The Town FilesRiviera Beach, Florida
City in Palm Beach County · population 37,604 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $354,500
- Household income
- $68,060
- Jan low / Jul high
- 56° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 39.5
Riviera Beach is a city of 37,604 people in Palm Beach County, Florida. The median home is worth $354,500, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 88% of Florida towns, more vibrant than 82% of Florida towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Florida towns.
How Riviera Beach ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Riviera Beach is worth $354,500, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $68,060, which is more affordable than 33% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,702 a month. 62.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Riviera Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $354,500 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,702 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $68,060 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.7% | — |
Who lives in Riviera Beach
| People | Riviera Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.4% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Riviera Beach
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 55.5°F. About 66.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riviera Beach since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 29, 2023 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 29, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 7, 1962.
Severe weather in Palm Beach County since 1996
Palm Beach County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| December 13, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4680: Hurricane Nicole |
| November 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm | EM-3587: Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 29, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4673: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County had 666,889 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,246 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Riviera Beach itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Riviera Beach
11 public schools with 5,120 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNCOAST COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,575 | 19.2 |
| JOHN F. KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 824 | 15.5 |
| INLET GROVE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 9-12 | 815 | 19.0 |
| WEST RIVIERA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 539 | 21.6 |
| DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 511 | 15.5 |
| LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 369 | 16.0 |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-5 | 241 | 21.9 |
| RIVIERA BEACH PREPARATORY & ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMY | 5-12 | 181 | 9.5 |
| POTENTIALS CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | PK-8 | 25 | 25.0 |
| SEAGULL ACADEMY (charter) | 6-12 | 23 | 11.5 |
| TEEN PARENT PROGRAM - PK | PK-K | 17 | — |
Towns near Riviera Beach
- Lake Park, FL1.4 mi · 9,047 people · home $394,400
- North Palm Beach, FL2.9 mi · 13,162 people · home $513,000
- West Palm Beach, FL4.0 mi · 117,415 people · home $414,200
- Westgate, FL5.8 mi · 8,435 people · home $251,300
- Palm Beach, FL6.3 mi · 9,245 people · home $2,000,001
- Juno Beach, FL6.6 mi · 3,858 people · home $803,400
- Palm Beach Gardens, FL7.3 mi · 59,182 people · home $606,100
- Lake Clarke Shores, FL9.4 mi · 3,564 people · home $573,800
Riviera Beach questions
Is Riviera Beach, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Riviera Beach scores better for retirees than 17% of Florida towns and quieter than 15%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Riviera Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Riviera Beach is valued at $354,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,060, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,702 a month.
What is the weather like in Riviera Beach?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 55.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 66.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Riviera Beach get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riviera Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 29, 2023. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)