newbie help with Good - vs - Bad area's to stay clear of (moving, retired)

[StarlaJane]

Riviera Beach is bad.
There is a stretch of South Dixie Highway, near Good Samaritan Hospital, that is terrible, as well as other parts of South Dixie (the abundance of motels will tip you off.)
Whenever I ask this question, the response is usually the northern areas of West Palm Beach. Also, some apartment areas off of Palm Beach Lakes are not so great (but I wouldn't call them dangerous).
I agree with the poster about the Turnpike--most residents agree that anything west of the Turnpike is safe, and the rest is pretty dodgy. Also, anything east of Dixie Highway is okay. That is the general rule, although, as I've already said, there are dodgy areas now even in the places that are considered safe.
Wellington is safe but there are still shootings, like the most recent where an intruder was killed by the homeowner. The landlord stated that the area was in decline but it was only one particular street.
Palm Beach Gardens is the only area where I really haven't seen any bad areas, although, again, someone was just murdered there as well, actually in the neighborhood where a friend of mine lives. And the area around the Boynton Beach Mall is not so good. My purse was stolen out of my car there, there was a murder there, a shooting at the mall a while ago, etc. And then there were the random murders in the parking lot at the mall in Boca. Despite these incidents, the areas are considered safe, generally speaking.

[slinn01]

Can someone give me more details on Wellington? What type of houses? How far to West Palm? What type of people (young, old, rich, middle)? How are the schools? It seems like Boca has the best schools, but all the posts say the people are rude and old. How can the people be old if they have great schools? Shouldn't there be some young people there?

[Swimmom32]

we are looking in West Boca, I have friends their and they love it, and are extremely happy with the schools...not everyone is weathly, there are people of middle class as our friends are one of them..we are hoping we can get down there soon...we choose West Boca over Wellington just from all the research Ive done...good luck

[slinn01]

The housing in Boca seems more expensive, but it also seems nicer than Wellington. I just looked at Wellington and it was too cookie-cutter for me and a little over the top. What about Old Floresta? Is that still Boca?

[Just-Sayin]

Originally Posted by Amy S in PBC

Yes, I have visited all of the above and I'm sticking with my opinion! Those "old Florida" neighborhoods are located just 1 second from the slummy crime-ridden ones.

"Crime ridden"?............. that's absurd ! ! !

That's my opinion of your opinion.

[NEPAnative]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

I would definitely turn West Palm Beach "yellow".... contrary to popular belief, there IS a good, solid Middle Class people and homes in West Palm Beach proper (east of 95), and the surrounding areas. The areas South of Okeechobee, specifically, South of Southern Blvd., and into places like Vedado, Lake Clarke Shores, (though technically not WPB) etc.

The crappiest parts of West Palm are east of 95, North of Banyan Blvd..... I basically consider that an extension of Riviera Beach. Most people who visit those areas will know immediately not to live there.

I wouldn't totally lump a whole area as crappy....I live in Northwood area and although we may have a history of issues here and there, we have fantastic neighbors and much more character to the homes than you will ever find in some "gated" community with cookie cutter houses

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by NEPAnative

I wouldn't totally lump a whole area as crappy....I live in Northwood area and although we may have a history of issues here and there, we have fantastic neighbors and much more character to the homes than you will ever find in some "gated" community with cookie cutter houses

You are right, my apologies. I except Northwood from my previous post. I like the Northwood area as well. Especially Old Northwood and Northwood Shores.

[Pebbs78]

Reading this brings a smile to my face! I grew up in WPB, moved to Chicago 8 years ago. I happen to love the character also that Tri so wonderfully embraces.

This sort of thing happens when you live in a city, you have suburbanites and city dwellers. It's funny to hear someone say - 10 minutes away from the ghetto! Here, we $750,000 townhomes across the street from project homes.

[Reedsmit]

It is going to depend on what you are considering bad. Are we talking about crime?

If so go to this site and it will display the reported crime in various West Palm Beach areas: West Palm Beach Crime Map - Showing Crime in West Palm Beach, FL - Crime Statistics - Crime Alerts - Crime Stops Here

If you are referring to housing; that will depend upon your own financial abilities and personal requirements. There are wonderful neighborhoods to the west in Wellington, to the north Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Tequesta, to the south Boca Raton, Delray. But these may or may not be in your price range.

There are some neighborhoods in West Palm Beach that are very nice; others have older homes that may not be well kept, that might have a crime element in or near them.

[DJMorrisInc]

Don't buy a home in South Florida without looking at Jupiter or Abacoa, which is a large development of fifteen neighborhoods in Jupiter.

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