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Palm Beach, Fla. - MD

The information in our study covers the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, Fla., Metropolitan Division.

In each community, the Soul of the Community Study identified factors that emotionally bond residents to where they live. Some of these community characteristics were rated highly by residents, and are therefore community strengths while others were rated lower, making them opportunities for improvement. This information can provide communities a roadmap for increasing residents’ emotional attachment to where they live, which the study found has a significant relationship to economic vitality.

Most Important ProblemResidents of Palm Beach cited crime and violence as the area's most pressing problem in 2009.

In the Palm Beach area, openness (how welcoming the place is), aesthetics (an area's physical beauty and green spaces) and education (local colleges/universities and public K-12) are the most important factors emotionally connecting residents to where they live.

Aesthetics (particularly the natural setting) and social offerings (particularly the nightlife) are perceived as community strengths.

Openness and education are seen as areas needing improvement. Residents perceive the Palm Beach area as most welcoming to seniors and least welcoming to college graduates. Also, colleges and universities were rated significantly lower in 2009, though they were still ranked higher than K-12 public schools.

Demographic factsResidents most attached to Palm Beach tend to be 65 or older, seasonal, retired, and lower-income.

Not surprisingly, ratings of the local economy were down significantly in 2009, however the economy is still not a key factor emotionally connecting residents to their community. Civic involvement (due primarily to increased voting in the Presidential election and to a lesser extent because of a significant increase in residents attending public meetings) was significantly higher. Emotional wellness, a picture of residents' reported physical and mental well-being, was significantly lower in 2009 for the Palm Beach area.

Residents who feel a strong emotional connection to the area are most likely older, seasonal, retired, and lower-income. Those least likely to have a strong emotional connection are ages 35-54, married, non-employed (including students), long-term and higher-income residents.