If you desire swaying palm trees, tropical breezes, and an easy-going lifestyle, consider Delray Beach retirement. This southern Florida city has many attractive amenities.
Delray Beach Facts
Established more than 110 years ago, Delray Beach, Florida, is located in the southern tip of Palm Beach County. A small but vibrant community, the city boasts approximately 65,000 residents enjoying the Atlantic Ocean coastline as well as the Intracoastal Waterway. The average high temperature is 79 degrees.
Delray Beach is a two-time finalist for the National Civic League's All-American City Award. The award honors communities whose citizens work together to resolve challenges and generate positive results with the applied solutions. Fast becoming a popular retirement community, the population doubled between the early 1970s-1990s.
The city is intently focused on preservation, and the downtown is a tableau of charming Florida architecture. Here are just a few examples.
Attraction of Delray Beach Retirement
Delray Beach retirement has a great number of advantages:
- A sales tax rate of six percent and no state income tax
- Reasonable property taxes
- A "build-out" management plan that curbs random growth and encourages city revitalization
- Four major hospitals within a 15-mile radius.
- Reliable senior services
- A variety of recreational activities, including boating, golfing, biking, and tennis.
Visitors and residents alike can experience a diverse selection of attractions.
- One of Delray Beach's most popular tourist areas is the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. Delray Beach is a sister city to two exotic locations: Miyazu, Japan, and Moshi, Tanzania, near Mt. Kilimanjaro.
- The annual Delray Beach Film Festival happens in mid-March. It draws thousands of film lovers, producers, screenwriters, and actors from around the country.
- Take a walk on the wild side at the nearby Lion Country Safari.
Additionally, Delray Beach is right next to I-95, placing it a little less than an hour north of Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Delray Beach Housing Options
Individuals interested in Delray Beach retirement can anticipate a median single-family home price of approximately $180,000, as of 2006. The West Palm Beach market tends to influence home prices in Delray Beach, but the community has not experienced a sharp increase like other Florida locations in recent years.
There is a wide variety of active adult retirement communities also, including:
The neighborhood setting of Abbey Delray South. Residents can select from many floor plans, including a studio, a three-bedroom unit, and even a family-style villa. Other conveniences include on-site seniors banking, a drugstore and pharmacy, a café separate from the main dining area, and a putting green.
Harbor's Edge puts water-loving seniors right on the Intracoastal Waterway. This facility's nursing center received the Gold Seal award for its care management for residents. One- and two-bedroom units are available, and amenities include, among other things, party rooms, an extensive fitness center, and guest rooms for visitors.
Delray Beach has a number of gated retirement communities as well.
Give It a Try
Before you make a final decision on Delray Beach retirement, vacation there for a few weeks in the winter. Many condo properties lease units for short-term stays, giving you just enough time to determine if life along the Intracoastal is right for you.
For more information, visit the City of Delray Beach website.
