Lake Worth
Lake Worth Beach: a small downtown of 1920s storefronts, a public beach and pier, and cottage neighborhoods a few blocks from the Intracoastal.
The local’s take
Lake Worth, as I see it
Lake Worth Beach, which most of us still just call Lake Worth, is the small city directly south of West Palm Beach that kept its original scale. Lake and Lucerne Avenues downtown are lined with two-story 1920s buildings holding restaurants, bars, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County's gallery, and the city's beach and casino building sit at the east end of the bridge with the William O. Lockhart pier reaching out into the Atlantic.
The neighborhoods around downtown are where I spend the most time here. Parrot Cove, College Park, Mango Groves, and South Palm Park are full of small wood-frame and stucco houses from the 1920s through the 1950s on narrow lots, some lovingly restored and some waiting for it. Bryant Park runs along the Intracoastal south of the bridge, and the Street Painting Festival in February closes downtown for a weekend of chalk art.
One local detail worth knowing: the city runs its own electric utility, which affects your monthly bill and who you call when the power goes out. West of I-95, along Lake Worth Road, the mailing address says Lake Worth but the land is unincorporated county, with ranch homes from the 1970s and 80s, the Palm Beach State College campus, and John Prince Park's 700-plus acres on Lake Osborne.
Living here
What daily life in Lake Worth looks like
- Lifestyle
- The municipal beach and pier, Bryant Park's Intracoastal walkway and boat ramp, downtown restaurants and the Lake Worth Playhouse, street events on Lake and Lucerne Avenues, John Prince Park's trails and campground, and the Snook Islands boardwalk on the lagoon.
- Housing types
- Historic cottages and small single-family homes in the city's core; mid-century concrete-block ranches; a few condo buildings on the Intracoastal; duplexes and small multi-family on the older grid; and larger ranch homes and 1980s–2000s HOA subdivisions west of I-95 along the Lake Worth Road corridor, with newer construction farther west near Lyons Road.
- HOA landscape
- The city's historic neighborhoods have no HOA, but many blocks fall in local historic districts with exterior review. Condos on the water carry association fees. The subdivisions west of I-95 range from small voluntary associations to fully gated HOAs.
- Getting around
- I-95 at 6th Avenue South, 10th Avenue North, and Lake Worth Road; Tri-Rail at the Lake Worth station; President Donald J. Trump International Airport (formerly Palm Beach International) and downtown West Palm Beach are to the north. Lake Worth Road runs west to the Turnpike and Wellington.
- Schools
- School assignments in Palm Beach County are set by address, and boundaries change. Use the School District of Palm Beach County’s official lookup to see which schools serve a specific home; I don’t publish ratings, and I’ll always point you to the source. Find My School — School District of Palm Beach County
Next steps
Where to go from here
If you’re buying in Lake Worth, start with how I work with buyers. If you own a home here and you’re thinking about what’s next, here’s how I sell. Moving from out of the area? My relocation guide covers homestead, insurance, flood maps and the first 30 days.
Or call Ella Falcone directly at (561) 693-7123.