Is Lake Worth a Ghetto? (Palm Beach, Lantana: crime rate, new home, income)

[Phoenixslayer]

I know this might be an old thread but I had to give my input.

What I know of Lake Worth is that most (about 3/4) of it is ghetto. I lived there for a few years (Im not sure how long since I was a little kid with my parents) and I remember a lot of bad news happening all the time. I remember living in an apartment complex near I-95 (I believe) and there would be a lot of homeless people as well as gangs. Almost every night I would have nightmares about someone coming in and robbing us or trying to kill us. I guess as a little kid I was worried a bit, but I don't think my dad would let anything happen to me.

Well my parents got separated and I had to move with my mom with her new bf to WPB... of course the ghetto like area (casa del monte I believe its called... a trailer park pretty much). I did feel a little safer there though it would be scary sometimes walking to elementary school...
I am thinking that about 1/3 of WPB is ghetto... but I am not sure. Then I moved to Wellington where a lot of rich snobs live (I apologize for the broad generalization). I was so safe there and barely any bad things happened there.

I would recommend you stay out of Lake Worth (even the safer areas are scary to me because of my experiences at that time, Im not sure if it has gotten any better, I left around 96' and visited my dad on weekends there until he moved to Sebastian in 03').

WPB has both good and bad areas... but I would recommend Palm Beach, North Palm Beach and Wellington. Those richer areas are much safer as well as more fun since there are a lot of things going on with night life and the like.

As for me now, I live with my dad (well not now, Im in college in RI, but you know what I mean) in Sebastian.. Very safe, clean... but very BORING.. especially for someone young like me. I wish I could live in Wellington again but Im not a horse person like my mom is.

[rainroosty]

The good areas in Lake Worth ARE good areas, period. The night life and fun things to do are very plentiful in Lake Worth. You have memories from when you were a child - things seem different when you were just a kid.

[lynn-a]

Lake Worth is an old city. It has its 100th birthday in 2013. We are now in the process of rebuilding our Casino at the beach and will start a beach re-development project for a total cost of $11 million. The CRA received a $23 million Grant to clean up some blight. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's office has cleaned up the gangs and are arresting the criminals. The gangs have now moved out to Wellington. (That's a joke for Phoenixslayer above).

[rainroosty]

Originally Posted by lynn-a

Lake Worth is an old city. It has its 100th birthday in 2013. We are now in the process of rebuilding our Casino at the beach and will start a beach re-development project for a total cost of $11 million. The CRA received a $23 million Grant to clean up some blight. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's office has cleaned up the gangs and are arresting the criminals. The gangs have now moved out to Wellington. (That's a joke for Phoenixslayer above).

It's not a good thing, Lynn Anderson. Not at all.

[P Andrews]

Originally Posted by Pirateclosingon40

What he said. Complete nonsense.

I am so happy to see this post because I TOO have lived for many years, 47 years
to be exact, between Boynton Beach, and Lake Worth. Over 22 spent in the home I am in now, which is 1 block west of Dixie Hwy, in the North end of Lake Worth, just a few blocks from the Avenue. My house has never been broken into. Nor has my car been stolen.
Wake up folks, it's not the 1950's, crime can happen anywhere. You have to be more vigilant today than years ago. Don't think just because you spend lots of money, and move into some fancy gated community, you will be spared. Trust me they do get robbed, and wind up as victims of crimes as well.
I live in Lake Worth because I like it here. I have had, and still do have some great neighbors, and i don't have to deal with some high falutin association board members telling me what I can and can't do with my home. Lake Worth is what you make of it, we are a quaint little city, and yes, the TRUE Lake Worth is the area from around Boutwell east. When I-95 wasn't there, you could walk west straight from the Intracoastal down 2nd Ave. North, past Federal, Dixie, (and Grandma's Bakery) and the old Police Dept. and the FEC tracks, and continuing west over the small bridge that went over the old Seaboard R/R tracks, all the way to Congress Avenue. And if you kept going you could stop in at Frenches Bar and have a bite to eat and a tall cold beer!!!
Sure a lot has changed since then but, so have all of us. Unfortunately every place changes, and Lake Worth is no different. If you feel like you need to move into a glass bubble to feel safe, a place that is locked in a time warp, before crime was invented, good luck.
If you do locate such a place don't tell anyone, or that place will change too. Because everyone will follow you there.
If you are looking for something with a very diverse population, that has many homes reasonably priced, in various areas of the city, always has events open to residents, with galas and other activities almost every weekend, down town or at Bryant Park. Bonfires on the beach, Forth of July fireworks and many festivals that actually have us closing the streets, so all residents and visitors can enjoy the events free of traffic.

[P Andrews]

Yep, that's were the hood-rats go to rob people:
Boca Raton, Jupiter, Manalapan, Wellington etc. etc.
Like I said, it's not the neighborhood,
I will agree, that lower income areas are not as pretty, as some of your more manicured developments. And you may not see all those fancy cars in the driveways, (and garages) But that does not mean, you won't have the crime. And I will say you will pay a pretty price for appearances, and the guard at that gate. But all in all I prefer the freedom in a non-gated community. You just have to be vigilant and not make yourself a target.

[P Andrews]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Not all of Lake Worth is rough. Not by a long shot. Some of it is, but there are plenty of good neighborhoods. Sure it's not polished like Boca or the newer Western communities, but it's got waaay more character than many of those cities combined. With some effort, it could be restored to being a fine example of a small beach town. It's already part way there. I love its bohemian vibe and mix of personalities and residents.

Yes, way more personality than a lot of cities, And it is continueing to get better, YEAH Lake Worth!!!
The key that you also mentioned is newerLake Worth is around 100 years old.
My house itself was constructed in 1926, as many of it's buildings were built in the 20's, 30's, & 40's, so maybe she does't sparkle, as she once did, but she has a lot of history, and class, and we're slowly but surely bringing back her good looks and night life.

[P Andrews]

Originally Posted by carrypositive

Yes, the park is pretty... How about the houses that wrap around it next to the Tri Rail station?

I lived in that area (off of Davis & Lake Worth) and it's lower middle class at best. They don't call it Lake Worthless for the irony.

The houses were there long before the Tri-Rail Station. A lot built even before I-95 came through. You pick a neighborhood to live in because you like the location and the neighborhood when you move in, you really can not choose it for what it will become in 20 years.
Only we that have made Lake Worth our home for better or worse, through good times or bad can refer to her as Lake Worthless or not
Off Davis Rd, and lake Worth Rd, you're not truly CITY, you probably even had well water, depending on how long ago it was. Many of the homes out there still have well water.
That area was for many years scattered homes, out by the drive in and mobile homes, a lot of little cottages, country stores, & cow pastures.

[P Andrews]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Who lives next to the Tri-Rail station in Lake Worth on purpose? Which happens to be right next to the power plant, I might add. And why on earth would you live west of 95, to begin with? Lake Worth's best areas, IMO, are the east of Dixie neighborhoods. Parrot Cove, College Park, heck, even Eden Place, and South of downtown on Palm Way. I know a dozen people or more who live in Lake Worth in these areas and they are all professional people.

Don't choose to live in a lower middle class/working class poor neighborhood and then paint the whole city as mirroring that neighborhood, because it doesn't.

There are definitely places in Lake Worth I couldn't be paid enough to live in. But, that's pretty much any city in South Florida, including Boca and Jupiter. Even Wellington. It's like living on Tamarind in north West Palm Beach and thinking the whole city is ghetto when there are tons of beautiful million dollar homes, stately homes and restored beach bungalows in the south end of the city!

Absolutely, just like anywhere, there's always good and bad

[P Andrews]

Originally Posted by GucciDiva

I live in Broward and we don't have as many pedophiles here like Indian River County on up does. And yes there are nice parts of Lakeworth, you just have to search for them.

No, that's backwards..........you have to search for the bad areas....
The only area that people consider "BAD" is the area between 12th Ave So. and Washington & Latona Ave from (North to South), and from Dixie Hwy to Barton Road, (East and West) This is your main area to avoid at night.