Two markets in one county.
Nobody explains both honestly.

The Palm Beach County Tax Picture

Palm Beach County does not have sub-county splits like Treasure Coast (three counties) or Orlando (four counties). It is one county. But the tax bill varies significantly based on whether your community sits inside a municipality or in unincorporated Palm Beach County — and which municipality.

Florida homestead exemption applies: $50,000 off assessed value ($25,000 standard plus $25,000 on assessed value above $50,000). Save Our Homes caps annual assessed value increases at 3%. Year-one buyers pay full market-value assessment — the cap only helps in subsequent years. This is the same structure as every Florida market we cover, but the starting assessed values in Palm Beach are higher than Treasure Coast or Orlando, so the dollar impact is larger.

The Two Markets Nobody Explains

The Legacy Condo Tier: $60K–$300K Purchase, $400–$800/mo HOA

Palm Beach County has the densest concentration of large-scale legacy condo communities anywhere in Florida. Kings Point (7,200 units, built 1973–1985), Century Village Boca Raton (7,500 units), Century Village West Palm Beach (6,500 units), Villages of Oriole (13,280 units) — these are small cities within the county.

The purchase prices look impossibly low: $80K–$200K for a two-bedroom condo in a gated community with pools, a clubhouse, and a full-time activities director. But the all-inclusive HOA — typically $400–$800/month — covers everything: building insurance, exterior maintenance, cable, water, reserves, and in some cases even basic cable TV and landline phone. When you add the HOA to property tax, the monthly carrying cost on a $120K condo can match or exceed a $450K single-family home with a $200/month HOA.

That is the math nobody publishes. We publish it for every legacy community in the county.

The Modern Resort Tier: $350K–$1M+ Purchase, $150–$350/mo HOA

GL Homes has built the dominant brand in Palm Beach County 55+ living. The Valencia series — Valencia Shores (1,143 homes), Valencia Reserve, Valencia Cove, Valencia Isles, Valencia Falls, Valencia Palms, Valencia Lakes, Valencia Pointe, Valencia Bay, and the newest Valencia Sound and Valencia Del Mar — represents more than 7,000 single-family homes across the county. They share a formula: gated entry, resort-style clubhouse, GL Homes construction quality, and HOAs in the $200–$350/month range covering common areas and amenities.

Beyond GL Homes: Cresswind Palm Beach at Westlake (Kolter, 800 homes, $400K–$2M), Regency at Avenir (Toll Brothers, 469 homes, $800K+), Four Seasons at Delray Beach (K. Hovnanian), and Avalon Trails (new construction, Delray Beach). These newer communities compete on amenity quality and home design rather than price.

The golf tier adds another layer: Hunters Run (three courses, equity membership, $100K+ initiation fee historically), Indian Spring Country Club, Boca Lago, and Aberdeen each wrap golf costs into their fee structures differently. We break down each one.

Every Community by Corridor

Click any community to see its dedicated research page with cost breakdowns, tax math, and honest assessment.

What to Research Before You Buy

If you are looking at a legacy condo community:

Request the most recent reserve study and milestone inspection report. Florida SB 4-D requires buildings three stories or taller and 30+ years old to complete a structural integrity reserve study by December 31, 2024 (extended for some communities). Communities that have not completed theirs may face large special assessments in the near future. Ask specifically: has a special assessment been levied in the past three years, is one currently under discussion, and what is the reserve fund balance as a percentage of the fully funded requirement?

Also understand the ownership structure. Kings Point, for example, operates as a co-op for some of its sections — meaning you buy shares in a corporation rather than owning your unit outright. This affects financing, resale, and subletting rights. We explain the structure on each community page.

If you are looking at a GL Homes Valencia community:

The ten Valencia communities in PBC share a brand but differ in meaningful ways: build year (which affects home style and energy efficiency), clubhouse size, amenity scope, and resale patterns. Valencia Sound and Valencia Del Mar are the newest and most expensive. Valencia Lakes is the oldest and offers the best entry price. We compare them side by side in our GL Homes Valencia Series Guide.

If you are considering golf:

Golf fee structures in Palm Beach County vary dramatically. Hunters Run has an equity membership model with a historically high initiation fee and monthly minimums. Indian Spring offers optional country club membership. Boca Lago includes golf access in its HOA structure. Aberdeen bundles golf differently still. We break down each model on the individual community pages.