Palm Beach County and Martin County
Where to Live in Palm Beach County: The Towns Compared
Pick the town by how you want to live. For river and inlet boating, Jupiter, Tequesta and North Palm Beach; for an oceanfront condominium, Juno Beach and Singer Island; for private golf clubs, Palm Beach Gardens; for in-town living, Palm Beach and West Palm Beach; for horses, Wellington; and for more room and quiet, Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound and Stuart in Martin County.
Every town here lives differently, and the right one depends on the water, the clubs, the downtown and the kind of home you want, not on a ranking. These are the twelve towns our buyers compare most, north to south, with live market numbers and a guide for each.
Side by side
How Do the Towns Compare at a Glance?
Start with the setting and the homes, then the numbers: the towns range from Tequesta, a small river village, to West Palm Beach, the county seat with a downtown skyline. Prices follow the water and the clubs more than the town line.
| Town | Setting | Homes you will find | Median sale price, 12 months | Homes sold, 12 months | For sale now | To DJT airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | River, inlet and beach town at the north end of Palm Beach County | Beach condominiums, river neighborhoods, private golf clubs, acreage in Jupiter Farms | $735,000 | 1,821 | 562 homes for sale in Jupiter (opens in a new tab) | 33 min |
| Tequesta | Small riverfront village where the Loxahatchee forks meet the Intracoastal | Club and river neighborhoods, small condominium buildings on the water | $715,000 | 199 | 80 homes for sale in Tequesta (opens in a new tab) | 36 min |
| Juno Beach | Oceanfront town between Jupiter and North Palm Beach | Oceanfront and low-rise condominiums, a few streets of houses, Intracoastal slips | $810,000 | 115 | 88 homes for sale in Juno Beach (opens in a new tab) | 31 min |
| North Palm Beach | Village at the north end of the Lake Worth Lagoon | Marina condominiums, canal neighborhoods, gated enclaves by the ocean, a village golf course | $633,000 | 344 | 231 homes for sale in North Palm Beach (opens in a new tab) | 27 min |
| Palm Beach Gardens | Planned city of golf, lakes and neighborhoods | Golf and club communities, Intracoastal neighborhoods, PGA Boulevard condominiums, acreage to the west | $810,000 | 1,792 | 622 homes for sale in Palm Beach Gardens (opens in a new tab) | 22 min |
| Singer Island | Barrier island on the Atlantic, with the Lake Worth Inlet at its south end | Oceanfront condominium buildings, canal homes with docks | $1,000,000 | 164 | 144 homes for sale in Singer Island (opens in a new tab) | 23 min |
| Palm Beach | Barrier island town between the Atlantic and the Lake Worth Lagoon | In-town condominiums and co-ops near Worth Avenue, South End buildings, estates and historic houses | $2,498,000 | 388 | 240 homes for sale in Palm Beach (opens in a new tab) | 14 min |
| West Palm Beach | The county seat, on the Lake Worth Lagoon across from Palm Beach | Flagler Drive condominium towers, historic districts, planned communities and golf clubs to the west | $410,000 | 3,301 | 1,688 homes for sale in West Palm Beach (opens in a new tab) | 11 min |
| Wellington | Central Palm Beach County, about 15 miles inland; horse country | Equestrian farms, golf and club communities, gated neighborhoods | $672,000 | 902 | 413 homes for sale in Wellington (opens in a new tab) | 21 min |
| Jupiter Island | Barrier island town in southern Martin County, ocean to Intracoastal | Estates, the Jupiter Island Club, Blowing Rocks Preserve nearby | No MLS city of its own; ask us for recent island sales | 50 min | ||
| Hobe Sound | Martin County mainland on the Intracoastal, across from Jupiter Island | Private golf clubs, streets of houses near the water, townhome enclaves | $474,000 | 430 | 166 homes for sale in Hobe Sound (opens in a new tab) | 51 min |
| Stuart | Martin County seat, where the forks of the St. Lucie River meet | Hutchinson Island condominiums, river homes with docks, club communities such as Sailfish Point | $405,000 | 1,140 | 660 homes for sale in Stuart (opens in a new tab) | 56 min |
Closed sales by MLS area, 12 months through October 2026, BeachesMLS via IDX Broker; medians, so one unusual sale does not move them. For sale now is the latest count from the same source. Airport minutes are driving times from each town center to Palm Beach International (DJT) with free-flowing traffic (OpenStreetMap routing, October 2026); rush hour and season add time. Jupiter Island has no MLS city of its own, so it has no row of medians here. A median mixes condominiums, townhomes and houses; each town guide breaks it out by community.
Compare by how you live
Which Towns Suit Boating and Life on the Water?
Jupiter and Tequesta sit where the Loxahatchee River meets the Intracoastal and runs out through the Jupiter Inlet, so river and canal homes there are minutes from open ocean. North Palm Beach has marina condominiums and canal neighborhoods near the Lake Worth Inlet, and Stuart does the same on the St. Lucie River and Inlet.
Ask about bridge clearances and water depth for the boat you have, house by house; we check both before you make an offer.
Compare by how you live
Where Can I Live Right on the Ocean?
Juno Beach is mostly oceanfront and low-rise condominiums along Ocean Drive, with the Juno Beach Pier. Singer Island is a barrier island of oceanfront condominium buildings with the Lake Worth Inlet at its south end. Palm Beach has the South End buildings on South Ocean Boulevard, and Jupiter has beach condominiums along A1A.
Oceanfront buildings differ most in age, height and reserves, so read the association documents and the milestone inspection before you fall for a view.
Compare by how you live
Which Towns Are Built Around Golf and Private Clubs?
Palm Beach Gardens was planned around golf, lakes and neighborhoods, and golf and club communities still set its pattern. Jupiter, Tequesta, Hobe Sound and Stuart each have private clubs of their own, and Wellington adds golf and club communities to its equestrian side.
Clubs here run on different membership models (equity, non-equity, bundled with the home or optional), so compare the cost to join and to stay, not only the house price.
Compare by how you live
Which Towns Have a Walkable Downtown?
West Palm Beach is the one place with a skyline: condominium towers on Flagler Drive, historic districts and Clematis Street. Palm Beach is a walkable island town built around Worth Avenue. Stuart has a riverfront downtown, and Jupiter has walkable town centers such as Abacoa, with shops and homes close together.
Walkable usually means a condominium or a smaller lot; we walk the blocks with you, at the hour you would, before you choose one.
Compare by how you live
Where Is Horse Country in Palm Beach County?
Wellington, in central Palm Beach County about 15 miles inland, is horse country: equestrian farms, riding trails, the Winter Equestrian Festival and polo set the calendar there, alongside golf and club communities and gated neighborhoods. For acreage closer to the coast, look at Jupiter Farms in western Jupiter.
On farm property we read the zoning and the community rules with you before an offer.
Compare by how you live
How Long Is the Drive to the Airport and the Train?
With clear roads, Palm Beach International (DJT) is about 11 minutes from downtown West Palm Beach, 14 from Palm Beach, 21 from Wellington, 22 from Palm Beach Gardens and 33 from Jupiter. From Hobe Sound, Jupiter Island and Stuart in Martin County it is closer to an hour. Brightline trains leave downtown West Palm Beach for Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando.
Rush hour on I-95 and the winter season add real time; we drive the route with you at the hour you would make it.
Compare by how you live
Which Towns Are Quieter, With More Room?
Jupiter Island is a barrier island town of estates between the ocean and the Intracoastal, with the Jupiter Island Club and Blowing Rocks Preserve. Hobe Sound, across the water on the mainland, has private golf clubs and streets of houses near the water, and Stuart, the Martin County seat, adds river homes and Hutchinson Island condominiums.
Martin County is a separate county with its own property appraiser, flood maps and permit offices; we line up each one for the home you choose.
Town by town
What Is Each Town Like to Live In?
Each town has its own guide with its communities, live listings, market numbers and what we check before you buy. The short version, north to south by county:
- Jupiter: River, inlet and beach town at the north end of Palm Beach County. Beach condominiums, river neighborhoods, private golf clubs, acreage in Jupiter Farms. Read the Jupiter guide · Town of Jupiter (opens in a new tab)
- Tequesta: Small riverfront village where the Loxahatchee forks meet the Intracoastal. Club and river neighborhoods, small condominium buildings on the water. Read the Tequesta guide · Village of Tequesta (opens in a new tab)
- Juno Beach: Oceanfront town between Jupiter and North Palm Beach. Oceanfront and low-rise condominiums, a few streets of houses, Intracoastal slips. Read the Juno Beach guide · Town of Juno Beach (opens in a new tab)
- North Palm Beach: Village at the north end of the Lake Worth Lagoon. Marina condominiums, canal neighborhoods, gated enclaves by the ocean, a village golf course. Read the North Palm Beach guide · Village of North Palm Beach (opens in a new tab)
- Palm Beach Gardens: Planned city of golf, lakes and neighborhoods. Golf and club communities, Intracoastal neighborhoods, PGA Boulevard condominiums, acreage to the west. Read the Palm Beach Gardens guide · City of Palm Beach Gardens (opens in a new tab)
- Singer Island: Barrier island on the Atlantic, with the Lake Worth Inlet at its south end. Oceanfront condominium buildings, canal homes with docks. Read the Singer Island guide · Town of Palm Beach Shores (opens in a new tab)
- Palm Beach: Barrier island town between the Atlantic and the Lake Worth Lagoon. In-town condominiums and co-ops near Worth Avenue, South End buildings, estates and historic houses. Read the Palm Beach guide · Town of Palm Beach (opens in a new tab)
- West Palm Beach: The county seat, on the Lake Worth Lagoon across from Palm Beach. Flagler Drive condominium towers, historic districts, planned communities and golf clubs to the west. Read the West Palm Beach guide · City of West Palm Beach (opens in a new tab)
- Wellington: Central Palm Beach County, about 15 miles inland; horse country. Equestrian farms, golf and club communities, gated neighborhoods. Read the Wellington guide · Village of Wellington (opens in a new tab)
- Jupiter Island: Barrier island town in southern Martin County, ocean to Intracoastal. Estates, the Jupiter Island Club, Blowing Rocks Preserve nearby. Read the Jupiter Island guide · Town of Jupiter Island (opens in a new tab)
- Hobe Sound: Martin County mainland on the Intracoastal, across from Jupiter Island. Private golf clubs, streets of houses near the water, townhome enclaves. Read the Hobe Sound guide · Martin County (opens in a new tab)
- Stuart: Martin County seat, where the forks of the St. Lucie River meet. Hutchinson Island condominiums, river homes with docks, club communities such as Sailfish Point. Read the Stuart guide · City of Stuart (opens in a new tab)
How we help
Who Can Help Me Choose a Town?
Not sure yet? Tell us how you want to live and we will arrange a day in two or three towns, with the drive between them at the hour you would make it.
Town facts from each town’s guide on this site and the towns’ own websites. Market figures update from BeachesMLS via IDX Broker; listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Equal Housing Opportunity.
