (
ION).
The area's official
Telemundo affiliate is
WSCV in Miami,
WLTV is the area's
Univision affiliate, and
WAMI-DT
WAMI-DT (channel 69) is a television station licensed to Hollywood, Florida, United States, serving as the Miami-area outlet for the Spanish-language network UniMás. It is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision alongside Univision station WLTV ...
is the area's
UniMás
UniMás (, stylized as ''UNIMÁS'', and originally known as TeleFutura from its launch on January 14, 2002, to January 6, 2013) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television, free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. ...
affiliate, also in Miami. In addition to those, many Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market TV and radio stations are also available and viewed in West Palm Beach.
Crime
Violent crime: According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) statistics, West Palm Beach is experiencing a steep drop in major crimes. In the past decade, crime dropped more in West Palm Beach than any other major city (approximately 100,000 residents or more) in Florida. In 1993, West Palm Beach was featured in a
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
segment on urban decay. At the time, 80% of downtown properties were vacant. Since then, the city has done much to improve its image, at least in the physical sense. Occupancy is high, and housing prices have risen rapidly. FDLE statistics show the total crime rate per 100,000 residents has dropped by over 50% since 2000, from 13,880 that year to 6,571 in 2008. In 2008 alone, there was a 17.9% drop in crime. Annual crime rates are always more than three times the national average. However, as of 2006, the city's crime average has been gradually decreasing while robbery was up 17 percent. West Palm Beach's northern neighbor,
Riviera Beach, has an even higher violent crime rate.
The following are the crime rates, per 100,000 people, for West Palm Beach as of 2005.
Sister cities
West Palm Beach has three
sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there ar ...
, as designated by
Sister Cities International:
*
Mersin
Mersin () is a large city and port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of Mediterranean Region, Turkey, southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin Province (formerly İçel). It is made up of four district governorates ...
, Turkey
*
Tzahar, Israel
*
Budva
Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...
, Montenegro
Notable people
*
Andy Abad,
MLB first baseman for Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds
*
Stephanie Abrams,
Weather Channel meteorologist
*
Tori Amos, singer-songwriter
*
Ottis Anderson,
NFL player
New York Giants, MVP of
Super Bowl XXV
*
Jeff Atwater
Jeffrey Hardee Atwater (born April 8, 1958) is an American financier who served as the 3rd Chief Financial Officer of Florida from 2011 to 2017, and currently serves as Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Financial Officer at Flor ...
,
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
History
There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
,
Florida Legislature,
Palm Beach County
*
Agnes Ballard, architect and educator, one of the first women elected to office in Florida
*
Bob Barker, entertainer, game show host, ''
The Price Is Right''
*
Scottie Barnes, professional basketball player for the
Toronto Raptors
*
Zinn Beck,
MLB infielder
*
Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard Betts (December 12, 1943 – April 18, 2024) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as a longtime member of the Allman Brothers Band. A co-founder of the band when it formed in 1969, he was central ...
,
Allman Brothers Band member
*
Dante Bichette, MLB outfielder
*
Jason Bonham, drummer, son of
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
's
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Noted for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, John Bonh ...
*
Don Brewer,
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
drummer
*
Jimmy Buffett, singer and entertainer
*
Virginia Spencer Carr, biographer and literary critic
*
Diana Canova, actress
*
Chris Carrabba, singer-songwriter from Dashboard Confessional
*
Anthony Carter, NFL player
*
Tom Carvel, of Carvel Ice-cream stores
*
Glenn Close, actress
*
John Collins, professional basketball player for the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
*
Bob Cousy, basketball Hall of Famer and TV commentator
*
Marshall Criser, president of
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
*
Arlene Dahl, actress
*
Vic Damone
Vic Damone (born Vito Rocco Farinola; June 12, 1928 – February 11, 2018) was an American traditional pop music, pop and big band singer and actor. He was best known for his performances of songs such as the number one hit "You're Breaking My ...
, singer and actor
*
Dale Dawson, NFL player
*
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns football, Texas Lo ...
, NFL
placekicker
In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...
for
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
*
Ted DiBiase, Jr., professional wrestler
*
Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr., entrepreneur and philanthropist
*
Watson B. Duncan III, acting coach and mentor to
Burt Reynolds
*
Mabel Evelyn Elliott
Mabel Evelyn Elliott (8 February 1881 – 13 June 1968), sometimes written as Mabel Evelyn Elliot, was a British-born American physician who did post-war medical relief work in Turkey, Armenia, and Greece from 1919 to 1923. She continued her ove ...
, physician and humanitarian to Armenian and Greek refugees, first West Palm Beach woman to attend medical school
*
Heath Evans
Bryan Heath Evans (born December 30, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a Fullback (American football), fullback in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Aubu ...
, fullback for
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
and graduate of The Kings Academy
*
Mark Foley, U.S. Congressman
*
Kason Gabbard, MLB pitcher
*
Andrés Galarraga, MLB baseball player
*
Anthony Goldwire, NBA player
*
Murray H. Goodman, real estate developer
*
Ken Green, PGA golfer
*
Jill S. Grigsby, sociologist
*
Deidre Hall, actress, graduate of Lake Worth High School in central Palm Beach County
*
George Hamilton, actor, graduate of Palm Beach High School
*
Derek Harper, NBA player,
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
and
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
*
William Harris, tennis player
*
Alcee Hastings, U.S. Congressman
*
John Havlicek, basketball Hall of Famer
*
Ryan Hawblitzel, baseball player
*
Tyler Herron (1986–2021), baseball pitcher
*
Devin Hester, NFL player
*
Hey Monday, alternative rock band
*
Bill Hicks, comedian
* Jay Howard, British professional race car driver in IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500
* Dick Howser, professional baseball player, manager of 1985 World Series champion Kansas City Royals
* Travis Hunter, professional football player
* Tommy Lee Jones, actor
* Michael Jordan, basketball Hall of Famer
* Ron Klein, U.S. Congressman
* Blake Koch, NASCAR driver
* Brooks Koepka, professional golfer
* Joey Kramer, Aerosmith drummer
* Larry the Cable Guy, comedian
* Debi Laszewski, IFBB professional bodybuilder
* Theresa LePore, Supervisor of Elections; designer of butterfly ballot, which figured prominently in U.S. presidential election, 2000
* David McCampbell, naval aviator during World War II
* AJ McLean, of the Backstreet Boys
* Tony McQuay, gold and silver medalist 2016 Summer Olympics, track and field
* Matthew Mercer, voice actor and dungeon master
* Taylor Motter, Utility player (baseball), utility player for the
St. Louis Cardinals
* Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista, First Lady of Cuba (1952–1959)
* Bob Mitchell (baseball), Bob Mitchell, Negro league baseball player
* Edgar Mitchell, astronaut who walked on moon
* Ruthie Morris, guitarist of Magnapop
* Jim Palmer, baseball Hall of Famer
* Barbara Pariente, former Justice and Chief Justice of Florida Supreme Court
* James Patterson, author
* Cassadee Pope, winner of ''The Voice (U.S. season 3), The Voice season 3'' and lead singer of rock band
Hey Monday
* Jamieson Price, actor, voice-over artist
* Judge Reinhold, actor
*
Burt Reynolds, actor, graduate of Palm Beach High School
* Dusty Rhodes (baseball coach), college baseball coach
* Randi Rhodes, radio talk show host
* Adrian Rogers, president Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church
* William J. Ronan, (1912-2014) chairman New York State MTA and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; president of New York University, NYU
* Jarrod Saltalamacchia, MLB catcher
* Ron Sellers, NFL player for Dallas Cowboys
* Ben Silverman (golfer), Ben Silverman (born 1987), professional PGA golfer
* Steve Sipek (Stjepan Sipek), actor, stage name Steve Hawkes, starred in ''Blood Freak'' and ''Tarzan and the Brown Prince''
* Howard Stern, radio talk show host
* Peggy Stewart (actress), Peggy Stewart, actress
* Surfer Blood, indie rock band
* Vinny Sutherland, NFL player, graduate of Palm Beach Lakes High School
* Tenth Avenue North, contemporary Christian rock band
* Robby Thompson,
MLB second baseman for San Francisco Giants 1986–1996, bench coach for Seattle Mariners, graduated from Forest Hill Community High School
* Otis Thorpe, NBA player for Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons
* Devon Travis, former MLB player who is currently a coach for the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
* Tiffany Trump, daughter of the 45th and 47th U.S. president
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, born in West Palm Beach
* Maryly Van Leer Peck, American academic, first woman president of a Florida community college and first woman engineer graduate from University of Florida
* Kyril Vassilev, Bulgarian-American portrait painter
* Larry Walker, MLB right fielder, first Canadians, Canadian to win Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award, Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) of MLB
* Steve Walsh (American football), Steve Walsh, NFL quarterback, football head coach at
Cardinal Newman High School
* Robert Wexler, U.S. Congressman
* Serena Williams, professional tennis player
* Venus Williams, professional tennis player
* Yanni, composer
* Nick Zano, actor
* Virginia Zeani, opera singer
* Snot (rapper), Snot, rapper
See also
*Okeeheelee Park
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
* (Personal remembrance, circa 1900s-1950s)
* (Personal remembrance, circa 1920s)
*
*
*
*
External links
West Palm Beach official website*
*
Items related to West Palm Beach various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)
{{Authority control
West Palm Beach, Florida,
1894 establishments in Florida
Cities in Florida
Cities in Palm Beach County, Florida
County seats in Florida
Populated places established in 1894
Populated places on the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida
Port cities and towns of the Florida Atlantic coast