Palm Beach County

County Business Patterns, 20233rd largest of 3 counties in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro areaPopulation 1,557,481

Palm Beach County had 592,227 private jobs, the 5th-most of any county, in 55,803 establishments in March 2023, paying $66,342 on average, 10% above the Florida figure and the 4th-highest of the 67 counties. Pay in utilities averages $187,848 a year here, more than in any other county with at least 100 jobs in it. There are 35.8 business establishments per 1,000 residents, the 4th-highest density of businesses in the state.

Compare Palm Beach side by side with Broward or another county.

The largest industry, health care and social assistance, has 17% of Palm Beach County's jobs. Among its larger industries, pay runs from $28,106 a year in hotels and restaurants to $187,848 in utilities.

Pays above the county averagePays below itNot shown by industryCounty averageFlorida average

What stands out in Palm Beach County

January to March accounts for 26.4% of the year's payroll, the 3rd-highest first-quarter share in the state.
Private payroll works out at $25,226 per resident, the 6th-highest figure in Florida.
Only one county has more jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing; it has 723.
Only one county has more jobs in arts, entertainment and recreation; it has 23,980.
Average pay rose 30.4% since 2019 in current dollars, the 7th-largest increase in Florida.
Only two counties have more jobs in health care and social assistance; it has 100,604.

Where Palm Beach County ranks

The four measures on which Palm Beach County sits furthest from the middle county. It is furthest out on business establishments, where it ranks 3rd of 67.

Average annual pay$66,342

4thof 67

Jobs592,227

5thof 67

Business establishments55,803

3rdof 67

Businesses per 1,000 residents35.8

4thof 67

Palm BeachOther countiesMiddle county

Every industry, line by line

19 industries published; health care and social assistance added the most jobs since 2019 (8,912), management of companies lost the most (4,717).

Industry	Jobs	Avg pay	Pay vs same industry statewide	Jobs since 2019
Health care & social assistance	100,604	$64,270	1.00×	+9.7%
Retail trade	82,553	$41,047	1.08×	+4.2%
Hotels & restaurants	74,315	$28,106	0.99×	+4.2%
Professional & technical services	50,327	$96,278	1.07×	+15.9%
Administrative & support services	43,073	$50,127	0.85×	−5.7%
Construction	42,267	$67,521	1.05×	+18.1%
Other services	28,719	$43,882	1.11×	+5.7%
Wholesale trade	25,673	$96,710	1.22×	+16.6%
Finance & insurance	24,958	$172,612	1.64×	+20.5%
Arts & recreation	23,980	$43,919	1.02×	+9.7%
Manufacturing	17,585	$77,033	1.13×	+24.1%
Transportation & warehousing	16,619	$55,700	0.92×	+28.6%
Real estate & rental	16,347	$73,511	1.20×	+2.2%
Information	13,268	$115,867	1.12×	−8.3%
Educational services	13,023	$45,718	0.93×	+8.0%
Management of companies	11,627	$131,037	1.28×	−28.9%
Utilities	6,353	$187,848	1.51×	+36.5%
Agriculture, forestry & fishing	723	$52,661	1.18×	+27.7%
Mining & quarrying	118	$72,754	0.83×	+25.5%
All industries	592,227	$66,342	1.10×	+7.6%

What sets Palm Beach County apart

Three industries are at least 1.25 times as common here as across the 67 counties; mining and quarrying is the most under-represented, at 0.50×.

Business sizes

89.8% have fewer than 20 employees; 907 have 100 or more.

EmployeesEstablishments

1–437,609

5–97,359

10–195,126

20–493,570

50–991,232

100–249681

250–499154

500–99947

1,000+25

Since 2019

Jobs +7.6%, residents +4.1% since March 2019.

Jobs592,2272019: 550,168+7.6%

Business establishments55,8032019: 49,958+11.7%

Average pay (nominal)$66,3422019: $50,875+30.4%

Residents1,557,4812019: 1,496,770+4.1%

Share of Florida

More of Florida's jobs (7.35%) than of its residents (6.80%).

Residents6.80%

Businesses8.67%

Jobs7.35%

Payroll8.28%

Source: Census CBP 2023, 2022, 2019; Population Estimates. FIPS 12099. How to read County Business Patterns figures.