Palm Beach

Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Wellington

South Palm Beach
The Jewish community of South Palm Beach (Boca Raton and Delray Beach), the tenth largest Jewish community in the country, consists of 128,000 persons living in 68,000 Jewish households as of 1999. (A Jewish household is defined as a household containing one or more self-defined Jewish persons.) Of these 128,000 persons, 122,000 are Jewish. 25% of Jewish households are in residence for 3-7 months of the year. Thus, of the 128,000 persons in Jewish households, about 31,000 are partyear residents (“snowbirds”).                         The population in Jewish households had increased from 1,000 persons in 1970 to 40,000 persons in 1980 and 100,000 persons in 1990. Most of this increase was due to direct migration of Jews from the Northeast to South Palm Beach.      53% of the Jewish population live in Boca Raton; 47%, in Delray Beach.                69% (88,000) of the population are age 65 and over, including 29% (37,000) who are age 75 and over. The 69% makes South Palm Beach the oldest of 45 American Jewish communities (for which comparison data are available). 6% (7,000) are age 17 and under. The median household income is $51,500.6% of households are Orthodox, 41% are Conservative, 28% are Reform, and 25% are Just Jewish.6% of married couples are intermarried. 36% of households are synagogue members, 50% of whom are members of a synagogue in Palm Beach County.

West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach (Palm Beach County from Boynton Beach to Jupiter), the twelfth largest Jewish community in the country, consists of 102,000 persons living in 53,000 Jewish households as of 1999. (A Jewish household is defined as a household containing one or more self-defined Jewish persons.) Of these 102,000 persons, 94,000 are Jewish.

22% of Jewish households are in residence for 3-7 months of the year. Thus, of the 102,000 persons in Jewish households, about 21,000 are part-year residents (“snowbirds”).

The population in Jewish households had increased from 9,000 persons in 1970 to 55,000 persons in 1980 and 80,000 persons in 1990. Most of this increase was due to direct migration of Jews from the Northeast to West Palm Beach.

63% (64,000) of the population are age 65 and over, including 32% (32,500) who are age 75 and over. The 63% makes West Palm Beach the second oldest of 45 American Jewish communities (for which comparison data are available). 7% (7,000) are age 17 and under. The median household income is $64,000.

2% of households are Orthodox, 39% are Conservative, 34% are Reform, and 25% are Just Jewish. 29% of Jews never attend synagogue services and 18% attend once per month or more. 11% of married couples are intermarried. 37% of households are synagogue members, 53% of whom are members of a synagogue in Palm Beach County.

Source: Sheskin, Ira M., The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Community Study (2006) (West Palm Beach: The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and Boca Raton: The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County).