Places › Florida › Riviera Beach

Living in Riviera Beach, FL

Small city in Florida

Riviera Beach is a small city in Florida, home to about 38,000 people, with 985,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Riviera Beach a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.92% property tax
  • Easy flying: DJT is 7 mi away
  • Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 14 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Few dog parks: 5 within 9 mi
  • Higher crime: violent crime is 2.6× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Fewer graduates: 29% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Riviera Beach ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
38,000
985,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
75°F / 89°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$358k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,920/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
114
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.92% property tax
Safety
2.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
14 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 18 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
29%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DJT
7 mi away

Living in Riviera Beach: common questions

What is the cost of living in Riviera Beach?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $358k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,920 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Riviera Beach?

Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.92% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Riviera Beach safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.6× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Riviera Beach?

Public schools in Riviera Beach test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Riviera Beach?

Riviera Beach is warm all year: winter days average around 75°F and summer days around 89°F.

Does Riviera Beach get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 14 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.2 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Riviera Beach?

The nearest major airport is DJT, about 7 mi away.

How Riviera Beach scores

Each bar compares Riviera Beach with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureCulture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateWarm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingAverage
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketAverage
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyPoor
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetyHigher crime
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyGood
🌤️Mild summersAverage
✈️AirportGood

Places like Riviera Beach

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Palm Springs, FLSmall city53 $387k$2,920/moModerate crime Boynton Beach, FLSuburb52 $458k$2,920/moHigher crime West Palm Beach, FLMid-size city50 $471k$2,920/moHigher crime Homestead, FLSuburb46 $415k$3,130/moHigher crime Sarasota, FLSmall city54 $440k$2,540/moModerate crime Bradenton, FLSmall city53 $403k$2,540/moModerate crime

Nearby

West Palm Beach, FLMid-size city · 4 mi away50 $471k$2,920/moHigher crime Palm Beach Gardens, FLSmall city · 5 mi away52 $698k$2,920/moVery safe Jupiter, FLSmall city · 10 mi away54 $733k$2,920/moVery safe Palm Springs, FLSmall city · 10 mi away53 $387k$2,920/moModerate crime Royal Palm Beach, FLSmall city · 11 mi away58 $483k$2,920/moVery safe Lake Worth Beach, FLSuburb · 11 mi away57 $468k$2,920/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Florida.

Is Riviera Beach right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.