Moving To Delray Beach

Are you considering moving to Delray Beach, Florida? Follow along as we discuss the essential things to know about Delray Beach.

Learn about the most fun small town in America. Delray Beach has a population of a little over 66,000 people. It is a part of Palm Beach County and is one of the best places to live in Florida. Delray Beach is located 52 miles North of Miami and is in the Miami metropolitan area. 

People love living in Delray Beach, Florida. It is known as the "Village by the Sea" and offers two miles of pristine, family-friendly beaches. Not only does Delray Beach have some of the most beautiful beaches, but it also has a variety of restaurants, retail shops, bars, and more along the Atlantic.

Delray Beach is known to be a wealthy town in Florida. They have a variety of luxury homes, condos, and waterfront properties for you to move to. Delray Beach also has a handful of notable neighborhoods for you to choose from if you are considering relocating to the area. Keep reading to learn more about what makes Delray Beach unique.

Here are the nine essential things to know about moving to Delray Beach.

History

Delray Beach is extremely rich in history and cultural diversity. This small town started as a farming village and has grown to nearly 70,000 residents. Most people don't know that before Delray Beach got its name 'Delray,' it was referred to as the Town of Linton. In 1898, the name changed after a disaster was brought on by crop-destroying freezes and the lack of paying land payments by the developer. 

In 1909, Delray Beach became a part of Palm Beach County. Around that time, the population of the small town was less than a thousand residents. Most of the residents of Delray Beach worked farming or fishing. In 1913, Delray Elementary and High School were built. These buildings still stand today as the Cornell Museum of Art and History at Old School Square. 

In 1911, the first bridge was built over the canal, which connected a barrier Island with the Town of Delray. In 1923, the Town of Delray Beach, the area east of the Intercoastal, was then incorporated. Finally, in 1927, the two towns merged together - The town of Delray Beach and the City of Delray - came together to form the now "City of Delray Beach."

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Delray Beach is 5.2 percent higher than the national average. The overall cost of living in a certain town is based on a variety of factors like housing, healthcare, transportation, utilities, and more. The main reason for Delray Beach having a higher cost of living than the national average is that housing costs make up 38 percent of the total cost of living.

The essential factors that play a role in the cost of living in Delray Beach are:

• Grocery and Food prices are 5.9 percent higher than the national average and around 3 percent higher than the Florida average.
• Healthcare costs are 1 percent higher than the national average and 1.3 percent lower than the Florida average.
• Housing costs in Delray Beach are 5.8 percent lower than the national average and 6.9 percent less than the Florida average.
• Utilities are 3 percent less than the national average and 4 percent less than the state average.
• Transportation costs are 25.2 percent higher than the national average and 12.6 percent higher than the Florida average.

As you can see, Delray Beach is an expensive place to live compared to the national average. But when it comes to the overall cost of living in Florida, Delray Beach is inexpensive compared to the state as a whole. 

Real Estate Market

Finding a town that has an affordable housing market is important to most people. If you are looking to relocate to Delray Beach, you are in luck. The current Delray Beach, Florida, market is a seller's market. This means that home prices tend to be higher, and homes sell faster. Don't let this scare you. Most cities throughout the nation are still in a seller's market.

The median sold price for a home in Delray Beach is around $385,875, about $275 per square foot. This is a 1.7 percent decrease over an entire year. However, there are over 1,400 homes currently on the market for sale. This allows you to have a variety of options to choose from when house hunting. More than half of these homes have two bedrooms, so if that is what you are looking for, Delray Beach is the perfect city. 

Although the price of homes has decreased over the last few years, nearly 80 percent of the homes that were sold, sold for under the asking price, only a sliver of these homes was sold for over the asking price, and 14 percent of homes were sold for the exact asking price.

On average, homes sit on the market for around 44 days. This is great compared to last year when homes usually were only on the market for 21 days. The longer the houses sit, the more buyers can have time to shop around and negotiate deals without being pressured to purchase a home as soon as possible. Delray Beach has many homes for sale, like townhomes, new construction, single-family homes, and more.

Job Market

A great thing about living in Delray Beach is that the town has a healthy job market. Finding a job in Delray Beach won't be as hard as you think, especially because it is part of the Miami metro area. The job market in Delray Beach has increased by 1.4 percent over the last year. Future job growth over the next ten years is expected to be 40 percent, with more residents and companies moving to the area.

Another good factor of the job market is that the unemployment rate is only 4 percent which is less than the national average unemployment. This shows that people find jobs easily in this small town and the that the job market is thriving. 

The best jobs to work in Delray Beach are Law Enforcement, Management, Finance, and more. The average income of residents in Delray Beach is a little over $37,000, which is higher than the national average.

Education

Because Delray Beach is a small town, there aren't many schools within the city. For the 2023 school year, there are ten public schools in Delray Beach. This town also has fourteen private schools for you to choose from.

An important thing to know about the school systems in Delray Beach is that it has an average ranking of four out of ten. This is considered to be in the bottom 50 percent of Florida public schools. So, if you are looking for a town that has top-notch schools, Delray Beach may not be the best place for you to send your children. 

You can find better schools in neighborhoods like Bristol Pointe, Seven Bridges, and Mizners Preserve.

Restaurants

Another fun thing to know about a city you aren't familiar with is what kinds of restaurants they have throughout the town. The great thing about the city of Delray Beach is that it is located at the beach. You can experience waterfront dining at a handful of restaurants in Delray Beach, Florida. Another good thing about dining establishments in the city is that if you are looking for fresh seafood dishes, there is an abundance of those. 

Visiting restaurants with your friends or family is a great way to bond and catch up over a delicious meal. The entire community of Delray Beach is so welcoming, and so are its restaurants. Here are some of the best restaurants in Delray Beach, Florida.

Local Favorites:

• Deck 84: American
• Le Sorelle Restaurant: Italian
• City Oyster and Sushi Bar: Seafood
• The Grove: American
• Cut 432: Steakhouse

Nightlife

If you are a night owl and thrive when the sun goes down, Delray Beach is an excellent place for you to live. There are a variety of options when it comes to nightlife in this city. Even though Delray Beach is a small beach town near Miami, it still has a vibrant, lively bar and club scene. Here are some of the local's go-to nightlife destinations in Delray Beach, Florida.

Local Favorites:

• Dada
• Monkey Bar
• Honey
• Throw Social

Crime Rate

Delray Beach is considered to be a slightly dangerous city to reside in or visit. The crime rate in this city is higher than the national average. In 2020, the reported crime index was 323, which is 1.3 times more than the national average. The crime rate in Delray Beach was higher than 89.9 percent of cities in the nation. 

If you are looking for an extremely safe area to relocate to, Delray Beach may not be your best option in the area. However, even though Delray Beach as a whole is considered unsafe, there are still safer areas to reside in the city. Some of the safest neighborhoods in Delray Beach, Florida, are Valencia Palsm, Lexington Club, Villages of Oriole, Bristol Pointe, and more. 

It is always important that you do your own research on specific areas before moving for your own safety. Always remember to be aware of your surroundings and take necessary precautions in your home and when you are out in public. 

Things To Do

A great thing about living in Delray Beach is that you have direct access to an abundance of activities to enjoy with your friends and family. Whether that be spending the day at the beach, visiting museums, or enjoying a food tour, Delray Beach has it all. Here are some of the top things to do in Delray Beach, Florida.

Local Favorites:

• Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
• Atlantic Dunes Park
• Wakodahatchee Wetlands
• Putt'n Around
• Sandoway Discovery Center

Pros and Cons of Living in Delray Beach, Florida

Pros:

• Located right on the beach
• Amazing restaurants
• Vibrant nightlife
• Great neighborhoods
• Tons of things to do that are family-friendly

Cons:

• Tons of tourists in the peak season
• High crime rate
• Schools aren't the best
• High cost of living

Moving to Delray Beach, Florida - The Bottom Line

As you read through the essential things to know about Delray Beach, Florida, before relocating, we hope you found it helpful. Before moving to any new area, it is important that you do research to make sure the area will suit your lifestyle and needs. Some things that are extremely necessary to have in the city you relocate to are different for every person. 

Even though we have discussed a few cons throughout this guide, Delray Beach is still a great place to live or visit. There are pros and cons to every area. It is just up to you to determine if the pros outweigh the cons in Delray Beach. 

If you are considering relocating to Delray Beach, Florida, contact us here to get connected with a local Real Estate professional for further guidance in the buying and selling process.