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RAMortgage by RubenRuben Akopyan, NMLS #1972825

Pioneer Mortgage Funding, Inc., NMLS #1980

Southeast Florida

Home loans in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County has 39 municipalities, from beach towns to Lake Okeechobee farm towns, and a Know Your Zone page for evacuation and flood zones.

About Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County is the northernmost of South Florida's three large coastal counties, stretching from the Atlantic beaches west to Lake Okeechobee. West Palm Beach is the county seat, and the county counts 39 municipalities, from the island town of Palm Beach and the coastal cities of Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Jupiter to inland suburbs such as Wellington and Royal Palm Beach and lakeside farm towns such as Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay. Each municipality enacts and enforces its own policies inside its boundaries, apart from the countywide ordinances in the county charter.

The western half of the county is a different landscape. Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 145,000 acres of Everglades inside the county, water conservation areas run along the western side, and farmland near Lake Okeechobee grows sugarcane, vegetables, sweet corn, rice and sod, according to the USDA. In the USDA's farm census, equine animals such as horses and ponies account for most of the county's livestock sales. The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Wilma's track crossed southern Florida in October 2005 and exited near Jupiter.

Buyers here weigh coastal condominium rules, evacuation and flood zones that differ by address, and a lake dike that the county covers in its emergency planning.

Quick facts

County seat
West Palm Beach
Region
Southeast Florida
Population
1,556,161
2025 · University of Florida BEBR, Florida Estimates of Population 2025
2026 conforming loan limit
$832,750
One-unit home · FHFA
2026 FHA loan limit
$667,000
One-unit home · HUD
Geography
  • Atlantic coast and barrier-island towns, including Palm Beach and Juno Beach
  • Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, more than 145,000 acres of Everglades
  • Everglades water conservation areas along the western side of the county
  • Lake Okeechobee and the Herbert Hoover Dike in the western part of the county
  • Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach
Housing types
  • High-rise and mid-rise condominium buildings near the coast
  • Single-family neighborhoods in suburban cities
  • Townhome and association-governed communities
  • Farm-town homes and acreage near Lake Okeechobee
Major industries

Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.

Housing in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County's housing follows its geography. Condominium and cooperative buildings fall under the county's milestone inspection schedule, with an earlier first inspection for buildings within three miles of the coast, while single-family neighborhoods fill the suburban cities between the shoreline and the Everglades edge. Farm-town housing and acreage are found in the western communities near Lake Okeechobee, where flood and evacuation questions look different from those on the coast.

Because each municipality sets its own rules, a buyer comparing Boca Raton, Wellington and Belle Glade is comparing three permit and code systems as well as three housing mixes, while large unincorporated areas, such as the Census-listed place called The Acreage, follow county rules instead. A remodel or addition in a mapped flood zone brings elevation rules into the budget, and an older condominium building may carry a repair plan or special assessment that affects ownership costs. Investors should confirm rental restrictions with the municipality and with any association before relying on rental income.

Financing in Palm Beach County

USDA loans

Most of Palm Beach County's coastal and suburban area is outside USDA's eligible areas, and near Lake Okeechobee eligibility varies by address, so check USDA's property eligibility map for the specific property. Household income limits and other USDA rules also apply. A loan officer can help confirm whether a particular property appears on the map.

Jumbo loans

Palm Beach County's 2026 conforming and FHA limits are shown in this guide's quick facts. Oceanfront estates and some larger homes in coastal cities may need a loan above the conforming limit, which makes it a jumbo loan reviewed on assets, reserves and appraisal. Asking a loan officer early which route fits can help a buyer avoid committing to a search area before the financing is clear.

Investor and DSCR loans

Buyers purchasing a rental in Palm Beach County can look at investment-property loans, including DSCR loans that weigh the property's rental income. Rental rules vary by town, and condominium or homeowners associations may limit leasing. Read the governing documents and ask the municipality about rental registration before relying on rent in a loan comparison.

Condominiums

In unincorporated Palm Beach County, the county's milestone inspection page covers condominium and cooperative buildings of three stories or more: a first inspection at 25 years within three miles of the coast and 30 years farther inland, then every 10 years, with certified letters in the year one is due. Cities set their own schedules. Ask the association for the report summary and the structural integrity reserve study. For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners generally cannot vote to waive or cut reserves for the study's structural items, though state law allows limited exceptions, such as a temporary pause to fund milestone repairs.

Flood zones and flood insurance

The county's Know Your Zone page has two lookups, one for the hurricane evacuation zone and one for the FEMA flood zone, because the two are not the same. The county's flood page also covers Lake Okeechobee and its dike, which it ties to western Palm Beach County. A mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender triggers a flood insurance requirement in mapped high-risk areas. The county notes that new policies take 30 days to take effect, and FEMA lists exceptions, including a policy bought in connection with making the mortgage.

Homeowners insurance

Ask an insurance agent to quote wind and flood separately, since most homeowners policies leave flood out. Barrier-island and lakeside homes raise different questions: ocean-facing buildings for wind, and lakeside parcels for flood zone and elevation. Florida law requires insurers' residential rate filings to include discounts, credits or deductible reductions for qualifying wind-mitigation features (s. 627.0629, F.S.), so ask the agent how a documented feature affects a quote. My Safe Florida Home is a state program that pairs wind-mitigation inspections with grants for approved upgrades when funding is available.

Homestead exemption

The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser handles homestead filings. A buyer who owns the home and makes it a permanent residence by January 1 applies by March 1 of that year, and the exemption lowers taxable value. A sale triggers reassessment at just value the next January 1, so the seller's capped assessment does not follow the property. A buyer relocating from another Florida homestead may transfer all or part of that benefit if the new homestead is established within three years of January 1 of the year the old one was abandoned.

Local homebuyer assistance

County programs run through the Mortgage and Housing Investments division of Housing and Economic Development, and all are subject to funding. Florida Housing's list shows separate SHIP plans for Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Wellington and West Palm Beach, so address matters. A buyer in one of those cities starts with the city contact, then the county if the city is not listed. Ask which strategies are open, and expect homebuyer paperwork before funds are reserved.

Cities, towns and communities

  • West Palm BeachCityCounty seatCounty seat, with its own SHIP plan on Florida Housing's list.
  • Boca RatonCitySouthern coastal city next to Broward County, with its own SHIP plan on Florida Housing's list.
  • Boynton BeachCityCoastal city in southern Palm Beach County with its own SHIP plan.
  • Delray BeachCityCoastal city in southern Palm Beach County with its own SHIP plan.
  • Palm Beach GardensCityCity in northern Palm Beach County.
  • GreenacresCityInland city south of West Palm Beach, near Lake Worth Beach.
  • Lake Worth BeachCityCoastal city in central Palm Beach County.
  • Riviera BeachCityCity in northern Palm Beach County and home to the Port of Palm Beach.
  • Belle GladeCityFarm city on the southeastern side of Lake Okeechobee, in the area the county's dike planning covers.
  • WestlakeCityCity in western Palm Beach County.
  • PahokeeCityLakeside farm city on the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee, north of Belle Glade.
  • AtlantisCitySmall city in the Lake Worth area of central Palm Beach County.
Show all 39
  • South BayCityFarm city on the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee.
  • JupiterTownNorthern coastal town near the Martin County line; the National Hurricane Center says Wilma exited near Jupiter.
  • LantanaTownCoastal town in central Palm Beach County.
  • Palm BeachTownBarrier-island town east of West Palm Beach.
  • Lake ParkTownTown in northern Palm Beach County near Riviera Beach and North Palm Beach.
  • Briny BreezesTownSmall oceanfront town in southern Palm Beach County.
  • Cloud LakeTownTiny town in the West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach area.
  • Glen RidgeTownSmall town in central Palm Beach County, near West Palm Beach.
  • Gulf StreamTownSmall oceanfront town between Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
  • HaverhillTownSmall inland town in central Palm Beach County.
  • Highland BeachTownOceanfront town between Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
  • HypoluxoTownSmall town in the Lantana and Boynton Beach area.
  • Juno BeachTownOceanfront town in northern Palm Beach County.
  • Jupiter Inlet ColonyTownSmall town beside Jupiter Inlet in northern Palm Beach County.
  • Lake Clarke ShoresTownTown on Lake Clarke in central Palm Beach County.
  • Loxahatchee GrovesTownTown in western Palm Beach County near Wellington.
  • ManalapanTownBarrier-island town south of the town of Palm Beach.
  • Mangonia ParkTownSmall town just north of West Palm Beach.
  • Ocean RidgeTownBarrier-island town in southern Palm Beach County near Boynton Beach.
  • Palm Beach ShoresTownSmall town on Singer Island in northern Palm Beach County.
  • South Palm BeachTownSmall barrier-island town in central Palm Beach County.
  • WellingtonVillageLarge western village with its own SHIP plan on Florida Housing's list.
  • Royal Palm BeachVillageWestern village next to Wellington, in the same area of the county.
  • Palm SpringsVillageVillage in central Palm Beach County near Lake Worth Beach and Greenacres.
  • North Palm BeachVillageVillage on the Intracoastal Waterway in northern Palm Beach County.
  • TequestaVillageNorthern village near the Martin County line.
  • GolfVillageSmall village in southern Palm Beach County near Boynton Beach.

Official local resources

Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.

Palm Beach County: common questions

6 questions

Which office handles SHIP help if I buy in Boca Raton or Delray Beach?

Florida Housing's list shows separate SHIP plans for Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Wellington and West Palm Beach, and tells applicants to use the city contact first. For addresses in other places, the county's Housing and Economic Development department is the contact. County programs are subject to funding, so ask what is open.

How do I look up both my evacuation zone and my flood zone in Palm Beach County?

The county's Know Your Zone page has two lookups. One shows areas that may be flooded by storm surge ahead of a storm. The other shows areas at risk from poor drainage, sheet flow or coastal tides. Check both for any address, because a home can be outside an evacuation zone and still be in a flood zone.

Does Palm Beach County have a plan for Lake Okeechobee flooding near Belle Glade and Pahokee?

The county's flood page calls overtopping of the lake or a Herbert Hoover Dike breach improbable but serious. Its dike planning page lists the Corps, state agencies and the lake counties as partners in evacuation plans, and explains how alerts are sent. Ask your insurance agent about flood coverage for homes in the west.

I am buying a condominium in unincorporated Palm Beach County. When is its first milestone inspection due?

The county's page says by December 31 of the year the building turns 25 if it is within three miles of the coast, or 30 if it is farther inland, with repeats every 10 years. Certified letters go to associations in the year an inspection is due. A condominium inside a city follows that city's building official, so ask the association which office applies.

What happens if a milestone inspection finds structural deterioration in a Palm Beach County condominium?

The county's page says the owner must begin repairs within 365 days of the phase two report reaching the local enforcement agency. Without proof that repairs have started, the structure can be deemed unsafe and unfit for occupation, and the finding can go to a special magistrate or board and be reported to the state's condominium division. A buyer can ask for the phase two report and the repair plan.

Why can the rules at one Palm Beach County address differ from a neighbor's across a town line?

The county says each of its 39 municipalities enacts and enforces policies and laws inside its boundaries, apart from the countywide ordinances in the county charter. Building offices, code enforcement and permit rules can therefore differ. Ask the municipality, not just the county, about permits, rentals and condominium inspections for a specific address.

Loan programs to explore

Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.

Browse all loan programs

Local information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.

The information here is educational only. It is not an offer, approval or commitment to lend. Eligibility is subject to underwriting review of your application and the property. Not every program is offered by every lender or in every state. Each program has property and occupancy requirements, and terms and guidelines can change. This site does not quote rates or fees. Down payment, rate, points and loan amount limits depend on the program, the lender and your situation. Ask your loan officer for details.

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