Delray Beach : Florida

Delray Beach is a very popular and upscale retirement community on the east coast of Florida. The town and environs extend from a barrier island on the ocean to the connecting mainland and west nearly to the Everglades.  The result is a charming, vibrant, and decidedly upscale community of 60,500, but with many affordable condos in west Delray.  A Master Plan developed by the city resulted in an extensive renovation of the downtown area. The renovation has been extremely successful – small town charm has been preserved, traffic moves on streets that are also pedestrian friendly, and the community’s residential and commercial opportunities are booming as a result. There is a new plan to open up views of the ocean from the main street which will make it obvious what a beautiful beach this town has. Your Topretirements.com editor thinks that Delray Beach is a very desirable place; it is one of his favorite Florida towns.

Delray Beach offers apartments/condos near the ocean as well as single family homes. Attractions include excellent shopping, many highly-rated restaurants, and one of the nation’s leading mystery book stores, Murder on the Beach. The city has outstanding public beaches. Proximity to additional attractions in nearby Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Miami give ready access to top cultural events, major shopping, leading museums and major league sports venues. There are 2 municipal golf courses in town, plus many private ones in the area often open to the public.  One public course, The Delray Beach Golf Club, a Donald Ross design, was named one of America’s Best Value Courses by Golf Magazine.  Kings Point, a gated 55+ community in west Delray, boasts two Robert Trent Jones-designed golf courses available to the public.

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Here is our guide to retirement in Florida. 

Active adults will love living in Delray Beach, where it is possible to live near the water – either the beach or intra-coastal and its system of connecting canals - and enjoy a walkable downtown. Delray Beach has a rich array of choices for retirement living. Housing options include apartments, homes, condos, and town houses.
The median home value was $239,834 in early 2021, according to Zillow.com. However, homes near the beach and in the downtown will go for much more, easily going into the millions.

Two miles of beautiful white sandy beaches; unusually livable downtown; warm weather all winter; average Jan temperature is in the mid-60s; many upscale as well as affordable housing opportunities for retirees, including high rise apartments near the beach.  Three-time selection as an All-America award city based on its citizens' participation; Broward Center for the Performing Arts in nearby Fort Lauderdale.  The Delray Beach Tennis Center has hosted several major international tennis events.

• Crowds in season • Hurricane season • Crime rate higher than average

Tourism, retail, medical and real estate are important to the economy.

Delray Beach is on the southeast coast of Florida, about 40 miles north of Miami and 15 miles south of West Palm Beach. The terrain is flat and lushly green and floral, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Everglades several miles to the west.

Delray Beach has many artists and galleries in residence. The Delray Beach Public Library has 250,000 volumes and free and ample parking. The Delray Beach Cultural Alliance, Delray Beach Chorale, and the Delray Beach Playhouse are important cultural institutions. Nearby Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Miami have much to offer culturally. Art & Jazz on the Avenue is a popular event held 6 times per year. The Downtown Delray Beach Arts District features galleries and cultural organizations. The Delray Beach Center for the Arts at Old Square has a huge and beautiful complex right downtown with very a busy schedule. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a very popular Delray attraction. There are plenty of good restaurants around town including Dada. There are 10 hotels as well, as this is a popular tourist destination.