24 Oct Palm Beach, FL Guide (2026): Buying and Selling on the Island, Taxes, Inspections and Town Services

Palm Beach, FL Guide (2026): Buying and Selling on the Island

The Town of Palm Beach sits on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon from West Palm Beach. Incorporated on April 17, 1911, it owes its character, in the Town’s words, “more to Henry Flagler than to any other individual.” The U.S. Census Bureau counted 9,245 residents in 2020 on 3.80 square miles of land. Its estimate of the median value of owner-occupied homes is “$2,000,000+,” the top of the Census reporting scale. The Town’s operating tax rate for 2025–26 is 2.6110 mills, and its condominium buildings follow a 30-year milestone inspection schedule.

This guide uses official Town of Palm Beach, U.S. Census Bureau and State of Florida sources, checked October 24, 2026. It is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.

On This Page

• Palm Beach at a glance
• Condos and estates
• Property taxes and the undergrounding assessment
• Short-term rentals
• Milestone inspections
• Beaches and coastal protection
• Police and fire rescue
• A short history
• Nearby towns
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

Palm Beach at a Glance

Condos and Estates

Palm Beach is best known for its oceanfront and lakefront estates, and it also has condominium and cooperative buildings, many of them along South Ocean Boulevard. Our Palm Beach oceanfront condos page lists the buildings with year built, units, milestone inspection timing and dated asking prices.

Property Taxes and the Undergrounding Assessment

The Town set its operating tax rate at 2.6110 mills for 2025–26, unchanged from 2.6110 in 2024–25, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. That is $2.611 for every $1,000 of taxable value, and it is only the Town’s share. Your total bill also includes Palm Beach County, the school district and other taxing districts. A property’s assessed and taxable values are on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser website, and its tax bills are on the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s website. After a sale, the property is reassessed at full market (just) value as of January 1 of the following year, so the buyer does not inherit the seller’s capped assessed value; only the buyer’s own exemptions and any homestead portability benefit the buyer qualifies for apply (sections 193.155, 193.1554 and 193.1555, Florida Statutes).

Undergrounding. The Town is moving overhead utility lines underground in eight phases, and its project site publishes FAQs about the “undergrounding assessment” that funds the work. Phase 1 and the northern sections of Phases 2 and 3 are marked complete, and the project site’s October 2026 work notices cover later phases. Buyers should ask how the assessment applies to a specific property and whether any balance remains.

Short-Term Rentals

The Town’s zoning code treats frequent short stays in homes as a commercial use. Its definition of “commercial use” says that “occupancy of residential properties for periods of less than three months more frequently than three times per calendar year” counts as a commercial use, along with timesharing and motel or hotel uses (Code of Ordinances, section 134-2). If you plan to rent out a Palm Beach home or apartment, ask the Town’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department how this applies to your property, and check the condo or co-op association’s own leasing rules, which may be stricter.

Milestone Inspections

The Town’s building department says every condominium or cooperative building three stories or taller needs milestone inspections once the building is 30 years old, then every 10 years. Phase one is due within 180 days of the Town’s certified notice. Florida also requires a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) at least every 10 years for condominium buildings of three or more habitable stories. As a buyer of a resale condo, you are entitled, at the seller’s expense, to the summary of the milestone inspection report (if applicable) and the association’s most recent SIRS, or a statement that the association has not completed one (section 718.503(2)(a)). Some Palm Beach buildings are cooperatives, which follow chapter 719 of the Florida Statutes instead, so ask which law applies. See our Broward vs. Palm Beach County inspection rules guide.

Beaches and Coastal Protection

The Town says it has 3 miles of public beaches and has followed a coastal management plan since 1986. It is the local sponsor of the federally funded Mid-Town Beach renourishment led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; a May 27, 2026 update reported nearly 600,000 cubic yards of sand placed. Groin rehabilitation work is limited to November 1 through April 30 to protect nesting sea turtles. Florida requires sellers of residential property to give a flood disclosure at or before signing the contract (section 689.302).

Police and Fire Rescue

• Police. The Palm Beach Police Department offers a free Closed House program: residents who register before leaving town get periodic police checks of their home, day and night. The Town also requires all alarms to be registered.
• Fire rescue. Palm Beach Fire-Rescue runs three stations, each with at least one rescue unit and one suppression unit. It employs 80 full-time and eight part-time employees, including five full-time and eight part-time lifeguards in its Ocean Rescue Division.

A Short History

According to the Town, pioneers planted about 15,000 pineapple slips in 1879, and the first school, the Little Red Schoolhouse, was built in 1886; it is preserved today at Phipps Ocean Park. Henry Flagler’s Royal Poinciana was “the world’s largest resort and the world’s largest wooden building.” His Palm Beach Inn was soon renamed The Breakers after guests asked for rooms “down by the breakers.” The Town was incorporated in 1911, and the Town calls Worth Avenue “world famous.”

Nearby Towns

• West Palm Beach, FL guide, including the Flagler Drive luxury condo boom
• Highland Beach, FL guide
• Boca Raton, FL guide

Before you sign, use our Florida condo due diligence checklist. If you are selling, see Selling a Florida Condo in 2026.

• Manalapan, FL guide
• Jupiter Island, FL guide

Condo owners and buyers may also want Florida condo special assessments explained and Florida milestone inspection and SIRS guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Palm Beach, FL?

The 2020 Census counted 9,245 residents in the Town of Palm Beach, and the Census Bureau estimated 9,423 as of July 1, 2025.

What is the property tax rate in Palm Beach?

The Town’s operating rate is 2.6110 mills for fiscal year 2025–26. Your total bill also includes county, school and other district rates.

When do Palm Beach condo buildings need milestone inspections?

The Town requires them for condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller at 30 years, then every 10 years.

What is the Palm Beach undergrounding assessment?

It funds the Town’s project to move overhead utility lines underground in eight phases. Ask how it applies to a specific property before you buy.

Does Palm Beach police check homes while owners are away?

Yes. The Police Department’s free Closed House program provides periodic checks of registered homes while residents are away.

Sources

Checked October 24, 2026:

• Town of Palm Beach Code of Ordinances, section 134-2 (Definitions)
• Town of Palm Beach: History of Palm Beach, Mandatory Milestone Inspections and Study, Coastal Protection, Police Department, Fire-Rescue and Undergrounding project site
• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Palm Beach town, Florida
• Florida Department of Revenue, Comparison of Taxes Levied, FY 2024-25 and 2025-26 (Palm Beach)
• Sections 718.112, 718.503 and 689.302, Florida Statutes (2026)

Last updated October 24, 2026. Building details come from county property records, public listings and government sources and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prices are asking prices or estimates as of the date shown. Not legal, financial or engineering advice. Full disclaimer