West Palm Beach facts that may surprise you: Residents' commutes, wealth, occupations
You might know that West Palm Beach is the biggest city in Palm Beach County. But did you know half of its residents are younger than 40? Or that one in three don't speak English as their first language?
It was incorporated on Nov. 5, 1894, and is the oldest municipality in Southeast Florida. It covers an area of 57.73 square miles.
West Palm Beach is home to 117,415 people, according to the 2020 census. Read on to learn more about this big, diverse city's people, how they make their living and more, according to the most recent census and the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey.
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Commute times, average rent, other interesting facts
About 38% of residents are white, 31% are Black, and 25% are Hispanic
About 5.1% of residents are veterans.
Workers report that their commutes are about 26 minutes long, which is shorter than the state average of 28 minutes.
Half of renters said in 2022 paid $1,599 a month, including utilities, compared with $1,525 across Florida.
Income and poverty in West Palm Beach
Half of the city's households earn at least $71,138, much higher than Florida's median of $69,303. Here's more:
About 14.5% of residents live in poverty. Here's the breakdown by age group.
Education levels, number of residents from foreign countries
About 38% of residents age 25 and older have college degrees, compared with 34% across the state. Here's the breakdown of residents by education level.
How West Palm Beach residents make their living
Most of the city's work force is in the private sector.
Here are the industries that residents work in.
Here are residents' occupations.
About 69% of workers drive alone to their jobs.
How many residents are in each age group?
Half of residents are younger than 40. Here's a detailed population breakdown by age group.
What languages do West Palm Beach residents speak?
An estimated two-thirds of West Palm Beach residents ages 5 and older speak English as their first language. More than 1 in 5 speak Spanish.
What share of West Palm Beach residents are seniors?
About 19.5% of West Palm Beach residents are age 65 or older. Here's the breakdown:
What share of residents are children?
About 19% of people in West Palm Beach are children younger than 18. Here's the breakdown.
What are families like in West Palm Beach?
West Palm Beach families have an average of three people, the Census Bureau estimates. The chart below shows what share of town households have each type of family.
Where did West Palm Beach residents move from?
What housing is like in West Palm Beach
The Census Bureau estimates West Palm Beach's homeownership rate is 51.5%. Statewide, 67% of homes are owned by the people living in them.
Here's a detailed breakdown of bedroom counts in homes across the city:
Disability in West Palm Beach
About 10% of residents claim a disability. Please note that some people may claim more than one disability.
Family and marital status
Here is the percent of men and women who are married, widowed, divorced, separated or never have been married.
Chris Persaud is the data reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at cpersaud@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Census facts on West Palm Beach: demographics, housing, income, more
