Palm Beach Gardens, FL 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Overview

Palm Beach Gardens has it all: warm weather, top-of-the-line golf courses, beaches, and is less than a two hour drive from Miami. Palm Beach Gardens is the perfect location for retirees that enjoy a smaller city with big city benefits. 

Climate & Geography

Southeast Florida's tropical rainforest climate means residents of Palm Beach Garden experience long, hot, and rainy summers, while winters are warm with cool, windy nights. The city gets over 60 inches of rain each year and approximately 237 days of sunshine, both of which are higher than the national average. 

As part of the Miami metropolitan area, the surrounding terrain is mostly urban, residential neighborhoods built on the coastal lowlands along the Atlantic Ocean. Although directly to the west there are natural conservation areas full of wetlands. 

Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment 

Florida is known for many things, and the beautiful beaches would have to be included in that list. High rated beaches near Palm Beach Gardens include John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Juno Beach Park, Peanut Island Park, and Ocean Reef Park. 

For nature lovers, the Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County has over 2,000 species of flowers to admire. The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge has more than 250 species of birds and reptiles over the 144,00 acres of wetlands. The ecosystem is filled with cattails, sawgrass, tree islands, prairies, sloughs, and a healthy cypress swamp. Visitors are able to cycle, hike, and photograph the refuge. 

Palm Beach Gardens downtown area, Downtown at the Gardens, is an open-air, pedestrian-only shopping center. Every Sunday, The Gardens GreenMarket opens with free entry, access to local produce, music, crafts, and amazing food to purchase. 

The Professional Golfers Association is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens and has an organized golf club in the city. The PGA National Golf Club has updated golf courses with new turf, rebuilt bunkers, expanded tee and green complexes, and a modernized layout. The North Palm Beach Country Club also has a beautiful golf course that sits on the Intracoastal Waterway. 

For access to even more shopping, dining, and entertainment options, residents can travel south down the coast and visit any of the other numerous cities in the Miami area, including Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and of course Downtown Miami, all of which are within an hour-and-a-half drive. 

Cost of Living & Taxes

The overall cost of living is higher than the state and national average. The is primarily due to the high cost of homes and housing, although transportation costs are significantly higher than average as well. Grocery costs are also slightly above average, however health care and utility costs are below the average. 

Florida is considered very tax friendly to retirees because the state has no income tax, which includes all forms of retirement income. Property taxes are fairly low in the state, however due the higher cost of homes in the Miami area this can still be a significant expense. There is a homestead exemption to help offset property taxes, and some residents who are 65+ could qualify for an additional exemption. Sales taxes are also about average, and common items like groceries and medicine are exempt. 

Health Care

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center is located in the city and is rated high performing according to U.S. News.