Moving to Boca Raton, FL

A condo town and a house town at the same time

Census data shows how split the housing stock is. About 42.5% of homes are in buildings of 10 or more units and 41.7% are single-family detached. The median home was built in 1983, and mobile homes are almost absent at 0.2%.

That split drives prices. Zillow puts a 1-bedroom at about $117,837 and a 2-bedroom at about $294,724, mostly condos in older garden-style and mid-rise complexes. A 3-bedroom jumps to about $644,995 and a 4-bedroom to about $1,010,108, because at that size you are mostly buying houses. Five-bedroom homes average about $2,394,022.

So moving to Boca means picking a lane early. A newcomer with $350,000 is shopping condos and villas. A newcomer with $900,000 has a real choice of single-family neighborhoods. The lower third of the market tops out around $266,193; the upper third starts around $1,405,526.

East Boca, west Boca and the city limits

Many addresses that say Boca Raton are outside the city. The city limits have an irregular western edge, and much of what people call west Boca, including many of the large gated golf communities, is unincorporated Palm Beach County with a Boca Raton mailing address.

• East of I-95: the beaches, downtown and Mizner Park, the Intracoastal, older neighborhoods and most of the waterfront. Zillow's Downtown neighborhood runs about $1,322,707.
• Just west of I-95: a mix of 1970s to 1990s subdivisions, condos and office parks around the Town Center mall area.
• The western suburbs: country clubs and planned communities, many with HOAs and some with mandatory club membership. Zillow lists places such as Boca West at about $540,178 and Boca Pointe at about $520,197.

Being inside or outside the city changes your tax rate, police and fire provider, building department and access to city beach parks. Check the parcel on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's site.

Who lives in Boca Raton

Boca's population of about 100,234 skews older. The median age is 46.0, and 24.6% of residents are 65 or older. Seasonal homes are 9.5% of housing, so some buildings and streets are noticeably quieter from May through October.

That doesn't make it a retirement-only town. FAU and Lynn University bring students and staff, and the city has a large office and corporate base. Families tend to cluster in single-family neighborhoods, while older buyers and seasonal owners fill much of the condo stock.

Getting around and getting out

I-95 and Florida's Turnpike both run north-south through the area. Tri-Rail and Brightline both stop in Boca Raton, which gives you a train option toward Fort Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach. For flights, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International is to the south and Palm Beach International to the north; the Boca Raton Airport serves private and general aviation.

Glades Road, Palmetto Park Road and Yamato Road carry most east-west traffic and slow down at peak hours. Living near your work, or near a train station, makes a real difference here.

Older condos, special assessments and insurance

The condo bargains in Boca are real, and they come with homework. A building from the 1970s or 1980s with three or more habitable stories falls under Florida's milestone inspection rules, and every condo association must now fund reserves based on a Structural Integrity Reserve Study without waiving them. Some associations have raised fees sharply or levied special assessments to catch up.

• Ask for the milestone inspection report, the SIRS and the current budget.
• Ask about any approved or planned special assessments and the building's insurance renewal.
• Resale condo buyers have 7 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, to cancel after receiving the association documents. Use that time.

For houses, roof age, wind mitigation features and the flood zone decide most of the insurance cost. East of I-95, many lots sit in FEMA high-risk zones; get an insurance quote during your inspection period.

Taxes, homestead and the reset

Florida has no state income tax, which is one reason many high earners from the Northeast choose Boca. Property tax is where you pay. Your assessment resets to market value after the sale, so the seller's bill is a poor guide. A permanent resident can claim homestead, worth up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026, and the 3% Save Our Homes cap then limits increases. A Canadian or other part-time owner gets neither, and non-school levies are capped at 10% a year instead.

What newcomers get wrong

• Comparing Boca only with itself. Delray Beach at about $345,071 and Boynton Beach at about $404,476 are minutes away and cost less on Zillow's index; Jupiter at about $704,524 costs more.
• Ignoring club costs. In mandatory-membership communities, initiation fees and annual dues can rival the mortgage. Get the current fee schedule before you fall for the house.
• Buying the cheapest condo without reading the reserves. A low price on an older building sometimes reflects an assessment that is coming.

Once you have chosen east or west and condo or house, a shortlist built around those two decisions saves weeks of scrolling.