Progress
Growing Diversity
Since the 1980s, Palm Beach County’s population has become increasingly diverse in its ethnicity. About half of public school students call themselves non-whites, and one eighth speak English as a second language. During the ‘80s, there was a large increase in the number of Hispanics and Haitians. In 1995, the county’s first mosque opened in West Palm Beach. In South County, the Jewish population continued to expand rapidly.
Population
1980
1990
2000
2010
Palm Beach County
576,863
863,518
1,131,191
1,320,134
Florida
9,746,961
12,937,926
15,982,378
18,801,310
The Census Bureau estimated the 2011 population of Palm Beach County to be 1,335,187, with the racial mix shown below. Note: Individuals may be included in one or several races; Hispanics may also be any other race.
White
77.4%
Hispanic
19.6%
Black
17.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native
6.0%
Asian
2.5%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
0.1%