Palm Beach County lies in the southeastern part of the State of Florida and exists directly north of Broward County as well as Miami-Dade County. According to a 2019 demographics record, the county had a population of 1,496,770, making it the third-most heavily populated county in the state of Florida and also the 25th-most heavily populated county in the United States. The biggest city and also county seat is West Palm Beach. Called after its oldest settlement, Palm Beach, the county was developed in 1909, after being divided from Dade County. The county’s modern borders were developed in 1963.
Palm Beach County is among the three counties in South Florida that make up the Miami metropolitan area, which was residence to an estimated 6,198,782 people in 2018.
The area had actually been growing in populace since the late 19th century, with the incorporation of West Palm Beach in 1894 and also after Henry Flagler expanded the Florida East Coast Railway and also developed the Royal Poinciana Resort, The Breakers, as well as Whitehall. In 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane struck Palm Beach County and caused countless deaths. A lot more recently, the county acquired nationwide interest during the 2000 presidential political election, when a questionable recount occurred.
As of 2004, Palm Beach County is Florida’s most affluent county, with per capita personal earnings of $44,518. It leads the state in agricultural productivity; farming is Palm Beach County’s second-largest market, after real estate improvement. In undeveloped (central as well as western) Palm Beach County there is significant tropical agricultural manufacturing, specifically nurseries, truck crops (vegetables), as well as sugar cane. Palm Beach County has actually been called the “Winter Vegetable Capital” of the nation.