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Palm Beach, known for its golden sands and winter appeal to America’s affluent, is fiercely independent — and the suggestion it is merely a suburb has residents seeing red.
The controversy began when GoBanking.com listed Palm Beach as the 11th wealthiest suburb in the United States, based on average household incomes and property prices.
While the designation of a “suburb” incited local indignation, the issue hinges on whether Palm Beach should be viewed as a mere extension of the mainland’s West Palm Beach or a distinct entity in its own right.
“A suburb of what?” a local real estate expert told the Palm Beach Daily News, emphasizing the town’s unique status.
Officially, Palm Beach is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, a classification used by the US Census Bureau. Yet, the island’s residents argue that this label diminishes its exclusive character.
Reddit users chimed in, comparing the region to “like 10 cities” and describing the vast 100-mile stretch from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County as a continuous urban agglomeration.
Despite being separated from West Palm Beach by three bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway, Palm Beach retains a distinct identity.
Traditionally, suburbs are seen as more affordable than their urban counterparts.
Realtor.com’s economic analyst Hannah Jones told the Daily Mail that suburban homes in the largest metro areas are typically 24.2% less expensive than urban homes.
However, this does not hold true for Palm Beach.
The island’s median household income is $365,991, just shy of the top 10 wealthiest suburbs, and the average home value is a staggering $11.57 million, according to Zillow.
Palm Beach boasts 2,278 single-family homes for nearly 10,000 residents, alongside 5,279 condos and 946 co-ops.
Housing prices often reach nine figures, with most homes costing well into the eight figures for four to seven bedrooms. Oceanfront mansions with pools and private compounds are common, contrasting sharply with the still-costly studio condominiums often priced over $1 million.
The island has cultivated a reputation as a sanctuary for the ultra-wealthy.
“Class of Palm Beach,” a social media page, showcases the town’s best-dressed residents.
The community includes notable figures such as Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone, Howard Stern, Jon Bon Jovi, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams and Tommy Hilfiger.
Palm Beach’s inclusion on GoBanking.com’s list places it alongside affluent suburbs of major cities like Boston, Chicago and San Francisco.
Scarsdale and Rye in New York claimed the top two spots, while West University Place in Texas, Los Altos in California, Paradise Valley in Arizona, University Park in Texas, Hinsdale in Illinois, Great Falls in Virginia, Orinda in California and Wellesley in Massachusetts rounded out the top 10.
In stark contrast, West Palm Beach, situated on the Florida mainland, hosts a population of about 121,000 with an average household income of just under $100,000.
Palm Beach, however, is home to 61 billionaires.