North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens share a border, a main street in PGA Boulevard and a lot of daily life. North Palm Beach is a compact waterfront village on the Intracoastal, while Palm Beach Gardens is a larger city built around golf, shopping and business. Together they form the largest and most connected stretch of northern Palm Beach County. Here is how they compare, side by side, using public records.
Stefan’s take
North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens work together more than any two towns up here. North Palm Beach brings the water: a compact village of canals, Intracoastal views and a public country club. Palm Beach Gardens brings the scale: more homes, more golf, and the shopping, dining and employers along PGA Boulevard. Together they are the largest connected stretch of northern Palm Beach County, where lifestyle merges with growth and opportunity, and many of my buyers end up enjoying both every day.
At a Glance
| North Palm Beach | Palm Beach Gardens | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Village, incorporated in 1956 | City, incorporated in 1959 |
| Population (2020 Census) | 13,162 | 59,182 |
| Land area | About 3.3 square miles | About 59 square miles |
| Setting | Waterfront village, much of it on an island ringed by the Intracoastal | Larger city stretching west from the Intracoastal past I-95 |
| Signature draws | North Palm Beach Country Club, MacArthur Beach State Park, Intracoastal boating | PGA National, The Gardens Mall, Downtown at the Gardens, PGA Boulevard dining |
| Main corridors | US-1, Northlake Boulevard, PGA Boulevard | PGA Boulevard, Northlake Boulevard, Military Trail |
| Highways | I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike via PGA or Northlake | I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike |
By the Records
| Single-family, townhouse and condo parcels | North Palm Beach address | Palm Beach Gardens address |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 3,867 | 21,203 |
| Townhouses | 229 | 8,083 |
| Condominiums | 4,608 | 4,603 |
| Owner-occupied share (homestead) | 62% | 69% |
| Typical single-family lot | About 0.25 acre | About 0.21 acre |
| Single-family lots of 1 acre or more | 115 | About 2,500 |
Source: Palm Beach County Property Appraiser parcel data, October 2026, by property address. Address areas are wider than municipal limits and include some unincorporated neighborhoods. North Palm Beach addresses also include about 250 cooperative units, not shown above. Owner-occupied share is the percentage of single-family, townhouse and condo parcels with a homestead exemption.
What the Numbers Say
- North Palm Beach is condo-led. About half of North Palm Beach-address homes are condos, many on the Intracoastal, and it has about as many condos as all of Palm Beach Gardens.
- Palm Beach Gardens offers more of everything else. It has about five times the single-family homes and roughly 35 times the townhouses, many inside golf and gated communities.
- North Palm Beach homeowners stay. About 80% of its single-family homes carry a homestead exemption, while its condos are popular with seasonal owners.
- Lots run a little larger in North Palm Beach. The typical single-family lot is about 0.25 acre, compared with 0.21 acre in Palm Beach Gardens.
Drive Times
| Destination | From central North Palm Beach | From Palm Beach Gardens City Hall |
|---|---|---|
| MacArthur Beach State Park | 11 min (4.2 mi) | 14 min (5.8 mi) |
| Juno Beach Pier | 11 min (5.8 mi) | 15 min (7.4 mi) |
| The Gardens Mall | 8 min (3.5 mi) | 6 min (2.1 mi) |
| Downtown Abacoa | 17 min (8.8 mi) | 10 min (4.8 mi) |
| I-95 at PGA Boulevard | 12 min (6.0 mi) | 4 min (1.7 mi) |
| Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center | 8 min (3.1 mi) | 6 min (2.3 mi) |
| Jupiter Medical Center | 21 min (10.5 mi) | 14 min (6.5 mi) |
| Downtown West Palm Beach | 19 min (7.9 mi) | 19 min (12.5 mi) |
| Palm Beach International Airport | 26 min (16.4 mi) | 23 min (15.5 mi) |
| Kravis Center for the Performing Arts | 20 min (12.4 mi) | 16 min (11.5 mi) |
Approximate drive times and road miles in light traffic, calculated with OpenStreetMap routing. Peak-hour and season traffic run longer.
Recreation Access
Recreation here is regional, not limited by town lines. These are public options residents of either community use, with drive times from each.
| Public option | From central North Palm Beach | From Palm Beach Gardens City Hall |
|---|---|---|
| Public golf | ||
| North Palm Beach Country Club | 3 min (0.7 mi) | 11 min (4.9 mi) |
| Abacoa Golf Club | 18 min (9.0 mi) | 11 min (4.9 mi) |
| Sandhill Crane Golf Club | 24 min (11.9 mi) | 21 min (10.2 mi) |
| Beaches | ||
| MacArthur Beach State Park | 11 min (4.2 mi) | 14 min (5.8 mi) |
| Juno Beach Pier | 11 min (5.8 mi) | 15 min (7.4 mi) |
| Carlin Park beach, Jupiter | 17 min (8.6 mi) | 18 min (9.0 mi) |
| Nature trails and biking | ||
| Frenchman’s Forest Natural Area | 8 min (3.4 mi) | 9 min (3.7 mi) |
| Juno Dunes Natural Area | 10 min (4.4 mi) | 13 min (5.6 mi) |
| Riverbend Park | 20 min (12.5 mi) | 13 min (8.4 mi) |
| Pickleball (public courts) | ||
| Burns Road Community Center | 9 min (3.8 mi) | 5 min (1.9 mi) |
| Boating | ||
| North Palm Beach boat ramp (village permit) | 5 min (1.4 mi) | 12 min (4.5 mi) |
| Burt Reynolds Park | 20 min (10.2 mi) | 19 min (9.2 mi) |
| Spring training baseball | ||
| Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium | 16 min (8.8 mi) | 10 min (4.7 mi) |
The short version: North Palm Beach puts the village golf course, its boat ramp, MacArthur Beach State Park and Frenchman’s Forest within about 10 minutes. Palm Beach Gardens is closer to Abacoa Golf Club, Riverbend Park, spring training and the Burns Road courts. Everything on this list is within about 25 minutes of either.
Drive times and road miles in light traffic via OpenStreetMap routing. Park amenities and court availability can change; confirm with each park. The village boat ramp requires a North Palm Beach permit.
Setting and Lifestyle
North Palm Beach is a planned waterfront village developed on land assembled by John D. MacArthur in the 1950s and named the best planned community of 1956 by the National Association of Home Builders. Much of it sits on an island connected by three bridges, giving it an unusual amount of water frontage and boating access for its size, plus a village-owned country club with a Jack Nicklaus Signature course open to the public.
Palm Beach Gardens grew from MacArthur’s vision of a “garden city.” It is larger and more suburban, with a deep lineup of private golf clubs, regional shopping along PGA Boulevard and a growing base of healthcare, engineering and corporate employers.
Homes and Communities
- North Palm Beach: mid-century and updated single-family homes on canals and the Intracoastal, dry-lot homes on quiet streets, and condominiums along the water, in communities such as Old Port Cove, Lost Tree Village, Harbour Isles, Twelve Oaks and Juno Isles.
- Palm Beach Gardens: one of the widest selections of golf communities in the county, including PGA National, BallenIsles, Mirasol, Old Palm and Frenchman’s Creek, plus established neighborhoods, townhomes near PGA Boulevard and new construction in Avenir.
Which Fits You
- Choose North Palm Beach if Intracoastal boating, a waterfront condo or canal home, a public village golf course and a compact, walkable village feel top your list.
- Choose Palm Beach Gardens if private golf clubs, townhouse and single-family choice, new construction, or the shortest drive to I-95 and PGA Boulevard matter most.
- Consider both: the two share PGA and Northlake Boulevards, so living in one means enjoying the other every day.
Compare It With
- North Palm Beach town guide and communities
- Palm Beach Gardens town guide and communities
- Jupiter vs. Palm Beach Gardens
- Juno Beach vs. Jupiter
- Moving to North Palm Beach: The 2026 Relocation Guide
- Moving to Palm Beach Gardens: The 2026 Relocation Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is bigger, North Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens?
Palm Beach Gardens, by far: about 59,000 residents on about 59 square miles of land, compared with about 13,000 residents on about 3.3 square miles in North Palm Beach, per the 2020 Census.
Is the North Palm Beach Country Club open to the public?
Yes. It is village-owned and open to the public seven days a week, with a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.
Which is closer to the beach?
North Palm Beach. MacArthur Beach State Park is about 11 minutes from central North Palm Beach, compared with about 14 minutes from Palm Beach Gardens City Hall.
Which is closer to the airport and the Kravis Center?
Palm Beach Gardens City Hall is a few minutes closer to both by I-95: about 23 minutes to the airport and 16 minutes to the Kravis Center, compared with about 26 and 20 minutes from central North Palm Beach.
Buyer Tips
- For waterfront homes, confirm bridge clearances, seawall condition, dock rights and flood zone early.
- In North Palm Beach condos, review the association’s reserves and recent inspections.
- In Palm Beach Gardens golf communities, ask about equity or membership requirements up front.
- Check whether a home is inside municipal limits or unincorporated, since taxes, services and rules differ.
Weighing North Palm Beach against Palm Beach Gardens? I can compare recent sales for the homes you like and map out a tour of both. Search homes on my Illustrated Properties site, call (561) 632-7705 or email slevine@ipre.com.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census
- Village of North Palm Beach and City of Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser parcel data, October 2026
- OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) for drive times and miles
Facts are drawn from public sources and should be verified for any specific property. Stefan Levine, P.A. | Illustrated Properties LLC | License SL3228095
