Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county in the state of Florida and the 26th-most populous county in the United States.[2] The largest city and county seat is West Palm Beach.[3] Named after one of its oldest settlements, Palm Beach, the county was established in 1909, after being split from Dade County. The county's modern-day boundaries were established in 1963.
Palm Beach County | |
|---|---|
West Palm Beach, looking northeast | |
Flag Seal | |
Location within the U.S. state of Florida | |
Florida's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 26°43′N 80°03′W / 26.71°N 80.05°WCoordinates: 26°43′N 80°03′W / 26.71°N 80.05°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Founded | April 30, 1909 |
| Named for | Palm Beach |
| Seat | West Palm Beach |
| Largest city | West Palm Beach |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,383 sq mi (6,170 km2) |
| • Land | 1,970 sq mi (5,100 km2) |
| • Water | 413 sq mi (1,070 km2) 17.3%% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,492,191[1] |
| • Density | 757/sq mi (292/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 18th, 20th, 21st, 22nd |
| Website | www |
Palm Beach County is one of the three counties that make up the Miami metropolitan area, also referred to as South Florida or the Tri-County area, which was home to an estimated 6,198,782 people in 2018.[4]
The area had been increasing in population since the late 19th century, with the incorporation of West Palm Beach in 1894 and after Henry Flagler extended the Florida East Coast Railway and built the Royal Poinciana Hotel, The Breakers, and Whitehall. In 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane struck Palm Beach County and caused thousands of deaths. More recently, the county acquired national attention during the 2000 presidential election, when a controversial recount occurred.
As of 2004, Palm Beach County is Florida's wealthiest county, with a per capita personal income of $44,518.[5] It leads the state in agricultural productivity; agriculture is Palm Beach County's second-largest industry, after real estate development.[6] In undeveloped (central and western) Palm Beach County there is significant tropical agricultural production, especially nurseries, truck crops (vegetables), and sugar cane.[7] Palm Beach County has been called the "Winter Vegetable Capital" of the nation.[8]
History
Around 12,000 years ago, Native Americans began migrating into Florida. An estimated 20,000 Native Americans lived in South Florida when the Spanish arrived. Their population diminished significantly by the 18th century, due to warfare, enslavement, and diseases from Europe.[9] In 1513, Juan Ponce de León became the first European in modern-day Palm Beach County when he landed at the Jupiter Inlet.[10] Among the first non-Native American residents were African Americans, many of whom were former slaves or immediate descendants of former slaves, arriving in what was then Spanish Florida in the late 17th century. Finding refuge among the Seminoles, the former slaves or descendants of former slaves fought alongside them against white settlers and bounty hunters during the Seminole Wars.[11][12] Portions of the Second Seminole War occurred in Palm Beach County, including the Battles of the Loxahatchee in 1838.[13]
The county's oldest surviving structure, the Jupiter Lighthouse, was built in 1860, after receiving authorization to the land from President Franklin Pierce in 1854.[14] During the American Civil War, Florida was a member of the Confederate States of America. Two Confederate adherents removed the lighting mechanism from the lighthouse.[15] One of the men who removed the light, Augustus O. Lang, was also the first white settler in Palm Beach County. He built a palmetto shack along the eastern shore of Lake Worth in 1863 after abandoning the cause of the Confederacy.[16] After the Civil War ended, the Jupiter Lighthouse was relit in 1866.[15]
In October 1873, a hurricane caused a shipwreck between Biscayne Bay and the New River. The crew survived the wreck but nearly died due to starvation because of the desolation of the area. In response, five Houses of Refuge were built along the east coast of Florida from the Fort Pierce Inlet southward to Biscayne Bay. Orange Grove House of Refuge No. 3 was built near Delray Beach in 1876.[17]
Very few people lived in modern-day Palm Beach County prior to the arrival of Henry Flagler, who first visited in the early 1890s. A Standard Oil tycoon, Flagler was instrumental in the county's development around the turn of the century. First, he purchased land on both sides of Lake Worth. Other investors followed suit, causing a small boom and bringing in existing businesses and resulting in the establishment of many new businesses. The Royal Poinciana Hotel, constructed by Flagler and his constructed crews to accommodate wealthy tourists, opened for business in February 1894. About a month later, the Florida East Coast Railway, owned by Flagler, reached West Palm Beach. On November 5, 1894, Palm Beach County's oldest city, West Palm Beach, was incorporated. In 1896, another hotel built by Flagler was opened, the Palm Beach Inn, later renamed The Breakers.[18] He also constructed his own winter home, which he and his wife moved into in 1902.[19] The arrivals of Major Nathan Boynton, Congressman William S. Linton, and railroad surveyor Thomas Rickards in the 1890s also proved important because they developed communities that later became Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Boca Raton, respectively.[20]
The Florida Legislature voted to establish Palm Beach County in 1909, carving it out of what was then the northern portion of Dade County and initially including all of Lake Okeechobee. The southernmost part of Palm Beach County was separated to create the northern portion of Broward County in 1915, the northwestern portion became part of Okeechobee County in 1917, and southern Martin County was created from northernmost Palm Beach County in 1925.[21] The boundaries remained the same until 1963, when the Florida Legislature reduced Palm Beach County's share of Lake Okeechobee from about 80 percent to less than 40 percent and divided the lake more equitably among Glades, Hendry, Martin, and Okeechobee counties.[22] A final change to the county's boundaries occurred in 2009, when a small portion of land was given to Broward County.[23]
The 1910s and much of the 1920s brought prosperity and rapid population growth to South Florida, coinciding with the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Many local historic districts and landmarks listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Palm Beach County were designed and constructed during the 1920s, with the main contributors being architects Maurice Fatio, Addison Mizner, Marion Sims Wyeth, and the firm Harvey and Clarke, which included Gustav Maass.[24] Total property value in West Palm Beach skyrocketed from $13.6 million in 1920 to $61 million in 1925, before briefly reaching a pre-Great Depression peak of $89 million in 1929. The city's population quadrupled between 1920 and 1927.[25]
Early on September 17, 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane made landfall near West Palm Beach as a category-4 storm and crossed Lake Okeechobee shortly thereafter.[26] While the hurricane caused catastrophic impact in eastern portions of the county, the Lake Okeechobee region suffered a much heavier loss of life. Wind-driven storm surge in the lake inundated hundreds of square miles, including the nearby communities of Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay. At least 2,500 deaths occurred, many of whom were black migrant farmers.[27] An assessment of impact throughout the county reported 552 businesses destroyed, 1,447 businesses damaged, 3,584 homes destroyed, and 11,409 homes damaged, leaving 4,008 families homeless. However, several cities were excluded, such as Boca Raton, Greenacres, Lantana, and South Palm Beach.[28]: 3 Damage in South Florida totaled roughly $25 million. In response to the storm, the Herbert Hoover Dike was constructed to prevent a similar disaster.[27]
As a result of 1926 Miami hurricane and the 1928 storm, Palm Beach County, along with the rest of South Florida, began suffering economic turmoil and pushed the region into the Great Depression, even before the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Housing prices dropped dramatically in the county, with the total real estate value in West Palm Beach falling to $41.6 million in 1930 and then to $18.2 million in 1935.[29] However, the decade also brought an airport to the county. Morrison Field, later renamed the Palm Beach International Airport, opened in 1936.
After the U.S. entered World War II, it was converted to an Air Force Base in 1942.[30] During the war, thousands of servicemen arrived in Palm Beach County for training and supporting the war effort.[31] Following the conclusion of World War II, a number of veterans returned to the area for work, vacation, or retirement.[31] The base was closed and became a commercial airport again in 1962.[30] Migration to the county by workers, tourists, and retirees continued into the 21st century.[32]
On August 28, 1949, a category-4 hurricane struck Lake Worth Beach with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h),[26] causing considerable damage. Throughout Palm Beach County, the hurricane destroyed 65 homes and damaged 13,283 others.[33]
The area's first television station, WIRK-TV Channel 21, began broadcasting on September 13, 1953. It went off the air less than three years later. However, NBC affiliate WPTV-TV and CBS affiliate WPEC first aired in 1954 and 1955, respectively – both of which are still in existence today.[34]
Richard Paul Pavlick nearly attempted to assassinate then President-elect John F. Kennedy while the family vacationed in Palm Beach in December 1960. On December 11, Pavlick forwent his attempt because Kennedy was with his wife, Jacqueline, and their two children.[35] Four days later, Pavlick's car, which had sticks of dynamite inside, was surrounded by police and he was arrested.[36] Charges against Pavolick were dropped on December 2, 1963, 10 days after Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.[35] Additionally, a secret blast shelter was built on Peanut Island during his presidency because escalating Cold War tensions.[37]
Hurricane David struck near West Palm Beach late on September 3, 1979, with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). The storm's winds shattered windows in stores near the coast and caused property damage. A few roofs were torn off, and numerous buildings were flooded from over 6 in (150 mm) of rainfall. Damage in the county reached $30 million, most of which was incurred to agriculture.
The county became the center of controversy during the 2000 presidential election. Allegedly, the "butterfly ballot", designed by Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore, led to an unexpectedly large number of votes for Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan, rather than for Democrat Al Gore. Due to the aforementioned "butterfly ballot" and the closeness of the statewide results between Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush, the Florida Supreme Court mandated manual recounts in all counties with disputed results. However, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the decision in Bush v. Gore on December 12, allowing Florida Secretary of the State Katherine Harris to award the 25 electoral votes to Bush, as Harris's tally prior to the state-ordered recounts placed him ahead of Gore by 537 popular votes. In turn, this gave Bush victory in the national election.
Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation revealed that 12 of the 19 hijackers trained or resided in Palm Beach County during the months prior to the attacks.[38][39] Later that month, during the anthrax attacks, a letter containing spores of this substance was mailed to the American Media, Inc. building in Boca Raton. Three people were exposed to the anthrax, including Robert Stevens, a photo editor who later died after an infection induced by exposure.[38]
Three hurricanes severely impacted Palm Beach County in 2004 and 2005: Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma. On September 5, 2004, Frances made landfall in Martin County as a category-2 hurricane. With wind gusts in Palm Beach County peaking at 91 mph (146 km/h), the storm inflicted structural damage on about 15,000 houses and 2,400 businesses. Six deaths occurred in the county. Jeanne struck near the same location as a category-3 hurricane on September 26, 2004. The storm also brought strong winds, with an official wind gust of 94 mph (151 km/h). About 4,160 homes were damaged and 60 were destroyed. Jeanne left about $260 million in damage in the county. On October 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck Collier County as a category-3 hurricane. The storm moved northeastward, directly crossing Palm Beach County. Several locations reported hurricane-force winds, including a wind gust of 117 mph (188 km/h) in Belle Glade.[40][41] Over 90% of Florida Power & Light customers lost electricity. Two deaths occurred in Palm Beach County.[42] The storm inflicted some degree of impact to more than 55,000 homes and 3,600 businesses. Palm Beach County suffered about $2.9 billion in damages.[43][44][45][46]
In August 2012, the outer bands of Hurricane Isaac dropped at least 15.86 in (403 mm) of rain near Lion Country Safari. The consequent flooding left neighborhoods in The Acreage, Loxahatchee, Loxahatchee Groves, Royal Palm Beach, and Wellington stranded for up to several days.[47] As Hurricane Irma approached in September 2017, mandatory or voluntary evacuations were ordered for more than 290,000 residents of Palm Beach County.[48] Although the storm passed well west of the county, much of the area experienced hurricane-force wind gusts, with a peak gust of 91 mph (146 km/h) in West Palm Beach.[49] Impact was generally limited to widespread power outages and damaged trees and vegetation, though isolated property damage was reported. The storm left about $300 million in damage in the county,[49] as well as five fatalities.[50]
Toponymy
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is not native to Florida (nor anywhere else in the United States). Its presence in what is today Palm Beach County is due to the shipwreck of the Spanish ship Providencia in 1878, near today's Mar-a-Lago. It was traveling from Havana to Cádiz, Spain with a cargo of coconuts.[51] The shipwreck was within walking distance of the shore—the Florida State Archives conserves a picture of a painting[52]—and a deliberate grounding so as to obtain an insurance payout has been proposed.[53] The coconuts were salvaged, too many to be eaten, and thousands were planted.[54][55][56] A lush grove of palm trees soon grew on what was later named Palm Beach.[57]
Geography
| Palm Beach, FL[58] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,383 square miles (6,170 km2), of which 1,970 square miles (5,100 km2) are land and 413 square miles (1,070 km2) (17.3%) are covered by water.[59] It is the second-largest county in Florida by land area and third-largest by total area. Much of the water is the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee. The county has an estimated 526,000 acres (213,000 ha) of farmland.
The eastern third of Palm Beach County is highly urbanized, while the central and western portions of the county are suburban or rural.[60] Palm Beach County is one of three counties in the Miami metropolitan area.[61] However, the county's western communities along Lake Okeechobee, such as Belle Glade, South Bay, and Pahokee, have also been considered more part of the rural Florida Heartland.[62]
The Atlantic coastline of Palm Beach County is about 47 mi (76 km) in length.[60] It consists mainly of barrier islands and peninsulas, including Jupiter Island, Singer Island, and Palm Beach Island. These islands are separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway, with much of the waterway locally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The main barrier landmasses are split by four inlets: the Jupiter Inlet, the Lake Worth Inlet, the South Lake Worth Inlet, and the Boca Raton Inlet. Two of the four inlets are natural, but significantly altered – the Jupiter and Boca Raton inlets – while the Lake Worth and South Lake Worth inlets are man-made, with the former dug in the 1890s and the latter created between 1926 and 1927.[63] Several other islands exist within the Intracoastal Waterway, including Hypoluxo Island, Munyon Island, and Peanut Island.[64]
Natural areas
- Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, a 147,392-acre (59,647 ha) refuge in Boynton Beach
- DuPuis Management Area, a 21,875-acre (8,852 ha) area of protected lands
- John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, a 348-acre (141 ha) park in North Palm Beach, Florida
- J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, a 60,348-acre (24,422 ha) area of protected lands
- Jupiter Ridge Natural Area, a 271-acre (110 ha) preserve in Jupiter, Florida
- Juno Dunes Natural Area, a 576-acre (233 ha) preserve in Juno Beach
- Frenchman's Forest Natural Area, a 158-acre (64 ha) preserve in Palm Beach Gardens
- Sweetbay Natural Area, a 1,094-acre (443 ha) preserve in Palm Beach Gardens
- Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area, a 773 acres (313 ha) preserve in Royal Palm Beach.
- Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area, a 97-acre (39 ha) preserve in Hypoluxo
- Rosemary Scrub Natural Area, a 14-acre (5.7 ha) preserve in Boynton Beach
- Seacrest Scrub Natural Area, a 54-acre (22 ha) preserve in Boynton Beach
- Delray Oaks Natural Area a 25-acre (10 ha) prairie and xeric hammock preserve with a small strand swamp and areas of flatwoods in Delray Beach
- Leon M. Weekes Environmental Preserve, a 12-acre (4.9 ha) preserve in Delray Beach
- Grassy Waters Everglades Preserve, a 14,720-acre (5,960 ha) wetland in West Palm Beach, Florida
In addition, the county has an abundance of coral reef patches along its coastline and has made efforts to preserve them.[65]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 5,577 | — | |
| 1920 | 18,654 | 234.5% | |
| 1930 | 51,781 | 177.6% | |
| 1940 | 79,989 | 54.5% | |
| 1950 | 114,688 | 43.4% | |
| 1960 | 228,106 | 98.9% | |
| 1970 | 348,753 | 52.9% | |
| 1980 | 576,863 | 65.4% | |
| 1990 | 863,518 | 49.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,131,184 | 31.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,320,134 | 16.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,492,191 | 13.0% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 1,518,477 | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[66] 1790-1960[67] 1900-1990[68] 1990-2000[69] 2010-2019[70] 2022[71][72] | |||
2020 Census
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 793,571 | 779,759 | 60.11% | 52.26% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 221,209 | 255,724 | 16.76% | 17.14% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 2,171 | 1,536 | 0.16% | 0.1% |
| Asian (NH) | 30,549 | 43,356 | 2.31% | 2.91% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 511 | 494 | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 4,079 | 10,766 | 0.31% | 0.72% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 17,221 | 50,623 | 1.3% | 3.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 250,823 | 349,933 | 19.0% | 23.45% |
| Total | 1,320,134 | 1,492,191 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,492,191 people, 568,915 households, and 354,512 families residing in the county.
2010 census
Of 664,594 households, 24.35% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.28% were married couples living together, 11.68% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.40% were not families. Around 30.11% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% (4.02% male and 10.68% female) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.[75][76]
The age distribution was 20.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.[76]
Ethnicity
U.S. Census Bureau 2010 ethnic/race demographics:[77][75]
- White (73.5% when including White Hispanics) White (non-Hispanic): 60.1% (10.8% German, 10.2% Irish, 9.4% Italian, 7.4% English, 4.7% Polish, 4.7% Russian, 2.4% French, 1.6% Scottish, 1.1% Scotch-Irish, 1.0% Dutch, 1.0% Hungarian, 0.8% Swedish, 0.7% Greek, 0.6% Norwegian, 0.6% French Canadian)[77]
- Hispanic or Latino of any race: 19.0% (3.7% Mexican, 3.3% Cuban, 3.0% Puerto Rican, 1.7% Colombian, 1.5% Guatemalan, 0.8% Dominican, 0.6% Honduran, 0.6% Peruvian, 0.5% Salvadoran)[75][78]
- Black (non-Hispanic) (17.3% when including Black Hispanics): 16.8% (7.2% West Indian/Afro-Caribbean American [4.6% Haitian, 1.8% Jamaican, 0.2% Bahamian, 0.2% Other or Unspecified West Indian, 0.2% Trinidadian and Tobagonian, 0.1% British West Indian (from colonies in the Caribbean), and 0.8% Subsaharan African)[77][79]
- Asian: 2.4% (0.7% Asian Indian, 0.4% Chinese, 0.4% Other Asian, 0.3% Filipino, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Japanese)[77][75]
- Two or more races: 2.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.5%
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%[77][75]
- Other races: 4.0% (0.5% Arab)[77]
In 2010, 4.5% of the population considered themselves to be of only "American" ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity).[77]
As of 2010, Haitians made up the largest population of immigrants, with Cuban exiled refugees second, Mexicans third, followed by Colombians fourth, then Jamaicans, Guatemalans, Canadians, Hondurans, ninth being Peruvians, and Brazilians being the tenth-highest group of expatriates. British, Germans, and Polish, which had held spots in Palm Beach County's top-10 immigrant list of 2000, dropped off the 2010 list, which now no longer has any European countries in its top 10.[80]
In 2010, 22.3% of the county's population was foreign born, with 43.7% being naturalized American citizens. Of foreign-born residents, 71.3% were born in Latin America, 13.6% were born in Europe, 9.2% born in Asia, 4.0% in North America, 1.8% born in Africa, and 0.1% were born in Oceania.[77]
Language
As of 2010, 73.13% of all residents spoke English as a primary language, while 15.69% spoke Spanish, 4.03% French Creole (mainly Haitian Creole), 1.06% French, 0.94% Portuguese, and 0.54% of the population spoke Italian. [81]
Economy
Companies headquartered in Palm Beach County include Office Depot, The ADT Corporation, TBC Corporation, G4S Secure Solutions, NextEra Energy, The GEO Group, Globalsat Group, and Bluegreen Vacations.
There are a significant number of aerospace-focused facilities operating in the county. Although not headquartered in Palm Beach County, aerospace companies with facilities located within the county include United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Sikorsky Aircraft, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and B/E Aerospace. Many of these companies rank among the top 100 employers for the county.[82] The largest employer in Palm Beach County is The School District of Palm Beach County, with 27,168 employees, including more than 12,800 teachers.[83]
Previously W. R. Grace and Company had its headquarters in unincorporated Palm Beach County, near Boca Raton.[84] Prior to its closing, the Boca Raton headquarters had about 130 employees. On January 27, 2011, it announced it was closing the Boca headquarters and moving its administrative staff out of state along with some employees.[84][85]
Previously, American Media, publisher of the National Enquirer, was headquartered in the Boca Raton. It still maintains an office there, but moved the National Enquirer to New York in 2014.[86]
For 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $53,242, and for a family was $64,445. Males had a median income of $44,324 versus $37,337 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,610. About 8.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those aged 65 or over.[87]
Culture
Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins conduct their spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Two teams in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League also play their home games at Roger Dean Stadium: the Jupiter Hammerheads, an affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and the Palm Beach Cardinals, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, opened in February 2017 in West Palm Beach, accommodates both the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros for spring training.
Prior to the construction of Roger Dean Stadium, the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves held their spring training at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach. The West Palm Beach Expos, a Single-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos, also played their games there.
Also popular are the Florida Atlantic Owls, an NCAA Division I school that participates in Conference USA. The FAU football team plays at FAU Stadium, and averaged 17,941 fans during the 2017 season.[88] The FAU basketball team plays at FAU Arena, and averaged 1,346 fans during the 2013–14 season.[89]
The Palm Beach Imperials are an American Basketball Association 2006 expansion franchise.
Tourism
Tourists can visit these attractions and annual events:[90]
- South Florida Fair
- SunFest
- Boat Show
- Winter Equestrian Festival
- Lion Country Safari
- Rapids Water Park
- Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
- South Florida Science Museum
- Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park
- Norton Museum of Art
- Flagler Museum
- Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
- Worth Avenue
- Clematis Street Historic Commercial District
- Rosemary Square
- Peanut Island
- Society of the Four Arts
- Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens
- McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mounts Botanical Garden
- Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex
- Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, including the Roji-en Japanese Gardens
- Palm Beach Maritime Museum[91]
- Sandoway Discovery Center[92]
- Daggerwing Nature Center [93]
A number of shopping malls exist throughout Palm Beach County, including the Palm Beach Outlets, Rosemary Square (formerly CityPlace), Boynton Beach Mall, The Gardens Mall, Town Center at Boca Raton, The Mall at Wellington Green and Mizner Park.[94] Formerly, the Palm Beach and Cross County Malls operated in the county, though they closed in 1997 and 2010, respectively.
Media
Government
The Florida Department of Corrections operates the Glades Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in Palm Beach County near Belle Glade.[95]
Palm Beach County's revenue from property taxes, sales taxes and tourist development taxes reached record levels in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, according to the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County’s annual financial report, Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances.
The County collected $1.1 billion in property tax revenue in FY 2018, an increase of 6 percent over the previous year. Sales tax collections rose to $175.8 million, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth. Revenue from Tourist Development Tax receipts was $53.8 million, up from $48.5 million in FY 2017. Meanwhile, Local Option Gas Taxes paid by motorists for gasoline decreased for the first time in five years, partially due to higher gasoline prices, which reduced the number of miles driven, according to the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's Checks & Balances report.[96]
County government
The county is governed by a board of commissioners, consisting of seven commissioners, who are all elected from single-member districts. One of the commissioners is elected County Mayor and one of them is elected Vice Mayor.[97] Commissioners serve staggered terms, and commissioners from Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 are elected during presidential election years, while the commissioners from Districts 2, 4, and 6 are elected in gubernatorial election years.
Elected county officers include a clerk of courts and comptroller, sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, and supervisor of elections. State officers serving the Florida judicial district include the state attorney and public defender. All positions are 4-year terms, requiring direct election by voters in presidential election years.
Five former county commissioners have been accused or found guilty of corruption from 2006 to 2009. A grand jury recommended a strong inspector general. This position was approved by county voters in 2010. A county judge found that the mandate covered municipal government in 2015.[98]
Current County Officeholders
| Palm Beach County elected officials | ||
|---|---|---|
| Board of County Commissioners | ||
| Position | Incumbent | |
| District 1 Commissioner | Maria G. Marino | |
| District 2 Commissioner | Mayor Gregg Weiss | |
| District 3 Commissioner | Michael Barnett | |
| District 4 Commissioner | Marci Woodward | |
| District 5 Commissioner | Vice Mayor Maria Sachs | |
| District 6 Commissioner | Sara Baxter | |
| District 7 Commissioner | Mack Bernard | |
| County Administrator | Verdenia Baker | |
| Constitutional Officers | ||
| Position | Incumbent | |
| Sheriff | Ric Bradshaw | |
| State Attorney | Dave Aronberg | |
| Public Defender | Carey Haughwout | |
| Property Appraiser | Dorothy Jacks | |
| Tax Collector | Anne M. Gannon | |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller | Joseph Abruzzo | |
| Supervisor of Elections | Wendy Sartory Link | |
| Judiciary | Krista Marx | |
| School Board | ||
| Position | Incumbent | |
| District 1 | Barbara McQuinn | |
| District 2 | Alexandria Ayala | |
| District 3 | Karen Brill | |
| District 4 | Erica Whitfield | |
| District 5 | Frank Barbieri | |
| District 6 | Marcia Andrews | |
| District 7 | Edwin Ferguson | |
| Superintendent | Michael Burke | |
| Student Representative | Natalie Forton Robles | |
List of County Commissioners, 1991-Present
| Year | County Commission | Commission Makeup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 | District 6 | District 7 | ||
| 1991 | Karen Marcus (R) | Carol Roberts (D) | Carol Elmquist (R) | Mary McCarty (R) | Carole Phillips (D) | Ken Foster (R) | Maude Ford Lee (D) | 4R, 3D |
| 1992 | ||||||||
| 1993 | Warren Newell (R) | Burt Aaronson (D) | ||||||
| 1994 | ||||||||
| 1995 | ||||||||
| 1996 | ||||||||
| 1997 | ||||||||
| 1998 | ||||||||
| 1999 | Tony Masilotti (R) | |||||||
| 2000 | ||||||||
| 2001 | Addie Greene (D) | |||||||
| 2002 | ||||||||
| 2003 | Jeff Koons (D) | |||||||
| 2004 | ||||||||
| 2005 | ||||||||
| 2006 | ||||||||
| 2007 | Jess Santamaria (D) | 4D, 3R | ||||||
| 2008 | Bob Kanjian (R) | |||||||
| 2009 | Shelley Vana (D) | Steven Abrams (R) | 5D, 2R | |||||
| 2010 | Paulette Burdick (D) | Priscilla Taylor (D) | ||||||
| 2011 | ||||||||
| 2012 | ||||||||
| 2013 | Hal Valeche (R) | Mary Lou Berger (D) | ||||||
| 2014 | ||||||||
| 2015 | Melissa McKinlay (D) | |||||||
| 2016 | ||||||||
| 2017 | Dave Kerner (D) | Mack Bernard (D) | ||||||
| 2018 | ||||||||
| 2019 | Gregg Weiss (D) | Robert Weinroth (D) | 6D, 1R | |||||
| 2020 | ||||||||
| 2021 | Maria Marino (R) | Maria Sachs (D) | ||||||
| 2022 | ||||||||
| 2023 | Michael Barnett (R) | Marci Woodward (R) | Sara Baxter (R) | 4R, 3D | ||||
| Year | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 | District 6 | District 7 | Commission Makeup |
| County Commission | ||||||||
Law enforcement
| Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PBSO |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | July 1, 1909 |
| Employees | 4,200+ |
| Volunteers | 1,800+ |
| Annual budget | 740,000,000 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 3228 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33460 |
| Agency executive |
|
| Facilities | |
| Patrol Districts | 20[99] |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) provides police services to the county's unincorporated areas and the 13 municipalities covered by PBSO.[100] PBSO also oversees the county jail system, provides security at all four of the county courthouses, and is the primary law enforcement agency covering Palm Beach International Airport.[101] The Sheriff's Office is composed of roughly 4,200 employees, including approximately 1,600 sworn law enforcement personnel, 700 sworn corrections personnel, 1,900 civilian personnel and 1,800 volunteers.[102] The annual operating budget for the PBSO is approximately $740,000,000.[when?] Ric L. Bradshaw has been sheriff for Palm Beach County since January 2005, and has served over 45 years in law enforcement.[103]
There are two jail facilities operated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. One is in Belle Glade, called the West Detention Center, which houses all custody levels from minimum to maximum security. At any one time it can contain up to 991 inmates (total bed capacity), with a staff of 188. The facility has a video visitation program which allows families to communicate with inmates remotely.[104] The largest jail is the Main Detention Center.[100] Three towers make up the center, The South Tower, The East Tower, and The West Tower.[105] The largest is The South Tower, the building was constructed in 1993 from concrete and steel with a cost of $52 million.[105] The East and West Towers were built in 1983; they now flank the South Tower, completing the Main Detention Center.[105] The Main Detention Center's primary function is to hold high risk inmates, federal inmates, and those inmates who are in need of special medical attention and/or are unable to operate at other facilities.[105] The total number of beds at the facility is 2,166. The South Tower can hold 1,285 inmates, East Tower has 418 beds, and The West Tower has 404 beds.[105]
Since the founding of Palm Beach County in 1909, 16 people have served as county sheriff.[106]
Federal and state representation
In the United States House of Representatives, Palm Beach County is represented by three Democrats and one Republican: Brian Mast of the 18th district, Sheila Cherfillus-McCormick of the 20th district, Ted Deutch of the 21st district, and Lois Frankel of the 22nd district.[107]
Nine districts of the Florida House of Representatives represent parts of Palm Beach County, with the seats held by Kelly Skidmore (D) of 81st district, John Snyder (R) of the 82nd district, Rick Roth (R) of the 85th district, Matt Willhite (D) of the 86th district, David Silvers (D) of the 87th district, Omari Hardy (D) of the 88th district, Mike Caruso (R) of the 89th district, Joseph Casello (D) of the 90th district, and Emily Slosberg (D) of the 91st district. Additionally, the county has four seats in the Florida Senate, which are represented by Gayle Harrell (R) of the 25th district, Tina Polsky (D) of the 29th district, Bobby Powell (D) of the 30th district, and Lori Berman of the 31st district.[107]
Politics
As of 2023, the county has a strong Democratic plurality, with large Republican and independent minorities, respectively.[108] In gubernatorial races, the county had been a stronghold for Democrats, a trend that began in 1990 and continued up until 2022, when Republican Ron DeSantis won a majority of the vote in the county.[109]
Consequently, Palm Beach County has supported the Democratic Party nominee for the presidency since 1992, though the county had been carried by the Republican Party nominee for every election from 1948 to 1988. Republicans have been gaining an increased share of the votes in Palm Beach County since 2000, however. That year, Al Gore defeated George W. Bush in the county by a margin of approximately 27 percent, while Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump (who is a resident of the county) by just 13 percent in 2020.[110]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 334,711 | 43.21% | 433,572 | 55.97% | 6,314 | 0.82% |
| 2016 | 272,402 | 40.89% | 374,673 | 56.24% | 19,137 | 2.87% |
| 2012 | 247,398 | 41.13% | 349,651 | 58.14% | 4,390 | 0.73% |
| 2008 | 226,037 | 38.22% | 361,271 | 61.08% | 4,128 | 0.70% |
| 2004 | 212,688 | 39.05% | 328,687 | 60.35% | 3,247 | 0.60% |
| 2000 | 152,964 | 35.31% | 269,754 | 62.27% | 10,504 | 2.42% |
| 1996 | 133,811 | 33.68% | 230,687 | 58.06% | 32,856 | 8.27% |
| 1992 | 140,350 | 34.63% | 187,869 | 46.36% | 77,032 | 19.01% |
| 1988 | 181,495 | 55.47% | 144,199 | 44.07% | 1,523 | 0.47% |
| 1984 | 186,811 | 61.67% | 116,091 | 38.32% | 29 | 0.01% |
| 1980 | 143,639 | 56.79% | 91,991 | 36.37% | 17,300 | 6.84% |
| 1976 | 98,236 | 49.45% | 96,705 | 48.68% | 3,716 | 1.87% |
| 1972 | 108,670 | 72.35% | 40,825 | 27.18% | 708 | 0.47% |
| 1968 | 62,191 | 53.19% | 32,837 | 28.08% | 21,894 | 18.73% |
| 1964 | 49,614 | 53.09% | 43,836 | 46.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 45,337 | 60.28% | 29,871 | 39.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 35,746 | 71.40% | 14,321 | 28.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 28,595 | 67.57% | 13,723 | 32.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 10,996 | 45.60% | 9,408 | 39.01% | 3,711 | 15.39% |
| 1944 | 7,628 | 40.75% | 11,093 | 59.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 7,371 | 38.28% | 11,884 | 61.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 4,478 | 31.73% | 9,635 | 68.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 4,006 | 34.12% | 7,734 | 65.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 5,298 | 64.23% | 2,652 | 32.15% | 298 | 3.61% |
| 1924 | 1,726 | 46.14% | 1,543 | 41.25% | 472 | 12.62% |
| 1920 | 1,892 | 48.69% | 1,488 | 38.29% | 506 | 13.02% |
| 1916 | 311 | 22.17% | 725 | 51.67% | 367 | 26.16% |
| 1912 | 31 | 4.28% | 458 | 63.17% | 236 | 32.55% |
| Political Party | Number of registered voters (February 28, 2023)[111] | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 382,725 | 39.04% | |
| Republican | 285,919 | 29.17% | |
| No party affiliation | 289,972 | 29.58% | |
| Minor parties | 21,704 | 2.21% | |
| Total | 980,320 | 100.00 | |
Transportation
Roadways
An advocacy group has criticized Palm Beach County's roadways for being dangerous for non-motorized users.[112] Local municipalities are working to increase safety, but county and state authorities have been hesitant to modify designs.[113][114]
Expressways
I-95 and Florida's Turnpike are controlled-access expressways that serve Palm Beach county. Southern Boulevard (signed SR 80/US 98), which runs east–west through central Palm Beach County, is a partial freeway from Interstate 95 in West Palm Beach to US 441/SR 7 in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach. In the late 1980s, there were plans to construct two additional expressways in Palm Beach County. One was to be an 11.5 miles (18.5 km) toll freeway from Royal Palm Beach to downtown West Palm Beach. It would have run between Belvedere Road and Okeechobee Boulevard; necessitating the destruction of several homes and churches along its path. The other proposed route was a northern extension of the Sawgrass Expressway which was to be called "University Parkway". The University Parkway would have snaked around suburban developments west of Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Boynton Beach; its path bordering the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.[115][116] Ultimately, both expressways were canceled due to opposition from county residents.[117][118][119]
Major highways
- US 441 / SR 7 (Range Line Road)
- Jog Road
- SR 809 / CR 809 (Military Trail)
- SR 807 / CR 807 (Congress Avenue)
- US 1 (Federal Highway) / SR 5 / SR 805
- SR A1A (Ocean Boulevard)
- US 98 (Southern Boulevard) / SR 80 / SR 700
- SR 710 (Bee Line Highway)
Railroads
- Tri-Rail runs along eastern Palm Beach County, adjacent to Interstate 95 for most of its length. It has stops in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach, and Mangonia Park.
The national intercity train system, Amtrak, offers the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star in West Palm Beach and Delray Beach.
- Brightline connects Palm Beach County to its southward neighboring counties of Broward and Dade via their station located in downtown West Palm Beach, with stops in both Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Airports
- Palm Beach International Airport
- Palm Beach County Park Airport
- North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport
- Boca Raton Airport
- Palm Beach County Glades Airport
Public transit
- PalmTran provides bus service throughout Palm Beach county.
Seaport
The Port of Palm Beach is located in Riviera Beach, where Celebration Cruise Line operates 2-day cruises to the Bahamas.
Trails
The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, a segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail, passes through the county.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
All of Palm Beach County is served by the School District of Palm Beach County.[120] As of 2006, it was the fourth largest school district in Florida and the 11th largest school district in the United States. As of August 2006, the district operated 164 schools, including 25 high schools, and, as of July 22, 2006, had an additional 33 charter schools, with seven more scheduled to open in August 2006.[121] Newsweek listed three Palm Beach County high schools in the top 50 schools in the list 1200 Top U.S. Schools - Atlantic Community High School, Suncoast High School and the Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts, all public magnet schools.[122] Private schools in the county include American Heritage School, Cardinal Newman High School, Jupiter Christian School, The King's Academy, The Benjamin School, Oxbridge Academy, Palm Beach Day Academy, Pope John Paul II High School, St Andrew's School and Weinbaum Yeshiva High School.
Colleges and universities
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida International University
- Lynn University
- Nova Southeastern University
- South University
- Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Palm Beach State College
- Keiser University[123]
- Roosevelt Junior College (closed)
- Southeastern College
Public libraries
Palm Beach County is served by the Palm Beach County Library System, established in 1967 through a Special Act of the Florida Legislature, and operates as a department of county government. It is currently made up of 17 library branches, as well as a bookmobile which travels to more than 40 stops each month. As Palm Beach County continues to see population growth, the library system will also need to plan for continued expansion.[124] Presently, the county plans to build a new 30,000-square-foot branch in the Canyon Town Center, located in western Boynton Beach. This new branch is projected to be completed in 2021. The system's Main Library is located on Summit Boulevard in an unincorporated section of West Palm Beach. It is the largest provider of library services in the county, serving an area that is comparable to the size of the state of Delaware, with holdings of over 1.88 million items.[125]
Unlike many county library systems, including neighboring Broward and Miami-Dade counties, several municipalities continue to operate their own libraries. The county library systems works together in a cooperative system model which allows interoperation between the county system and the 13 city libraries in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, Manalapan (J. Turner Moore Public Library), North Palm Beach, Palm Springs, Palm Beach (Society of the Four Arts), Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach (Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach).[126]
The county's first library began as a Free Reading Room in 1895 in West Palm Beach's first church, the Union Congregational Church, when Reverend Asbury Caldwell began collecting books for a reading club he hoped would keep construction workers out of the city's many drinking establishments located along First Street, or “Thirst Street” as it was known.[127]: 53 The reading club floundered when Caldwell left West Palm Beach, but in 1899, the West Palm Beach Public Library got its official start, housed in a two-story former Palm Beach Yacht Club building donated by Commodore Charles John Clarke, a Palm Beach yachtsman, with the collection of books from the Reading Room and a $100 donation from Henry Flagler. A permanent building was constructed in 1924 in Flagler Park along the Intracoastal Waterway. Two additional buildings have also housed the library – one at 100 Clematis Street, a state-of-art building complete with a 250-seat auditorium that opened to much fanfare in 1964. The second, located at 411 Clematis Street, is a four-story building in the West Palm Beach City Center complex, which houses both city hall and the library, is two and one-half times the size of the previous building. In 2012, the West Palm Beach Public Library Foundation formally changed its name to the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach after receiving a $5 million grant from the Mandel Foundation.[127]: 62
Communities
The largest city and county seat is West Palm Beach, with a population of 117,415 as of the 2020 US Census. Boca Raton, is the southernmost and second-largest, bordering Broward County and having 97,422 people in 2020 within its city limits. Boynton Beach (between Boca Raton and West Palm Beach), is the third-largest city, with a 2020 population nearing 80,380 residents.[128]
The county has 39 municipalities in total.[129] The municipalities are numbered corresponding to the attached image, except for the newest municipality, Westlake. Municipality populations are based on the 2020 Census.[130]
| # | Incorporated community | Designation | Date incorporated | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pahokee | City | 1922 | 5,524 |
| 2 | Belle Glade | City | April 9, 1928 | 16,698 |
| 3 | South Bay | City | 1941 | 4,860 |
| 4 | Tequesta | Village | 1957 | 6,158 |
| 5 | Jupiter Inlet Colony | Town | 1959 | 405 |
| 6 | Jupiter | Town | February 9, 1925 | 61,047 |
| 7 | Juno Beach | Town | June 4, 1953 | 3,858 |
| 8 | Palm Beach Gardens | City | June 20, 1959 | 59,182 |
| 9 | North Palm Beach | Village | August 13, 1956 | 13,162 |
| 10 | Lake Park | Town | 1923 | 9,047 |
| 11 | Riviera Beach | City | September 29, 1922 | 37,604 |
| 12 | Palm Beach Shores | Town | 1951 | 1,330 |
| 13 | Mangonia Park | Town | 1947 | 2,142 |
| 14 | Palm Beach | Town | April 17, 1911 | 9,245 |
| 15 | West Palm Beach | City | November 5, 1894 | 117,415 |
| 16 | Haverhill | Town | 1950 | 2,187 |
| 17 | Glen Ridge | Town | 1948 | 217 |
| 18 | Cloud Lake | Town | 1947 | 134 |
| 19 | Palm Springs | Village | July 4, 1957 | 26,890 |
| 20 | Lake Clarke Shores | Town | 1957 | 3,564 |
| 21 | Royal Palm Beach | Village | June 18, 1959 | 38,932 |
| 22 | Wellington | Village | December 31, 1995 | 61,637 |
| 23 | Greenacres | City | May 24, 1926 | 43,990 |
| 24 | Atlantis | City | 1959 | 2,142 |
| 25 | Lake Worth Beach | City | June 14, 1913 | 42,219 |
| 26 | South Palm Beach | Town | 1955 | 1,471 |
| 27 | Lantana | Town | July 20, 1921 | 11,504 |
| 28 | Manalapan | Town | 1931 | 419 |
| 29 | Hypoluxo | Town | 1955 | 2,687 |
| 30 | Boynton Beach | City | 1920 | 80,380 |
| 31 | Ocean Ridge | Town | 1931 | 1,830 |
| 32 | Golf | Village | 1957 | 255 |
| 33 | Briny Breezes | Town | March 19, 1963 | 502 |
| 34 | Gulf Stream | Town | 1925 | 954 |
| 35 | Delray Beach | City | October 9, 1911 | 66,846 |
| 36 | Highland Beach | Town | 1949 | 4,295 |
| 37 | Boca Raton | City | May 26, 1925 | 97,422 |
| 38 | Loxahatchee Groves | Town | November 1, 2006 | 3,355 |
| 39 | Westlake | City | 2017 | 906 |
Golfview was an incorporated town in Palm Beach County from 1936 until 1997.
Census-designated places
- Acacia Villas
- Cabana Colony
- Canal Point (bb)
- Gun Club Estates (m)
- Juno Ridge (z)
- Jupiter Farms
- Kenwood Estates
- Lake Belvedere Estates (o)
- Lake Harbor (p)
- Limestone Creek (y)
- Pine Air
- Plantation Mobile Home Park (s)
- Royal Palm Estates (n)
- San Castle
- Schall Circle (v)
- Seminole Manor (j)
- Stacey Street (q)
- The Acreage
- Watergate
- Westgate (t)
Former census-designated places
Several unincorporated parts of Palm Beach County were listed as census-designated places for the 2000 census, but were not listed for the 2010 census:
- Belle Glade Camp (l)
- Boca Del Mar (c)
- Boca Pointe (a)
- Cypress Lakes (w)
- Dunes Road (cc)
- Fremd Village-Padgett Island (aa)
- Golden Lakes (r)
- Hamptons at Boca Raton (e)
- High Point (i)
- Kings Point (g)
- Lakewood Gardens
- Lake Worth Corridor (k)
- Lakeside Green (x)
- Mission Bay (d)
- Sandalfoot Cove (b)
- Villages of Oriole (h)
- Whisper Walk (f)
Adjacent counties
Palm Beach County borders Martin County to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Broward County to the south, Hendry County to the west, and extends into Lake Okeechobee in the northwest, where it borders Okeechobee County and Glades County at one point in the center of the lake.
Other unincorporated area
- Century Village (u)
Former communities
- Apix
- Bean City
- Bryant
- Chosen
- Fruitcrest
- Gardena
- Geerworth
- Gladecrest
- Kreamer Island
- Okeelanta
- Sand Cut
- Venus
- Yamato Colony
See also
References
- ^ "Quickfacts Palm Beach County, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Palm Beach County, Florida". Retrieved December 25, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Miami-Dade County, Florida; Broward County, Florida; Palm Beach County, Florida". Census.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ . The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ^ "Scott W. Barnhart and Alan W. Hodges, "Direct output of major industry groups in Palm Beach County, Florida, 2014", p. 18, figure 7 of "Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Food Industries in Palm Beach County, Florida", prepared for the Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit, March 28, 2016, http://www.pbias.org/assets/economic-contributions-of-ag-food-industries-in-palm-beach-county-march-28-2016.pdf 2016-06-11 at the Wayback Machine, p. 18, figure 7, retrieved May 11, 2016.
- ^ Susan Salisbury, "How a relatively small amount of acreage feeds a lot of people", Palm Beach Post, May 10, 2016, http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/how-a-relatively-small-amount-of-acreage-feeds-a-l/nrKxr/?icmp=pbp_internallink_referralbox_free-to-premium-referral, retrieved May 11, 2016.
- ^ C. Spencer Pompey, More Rivers to Cross, West Palm Beach, StarGroup International, 2003, ISBN 1884886086, p. 183.
- ^ Native Americans (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ 10000 yrs - A.D. 1700 (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
- ^ Kevin M. McCarthy (January 1, 2007). "Broward County". African American Sites in Florida. Pineapple Press. p. 23. ISBN 978-1561643851. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker: Palm Beach (Report). Florida Department of State. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ The 2nd Seminole War in Palm Beach County (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ (PDF) (Report). Jupiter, Florida: Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum. January 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ^ a b Travelers' Aids: Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ^ The First Arrivals (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ^ Gilbert L. Voss (February 18, 1968). (PDF) (Report). Florida International University. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ^ Flagler Era (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
- ^ Henry M. Flagler in Florida Timeline (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "1890 - 1898 [sic]". Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ . Government of Palm Beach County. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "'Too Much Involved,' Says Bandlow". The Palm Beach Post. July 9, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved August 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Evolution of Palm Beach County". Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
- ^ "Architects of the Boom & Bust". Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ Dr. Sherry Piland; Emily Stillings; Ednasha Bowers (2005). (Report). Historic Preservation Board, City of West Palm Beach. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
- ^ a b "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. September 19, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Memorial Web Page for the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. National Weather Service Miami, Florida (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June 29, 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Palm Beach Hurricane—92 Views". Chicago, Illinois: American Autochrome Company. 1928. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ The Bust (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ a b (Report). Airport Hotel Guide. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ a b World War II (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ Lynn Lasseter Drake and Richard A. Marconi (2006). West Palm Beach: 1893 to 1950. Arcadia Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 0-7385-4272-5. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "18,000 Homes Hit in 22-County Part Of State Raked By Storm". The Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. August 30, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ 1950-1959 (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ a b William Oliver and Nancy E. Marion (2010). Killing the President: Assassinations, Attempts, and Rumored Attempts on U.S. Commanders-in-Chief: Assassinations, Attempts, and Rumored Attempts on U.S. Commanders-in-Chief. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313364754.
- ^ Gus Russo and Stephen Molton (2010). Brothers in Arms: The Kennedys, the Castros, and the Politics of Murder. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 9781608192472.
- ^ Lizette Alvarez (October 1, 2011). "Long-Secret Fallout Shelter Was a Cold War Camelot". The New York Times. Peanut Island, Florida. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
- ^ a b PBC in the National Spotlight (Report). Historical Society of Palm Beach County. 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ^ Don Van Natta Jr. and Kate Zernike (November 4, 2001). "Hijackers' Meticulous Strategy of Brains, Muscle and Practice". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Wilma". National Weather Service. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ Richard J. Pasch; Eric S. Blake; Hugh D. Cobb III; David P. Roberts (September 9, 2014). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Wilma (PDF). National Hurricane Center (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ Jennifer Peltz; et al. (October 25, 2005). . Sun-Sentinel. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ Luis F. Perez; Angel Streeter; Ushma Patel (December 18, 2005). . Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ "Frances". National Weather Service.
- ^ "Jeanne". National Weather Service. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ Kleinberg, Eliot. "Remembering the hurricanes of 2004's "Mean Season"". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ Tropical Storm Isaac: August 26-27, 2012 (Report). National Weather Service Miami, Florida. 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Jennifer Sorenture (September 7, 2017). . The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ a b Hurricane Irma Local Report/Summary (Report). National Weather Service Miami, Florida. 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Dan Sweeney; Lisa J. Hurias (September 25, 2017). "The many ways people have died from Hurricane Irma". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Oyer, Harvey, III (2001). "The Wreck of the Providencia in 1878 and the Naming of Palm Beach County". South Florida History. 29: 24–27. ISSN 1522-0281.
- ^ www.floridamemory.com https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/8481. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Oyer, p. 26.
- ^ Town of Palm Beach, "History of Palm Beach", http://www.townofpalmbeach.com/Index.aspx?NID=343, retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ Palm Beach County Historical Society, "1860-1879," http://www.pbchistoryonline.org/page/timeline-1860-1879, retrieved January 12, 2017.
- ^ Oyer, p. 27.
- ^ Town of Palm Beach, "Story of the Town's Founding", http://www.townofpalmbeach.com/Index.aspx?NID=344 December 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ "Palm Beach County, FL Weather - USA.com™". www.usa.com.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ a b "Palm Beach County Interesting Facts and Figures". Palm Beach County, Florida, Government. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Charles Rabin (March 25, 2016). "South Florida population hits 6 million for first time". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Lake Okeechobee and the Glades". Discover the Palm Beaches. July 6, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Barrier Islands". Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Lake Worth Lagoon Educators Guide (PDF) (Report). Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners' Department of Environmental Resources Management. January 2011. p. 8. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ . Discover The Palm Beaches. August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022". County Population Totals: 2020-2022. U.S. Census Bureau. March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e . ocala.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ a b "Miami-Dade County: Age Groups and Sex: 2010 - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Palm Beach County: SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ "Hispanic or Latino by Type: 2010 -- 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ "Palm Beach County, Florida FIRST ANCESTRY REPORTED Universe: Total population - 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ . Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
- ^ "MLA Data Center Results for Palm Beach County, Florida". Modern Language Association. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
- ^ "Top 100 Employers List" (PDF). www.bdb.org.
- ^ "City of Boca Raton to Provide Land for New Elementary School" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Grace Announces Relocation To Columbia, Maryland 2011-07-03 at the Wayback Machine." W. R. Grace and Company. Retrieved on June 29, 2011. "The restructuring will entail a relocation of approximately 40 people, including senior management, from Grace's Boca Raton, Florida office to its Columbia, Maryland site. A few positions will be relocated to another Grace office in Cambridge, Massachusetts." and "Following the relocation, Grace will close its headquarters office at 1750 Clint Moore Road in Boca Raton, which currently employs approximately 130 people."
- ^ to the Columbia, Maryland office. About 40 of the employees went to Columbia, and some employees went to Cambridge, Massachusetts
- ^ Sedenksy, Matt (May 21, 2014). . Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "Palm Beach County, Florida: SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS - 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
- ^ "On The Lane Train: FAU Football Attendance Sets School Records In '17 Behind Kiffin". SportsBusiness Daily. December 8, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Attendance. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ "South Florida's Top 100 Events 2017". Retrieved December 13, 2018.
- ^ . Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
- ^ "Sandoway Discovery Center". Retrieved June 4, 2019.
- ^ "Parks & Recreation Home". Pbcparks.com. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ (Report). PalmBeachCounty.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Glades Correctional Institution 2011-09-26 at the Wayback Machine." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 26, 2011.
- ^ "Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances". Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ "Overview of County Government - The Legislative Branch". pbcgov.org. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ . Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- ^ "PBSO District 16".
- ^ a b "PBSO Official Site".
- ^ PBSO. "General Facts". Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- ^ "General Facts".
- ^ "Sheriff Ric Bradshaw".
- ^ PBSO West Detention Center Access date 23 July 2021
- ^ a b c d e PBSO. "Main Detention Center". Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- ^ Eliot Kleinberg (March 25, 2010). . The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019.
- ^ a b "2020-2021 Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation" (PDF). pbcgov.org. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "September District List Report.pdf" (PDF). pbcelections.org. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Man, Anthony; Dusenbury, Wells (November 10, 2022). "DeSantis-led red wave penetrates even once-blue Palm Beach County". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
- ^ a b Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Voter Registration - By County and Party - Division of Elections - Florida Department of State". dos.myflorida.com. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ (PDF). Smart Growth America. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ "Why 12-Foot Traffic Lanes Are Disastrous for Safety and Must Be Replaced Now". The Atlantic. October 6, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ "Pedestrian study prompts email spat". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ . Sun Sentinel. September 28, 1993. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ . Sun Sentinel. September 14, 1993. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ Lowery, Fred (March 17, 1986). . Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "Concerns Aired Over Road Plan Westgate Seeks Delay On Decision". Sun Sentinel. October 16, 1986. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ Turnbell, Mike (March 6, 2005). . Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Palm Beach County, FL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
- ^ School District of Palm Beach County "Just the Facts" 2006-2007 - retrieved August 11, 2006 September 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ - retrieved December 9, 2006
- ^ Bandell, Brian (March 18, 2015). "Keiser University to take over Northwood University's West Palm Beach campus". www.bizjournals.com.
- ^ "About Us | Palm Beach County Library System". www.pbclibrary.org. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Strategic and Long-Range Plan FY 2021-2023" (PDF). www.pbclibrary.org. July 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Libraries". Palm Beach County Library Association. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ a b DeVires, Janet; Brunk, Graham; Pedersen, Ginger; Labell, Shellie; Sophia, Rosa (2017). Overdue in Paradise. West Palm Beach: Palmango Press.
- ^ Twenty most populous counties in America
- ^ Julius Whigham II (June 20, 2016). . The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "See "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2020 - County -- County Subdivision and Place" for Florida". 2020 Census. United States Census Bureau, Population Division.
External links
Government links/Constitutional offices
- Palm Beach County Government / Board of County Commissioners official website
- Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser
- Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
- Clerk & Comptroller, Palm Beach County
Special districts
- Soil and Water Conservation District
- South Florida Water Management
Emergency services
- Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
- Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue
Judicial branch
- Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, 15th Judicial Circuit
Tourism links
- Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches