Loxahatchee & The Acreage: Buying Land in Palm Beach's Equestrian Country

Drive twenty minutes west of West Palm Beach and the high-rises give way to something most people don't associate with the county: dirt roads, horse fences, and homes on an acre or more. Loxahatchee, The Acreage, and the newer city of Westlake make up Palm Beach County's rural and equestrian corner, where land and acreage are still within reach of the coast.

If you want room for horses, animals, an RV, or just space, this is where Palm Beach County buyers look. Here's what to know.

Key Takeaways

• The Acreage was platted in 1.25-acre lots and keeps a rural, large-lot character (Palm Beach County).
• Loxahatchee Groves incorporated in 2006 specifically to preserve its rural way of life; Loxahatchee parcels run from about 1 to 20 acres.
• The area sits minutes from Wellington, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, the world's largest hunter/jumper show (Wellington International).
• It's roughly 15 to 18 miles from West Palm Beach: close to the coast, without coastal prices.

Three places, one rural corner

They get lumped together, but each has its own status. The Acreage is a large unincorporated community, home to roughly 41,000 residents, built from the 1960s on 1.25-acre lots that still define its look: spacious home sites, wooded stretches, and dirt roads (Palm Beach County; U.S. Census). Loxahatchee Groves has been an incorporated town since 2006, which it did expressly to protect its rural character, and bills itself as "Florida's Last Frontier." Westlake is the newcomer, a master-planned city incorporated in 2016 on about 4,000 acres, bringing new-construction neighborhoods to the area.

Big lots and a rural lifestyle

Space is the whole appeal. The Acreage's 1.25-acre lots and Loxahatchee's parcels, which run from about one acre up to twenty, give owners room for horses, livestock, workshops, RVs, and gardens that simply don't fit on a coastal subdivision lot. Much of the area carries Agricultural Residential zoning, which permits keeping horses and farm animals on acreage, and large stretches have loose deed restrictions and no HOA. If you've wanted unrestricted land or a home with acreage near the coast, this is the most realistic place in Palm Beach County to find it.

Horse country next to a global stage

The equestrian pull is real. Just south sits Wellington, home to the Winter Equestrian Festival. It is the world's largest and longest-running hunter/jumper show. The 2025 season drew tens of thousands of competitors and an estimated $536 million in economic impact (Wellington International). Loxahatchee and The Acreage serve as the more attainable horse-keeping acreage around that world-class hub, popular with riders, trainers, and anyone who wants stables at home.

Close to the coast, without coastal prices

Location is the quiet advantage. The Acreage sits roughly 15 to 18 miles northwest of West Palm Beach, and Loxahatchee about 17 miles west. That's a real commute, but it buys acreage and a rural lifestyle within striking distance of the beaches, the airport, and downtown. As coastal Palm Beach County land has grown scarce and expensive, this western corner is where space is still available. We put it in context in our guide to the best counties for buying land in Florida.

What to check before you buy

Rural Palm Beach land rewards diligence. Confirm the parcel's zoning and what animals or structures it allows, check whether it's on a well and septic or has utilities available, and verify road access and any drainage or wetland issues common to the former swampland west of the coast. Our how to buy land in Florida checklist walks through all of it, and for pricing context see how much an acre of land costs in Florida.

Want acreage or an equestrian property in Loxahatchee, The Acreage, or Westlake? Pure Equity knows western Palm Beach County. Talk to a land specialist, or browse Palm Beach County land.

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Acreage in Florida?

The Acreage is an unincorporated community in western Palm Beach County, roughly 15 to 18 miles northwest of West Palm Beach. It's known for its 1.25-acre lots and rural, large-lot character (U.S. Census; Palm Beach County).

Can you keep horses in Loxahatchee and The Acreage?

Yes. Much of the area carries Agricultural Residential zoning that permits horses and farm animals on acreage, which is why it's popular horse country next to Wellington's equestrian scene. Confirm the specific parcel's zoning and any limits with Palm Beach County.

How big are the lots?

The Acreage was platted largely in 1.25-acre lots (Palm Beach County), while Loxahatchee parcels range from about one acre up to twenty. That's far larger than a typical coastal subdivision lot, leaving room for animals, outbuildings, and privacy.

Is land in Loxahatchee cheaper than coastal Palm Beach?

Generally yes. Western Palm Beach County land trades below the scarce coastal market, which is the area's main draw for acreage buyers. Pricing varies widely by lot size, road access, and clearing, so ask an agent for current comparable sales.

The unplatted alternative to the master planned option

This corner offers something the neighbouring communities do not, and the distinction is the whole reason to look here. Arden, Westlake and Avenir are planned communities with associations, architectural rules and frequently district assessments. Loxahatchee and The Acreage are largely unplatted rural residential land.

That means no association telling you what colour to paint the house, no architectural committee, and generally no district assessment. It also means no shared amenities, no central maintenance and no one else responsible for anything.

Current figures put them in the same price band, which makes this a genuine choice rather than a budget one. Loxahatchee runs a median near $809,000 at about $342 per square foot, The Acreage about $752,475 at $349, Westlake about $769,990 at $303 and Arden about $731,950 at $270.

Absorption differs sharply between the two

The Acreage averages about 77 days on market while Loxahatchee averages about 137, against 107 for Palm Beach County.

That is a large gap for two adjacent rural areas. It generally reflects parcel size and price mix rather than desirability. Loxahatchee inventory skews toward larger and more expensive holdings, with a correspondingly narrower buyer pool.

For a buyer it means more negotiating room in Loxahatchee and less in The Acreage. For a seller of larger acreage here, budget for a longer marketing period and price to genuine closed sales rather than to asking prices.

The diligence burden is the real trade

Unplatted rural land carries checks that a planned community has already resolved for you, and skipping them is where buyers get hurt.

• Well and septic. Most properties here rely on both. Ask about well depth, yield and water quality, and confirm the septic system's age and condition. A percolation test decides feasibility on vacant ground.
• Drainage. This is flat, low lying country. Ask which parts of a parcel hold water and for how long, and walk it in the wet season if you can.
• Legal access. Confirm a recorded right of way and that the road serving the parcel is genuinely maintained.
• Zoning and animal density. How many horses or other animals you may keep is set by zoning and lot size, not by available room.
• Unpermitted structures. Barns, sheds and additions built without permits become your problem at resale. Check the permit record rather than the seller's account.

What the rural setting costs to run

Larger parcels carry maintenance that scales with size, and Florida vegetation grows year round. Budget for mowing or brush clearing, fencing and gate upkeep, and access track maintenance.

Well and septic are also owner responsibilities with their own service lives, so a reserve for eventual replacement is prudent rather than pessimistic. None of this is dramatic, and it is the ongoing cost that planned community buyers pay through an assessment instead.

Proximity without coastal pricing

The practical appeal is position. This corner sits within a reasonable drive of Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and the coast, at prices well below the coastal towns.

Palm Beach Gardens runs a median near $864,000 at about $407 per square foot against roughly $342 and $349 here, and the coastal towns are far higher still. So you are trading drive time for space and for the freedom that comes with no association, which is a straightforward exchange once you have tested the drive at a real departure time.

More common questions

Is there an association in Loxahatchee or The Acreage?

Generally not in the unplatted rural areas, which is a large part of the appeal. Confirm for any specific parcel, since pockets of platted development exist.

Which of the two sells faster?

The Acreage at about 77 days against Loxahatchee's 137, largely a function of parcel size and price mix rather than one being more desirable.

Can I keep horses?

Frequently yes, subject to zoning and lot size. Confirm in writing for the specific parcel before buying on that basis.

Sources

• Palm Beach County PZB (The Acreage 1.25-acre platting); U.S. Census Bureau (The Acreage CDP).
• Wellington International (Winter Equestrian Festival economic impact, 2025).
• Town of Loxahatchee Groves (incorporated 2006); City of Westlake (incorporated 2016).

Published June 19, 2026. Place facts from the U.S. Census and Palm Beach County; confirm parcel zoning and current pricing with the county and an agent.