Cities Near Boca Raton: Where to Live in South County
July 25, 2026 · 7 min read · By Onias Derilus, Broker
If Boca is a little out of reach or not quite your speed, the cities near Boca Raton give you the same coast and climate. Here is how the neighboring towns compare.
Plenty of buyers fall for Boca Raton, then start looking at the cities near Boca Raton once they see the prices or want a different pace. The good news is that the towns ringing Boca share the same coast, climate, and easy access to I-95 and the Turnpike, often at a friendlier price. Some sit just north in Palm Beach County, others just south in Broward. Here is a tour of the neighbors and what each one offers.
Key Takeaways
- The cities near Boca Raton span two counties: Palm Beach to the north and Broward to the south.
- Delray Beach and Boynton Beach sit just north, with walkable downtowns and beach access.
- Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Parkland, and Coral Springs sit just south in Broward.
- Coastal towns cost more; inland suburbs like Coral Springs and Parkland offer more space per dollar.
- Your best fit depends on budget, commute, and whether you want beach, downtown, or family suburb.
Cities near Boca Raton to the north
Head north from Boca and you stay in Palm Beach County, where a string of coastal cities offers a slightly more relaxed feel. These towns keep the beach lifestyle while trimming some of Boca's polish and price.
Delray Beach
Delray Beach is Boca's lively neighbor to the north, built around a famous downtown strip on Atlantic Avenue. The walkable core is packed with restaurants, galleries, and nightlife, and the beach is a short stroll away. Homes range from historic bungalows to gated communities out west. If a downtown-first lifestyle appeals to you, see whether Delray Beach is a good place to live.
Boynton Beach
Just above Delray, Boynton Beach is one of the more affordable coastal cities in the area. It has grown quickly, with a revitalizing waterfront district and plenty of newer communities inland. Buyers who want to stay near the ocean without the coastal-Boca price often land here. You can browse current homes for sale to compare Boynton with its pricier neighbors.
Highland Beach
Directly north of Boca along the barrier island sits Highland Beach, a small, quiet, oceanfront town. It is almost entirely residential, with condos and estates lining the coast. Prices run high because nearly every home is on or near the water, so it suits buyers who want the beach and calm above all else.
Cities near Boca Raton to the south
Cross the county line into Broward and the options widen. These southern neighbors range from beachfront towns to spacious inland suburbs known for schools and family living.
Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach borders Boca directly to the south and shares its coastline. Its Blue Wave certified beach and fishing pier anchor the town, and prices tend to sit below Boca's for comparable coastal access. It is a natural pick for buyers who work in Boca but want a lower entry point.
Parkland
A few miles inland, Parkland is one of Broward's most sought-after suburbs, known for top-rated schools, large lots, and newer master-planned communities. It trades beach proximity for space and family amenities, which makes it popular with buyers raising kids.
Coral Springs
West of Parkland, Coral Springs is a large, planned suburb with strong schools, parks, and a wide range of home prices. It offers more house for the money than the coastal towns, along with an easy commute to Boca and Fort Lauderdale. Our guide to whether Coral Springs is a good place to live digs into the details.
Pompano Beach
Further south, Pompano Beach has become one of the fastest-changing coastal cities in Broward, with new development along a redeveloped beachfront. It still offers relative value on the water, so budget-minded coastal buyers keep an eye on it.
How to choose among the neighbors
Start with the trade-off between coast and space. If you want to walk to the sand, look at Delray, Boynton, Highland Beach, Deerfield, or Pompano. If you want a bigger home, a yard, and strong schools, look inland to Parkland or Coral Springs. Budget usually decides the rest, since coastal square footage costs the most.
Commute matters too. All of these towns sit within easy reach of I-95 and the Turnpike, but your daily drive to work, school, or the beach can tip the decision. Before you commit, it helps to know Boca itself as a benchmark, so compare the best neighborhoods in Boca Raton and read whether Boca Raton is a good place to live. Then measure each neighbor against it on price, pace, and location.
Whichever direction you lean, the towns around Boca give you a lot of coastline and climate to work with. When you are ready to compare listings side by side, browse homes for sale in South Florida and filter by city and price.
Frequently asked questions
What cities are closest to Boca Raton?
Delray Beach and Highland Beach border Boca to the north, while Deerfield Beach borders it directly to the south. Boynton Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, and Pompano Beach are all a short drive away.
Are cities near Boca Raton cheaper than Boca?
Often, yes. Boynton Beach, Deerfield Beach, and inland suburbs like Coral Springs typically offer lower prices than Boca for a comparable home. Coastal towns like Highland Beach can cost as much or more because nearly every home sits near the water.
Which towns near Boca are best for families?
Parkland and Coral Springs are the classic family picks, thanks to top-rated schools, parks, and roomier homes. Both sit just south of Boca in Broward County.
Are the towns near Boca in Palm Beach County or Broward County?
Both. Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Highland Beach are in Palm Beach County to the north. Deerfield Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, and Pompano Beach are in Broward County to the south.
Not sure which town near Boca fits you best? We work both Palm Beach and Broward counties every day and can match you to the right city. Contact Pure Equity Realty to start comparing.
The county line is the decision, not the distance
Boca Raton sits at the southern edge of Palm Beach County, so its immediate neighbours split across two counties. That boundary changes more than the drive time does, and it is the thing to settle first.
North of Boca you remain in Palm Beach County: Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Highland Beach. South and west you cross into Broward: Deerfield Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach.
The county governs school district, property tax rates, municipal services and land use policy. Palm Beach County currently runs a median asking price near $480,000 at about $302 per square foot; Broward runs $390,000 at $306. So Broward is cheaper by median while costing effectively the same per foot, which tells you the difference is inventory mix rather than land value.
The neighbours, priced
- Deerfield Beach. About 844 listings at a median near $214,000 and roughly $215 per square foot. The cheapest immediate neighbour by a wide margin, condominium heavy.
- Delray Beach. About 1,621 listings, median near $279,900 at roughly $236. Also condominium heavy, which is why the median sits low.
- Boynton Beach. About 1,425 listings, median near $317,000 at roughly $232.
- Coral Springs. About 693 listings, median near $324,950 at roughly $257. Inland family suburb.
- Pompano Beach. About 1,378 listings, median near $360,000 at roughly $316.
- Highland Beach. About 125 listings, median near $980,000 at roughly $691. Barrier island, small and expensive.
- Parkland. About 207 listings, median near $1,250,000 at roughly $392, and the fastest of the group at about 62 days on market.
Boca itself runs about $550,000 at $351 per square foot, so most of its neighbours are cheaper per foot and two are considerably dearer.
Read the low medians carefully
Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach both show strikingly low medians and neither is as cheap as it looks for a house.
Both carry condominium heavy inventory, which pulls the median down while the price per square foot stays comparatively close to the neighbours. Delray at $236 and Deerfield at $215 are genuinely lower than Boca's $351, and the gap is nothing like what the medians of $279,900 and $214,000 against $550,000 suggest.
Compare per square foot before concluding a town is cheap, and compare the same property type. A three bedroom house in Delray is not priced at the town median.
Parkland is the outlier worth explaining
Parkland has the highest median of the group at about $1,250,000 and sells fastest at roughly 62 days, against Boca's 99 and a Broward average of 124.
That combination, expensive and quick, generally signals genuine family demand rather than speculation. Its $392 per square foot against a $1,250,000 median also tells you it sells large houses rather than expensive land, which is the opposite of Highland Beach at $691 per foot on a lower median.
For a buyer, those two are entirely different products at overlapping prices: space inland versus position on the water.
Choosing by what you are optimising for
If price per square foot is the binding constraint, Deerfield Beach at about $215 and Boynton Beach at $232. If you want a family suburb that moves reliably, Coral Springs or Parkland depending on budget. If you want the ocean, Highland Beach, at roughly double Boca's rate per foot. If you want walkable town character, Delray Beach.
Then confirm the county for the specific address, because school district and tax rate follow it rather than the postal town, and near a boundary the answer is not always what the address implies.
More common questions
Are the towns near Boca cheaper?
Most are on price per square foot, with Deerfield Beach at about $215 and Boynton at $232 against Boca's $351. Highland Beach and Parkland are dearer.
Which county are they in?
Delray, Boynton and Highland Beach are Palm Beach County. Deerfield Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach are Broward.
Which nearby town sells fastest?
Parkland at about 62 days, well ahead of Boca's 99 and the Broward average of 124.
