Young Dallasite relocating to West Palm Beach (Tampa, Orlando: fit in, renting)

[ArkansasBoy]

Hey guys! Im a 26 year old single gent moving from Dallas to work in West Palm Beach. I'm completely oblivious to the area, but looking for suggestions for places to live? Planning on renting.

I exemplify the "work hard, play hard" mantra. Wanting a cool singles scene with an exciting night life. Close beach access a MUST. I'm a foodie so the restaurant/coffe shop scene a plus too.

I've heard good things about downtown Delray? Currently paying $1,000 for a single bedroom apt. Would like to stay around that price range if possible. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[TriMT7]

Yeah, downtown Delray or downtown WPB are pretty much your options.

$1000/month might be a bit hard to find in either place, at least on the main strips. Stay east for more urban living.

[8to32characters]

Just be mindful that people in the West Palm Beach area are much less friendly, gregarious, and polite than folks in Dallas, and most just want to be left alone.

Also, there are far fewer young professionals in the West Palm Beach area than in DFW, which is loaded with young professionals. That said, most of the young professionals in Palm Beach County are attorneys, accountants, or financial planners working at their father, grandfather, and/or uncle's firms, so not a lot of friendly/pleasant types.

Not only do most PBC kids in their 20's and 30's work for a family business, but most grew up there in a fancy country club, so the prevailing mentality is very spoiled/entitled. Most simply never had to work hard for anything and had a lot handed to them, which is very different from DFW, where you have lots of young professionals who move there from all over and to launch their career and forge an identity for themselves.

Also, I should have you know that West Palm Beach also attracts lots and lots of East Coasters--almost every person you meet there will be from the Northeast, and if they themselves aren't, their parents are. Again, not so pleasant--lots of rudeness (e.g., no says "Good Morning," no one holds a door opened for you), aggressive driving (e.g., tailgating, racing to stoplights, no turn signals, cutting you off at the last possible second), etc. I know people in DFW like to complain about rude/crazy drivers there, but the drivers in DFW are really nothing by comparison.

That said, West Palm Beach doesn't seem to attract as many deadbeats or down-on-their-luck types as much as other Florida cities such as Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Myers, et al., probably because it's a more expensive place to live than most other cities in Florida. I guess that keeps the riffraff out to a certain extent, but there are a lot of shady and downright dangerous areas in the West Palm Beach area (i.e., Riviera Beach).

Overall, it's much more difficult to meet people and makes friends in West Palm Beach than in Dallas. I'm speaking from firsthand experience, as I've lived in both areas as a young professional.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Just be mindful that people in the West Palm Beach area are much less friendly, gregarious, and polite than folks in Dallas, and most just want to be left alone.

Also, there are far fewer young professionals in the West Palm Beach area than in DFW, which is loaded with young professionals. That said, most of the young professionals in Palm Beach County are attorneys, accountants, or financial planners working at their father, grandfather, and/or uncle's firms, so not a lot of friendly/pleasant types.

Not only do most PBC kids in their 20's and 30's work for a family business, but most grew up there in a fancy country club, so the prevailing mentality is very spoiled/entitled. Most simply never had to work hard for anything and had a lot handed to them, which is very different from DFW, where you have lots of young professionals who move there from all over and to launch their career and forge an identity for themselves.

This really is a bunch of crap, sorry. Mostly your insistence on using the word "most," which is demonstrably untrue. Are there many who are so situated? Undoubtedly. But MOST is pure hyperbole, given that so much of our population comes from somewhere else originally. When meeting someone from the first time the question will inevitably be, "so where are you from?"

As someone who has lived and worked in West Palm as a "young professional" for a number of years, and who actually has hired a few to work in my firm, I am happy to report that NONE are related to the boss. They come from all around - many New York, many from elsewhere in Florida, and a strangely large number from Ohio. And you will find that the practice of law in general is full of country-club types who get an "in" at their relative's firm, all over the country. But there aren't enough country club types to fill all the jobs.


I also have a fairly diverse group of friends in a number of fields. MOST have come from somewhere else, and NONE got a job because of daddy or Uncle Richie.

I can't speak for how it is in Dallas, but let's also recall that WPB metro is less than 1.5 million people, compared to DFW with many many more.

[klaucka]

I agree with TriMT7. This area certainly has issues but the rude people thing is totally overblown and way off base. I moved here from Dallas two years ago. From the east coast originally so Im probably immune (and actually like) the east coast attitude here as I find it more real and ironically more accepting than the DFW area. Yes people are more polite and less rushed in Dallas but this doesnt mean they are going to invite you over to dinner or means they are someone you would click with from a friends perspective. I found that you had to be of a certain type to fit in there - i.e., married with kids or if you are in your 20s of the sorority girl type. I definitely havent had any issue making good friends here and as mentioned before since most people are from somewhere else I found people very open to making new friends. Definitely dont buy into the everyone is a jerk here hype. Total b.s.