Riviera Beach is an up-and-coming coastal city riding the wave of West Palm Beach’s booming downtown. What started as fewer than one hundred families in the 1920s has grown into a community of around 39,000, and much of that growth has happened in the last two decades. Riviera Beach is known for its beautiful beaches and the famous Blue Heron Bridge, one of the country's best places to shore dive. While the marine accolades go on, the city has struggled with high unemployment, poverty and crime rates. That said, new investment spurred by quick growth has helped the city take steps to improve infrastructure, bring in new jobs and aid longtime residents with rent as the city becomes more populated and expensive.
Riviera Beach Marina Village is an excellent outdoor activity and entertaining complex.
Palm Beach is literally just around the corner from Riviera Beach neighborhood.
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Moments from Wall Street South
“Riveria Beach is very much an up-and-coming area,” says lifelong local Evan Downing, owner and broker of Downing Street Realty. “And a big reason for that is because of all that’s going on in West Palm Beach.” Just south of Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach has been gaining notoriety as the Wall Street of the South. While Palm Beach County has been a manufacturing and distribution hub for years, the industries now leading job growth are finance, insurance and real estate. West Palm Beach’s burgeoning Flagler Financial District is less than 5 miles from the heart of Riviera Beach.
Manatee Lagoon Eco Discovery Center.
Peanut Island is the largest island between Riviera Beach and the Atlantic Ocean
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Multimillion-dollar waterfront houses on Singer Island
The median cost of homes in Riviera Beach is around $440,000, almost $20,000 more than the national average. Ranch-style houses from the 1940s and ‘50s are popular on the east side. Oceanfront highrises and the planned pool communities on the west side came in the early 1980s and 2000s. The city’s most expensive properties are those on Singer Island. “The island is busier with the concentration of highrises,” Downing says. “It’s very much a vacation area… It’s the main hub in the northern Palm Beaches for nice resorts on the water. The houses there are typically on the Intracoastal.” Most single-family houses on Singer Island belong to the Yacht Harbor Manor community, a gated neighborhood popular for waterfront properties with private docks. These homes range from around $2 million to $8 million. Across the street, beachfront condos list for as much as $7 million.
Hurricane season lasts from June to November. Flood insurance is recommended for all Palm Beach County residents.
Colorful ranch-style home in Riviera Beach neighborhood.
Colorful high-rise condominium in Riviera Beach neighborhood.
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Phil Foster Park and the Blue Heron Bridge
The city offers more than a dozen parks and green spaces. Of course, the most popular are those by the water. Phil Foster Park is home to the Blue Heron Bridge, where snorkelers and divers can observe diverse marine life, from seahorses to octopi, as they move around an artificial reef, historic shipwrecks and underwater statues. On the park's west side, away from the snorkeling trail, anglers can fish on the piers. About a mile down the Intracoastal Waterway, Peanut Island Park is an 80-acre island with more swimming beaches and snorkeling areas. It’s also popular for camping, featuring ample open green space.
Welcome to Phil Foster park located in West Palm Beach, FL.
Phil Foster park is open for public use from sunrise to sunset.
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Riviera Beach Marina Village
Not yet a decade old, Riviera Beach Marina Village is at the forefront of the city’s commercial growth. While the project is on hold, apartment buildings, shops and restaurants are still in the works. Currently, the strip overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway with an event center, a Sunday market and a popular restaurant. The locally owned Rafiki Tiki Bar & Grill boasts a menu of “Florribean” fare, ranging from churrasco steaks to Cuban sandwiches. The main hub for day-to-day shopping is along Congress Avenue. The street is lined by familiar stores like Target and Lowe’s, and more chains are under construction now.
Enjoy fresh seafood and tropical drinks at Rafiki Tiki Restaurant in Riviera Beach.
Rafiki Tiki in Riviera Beach offers delicious waterfront dining with stunning views.
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Full-choice schools in Palm Beach County
The School District of Palm Beach County earns an overall B-plus grade from Niche. It has 234 schools, nine of which are full-choice schools. Suncoast Community High, graded A-plus, is a standout full-choice school in Riviera Beach. Attendance is not restricted by zoning but by application or lottery. Students may also apply to one of the school’s choice programs, including math, science and engineering.
Suncoast Community High School
Suncoast Community High School
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Proximity to Palm Beach International Airport
U.S. Route 1 runs through the city's east side, and Interstate 95 crosses the west side. Public transportation is provided through the county at Palm Tran bus stops on main roads like Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Palm Beach International Airport is less than 10 miles south of the city. Taking I-95, Miami is roughly a 90-mile drive south.
Crime is on the decline in Riviera Beach
In 2023, Riviera Beach’s crime rate was the lowest in 31 years, dropping around 24% from 2022. The trend continues, but rates are still significantly higher than the national average and slightly higher than Florida’s. Initiatives like the Riviera Beach Police Department’s Active Criminal Enforcement Unit and new cold case unit work in tandem to reduce crime.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
