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One of my really good friends lives there and I went to visit two summers ago. It was so awesome! I can put you in touch with her if you'd like. She's almost 30.

It's seemed expensive to live there but the neighborhoods are small and cute and quaint. Huge dichotomy between super rich old people and everyone else. There's lots of amazing hole in the wall food--jamaican, etc. Very diverse area. My friend does yoga, paddleboarding, lots of active type stuff. We rode bikes to the beach, which was awesome.

Well i know the library offers free yoga and she goes to that I do know that people are very into being organic/natural/etc there. She's found numerous health conscious kindred spirits

I'm sure coming from downtown DC it will be cheaper, but not very cheap by any means. I would consider WPB one of the more expensive places to live in FL. There are all kinds of areas down there and many are very pricey.

I know lots of young people and families that live down there. I wouldn't worry too much about the old people at all.

@dc yoga bee: If we ever move again, it'll be down there Everything is just so beautiful! Gardens is suburban, and I know they have some nice yoga studios. I actually looked up a few on our last trip (trying to stay in shape for a half marathon!) But I never got a chance to go.

Good luck!

I got to live there one winter, an while I wasn't paying for anything (I was there working and expenses were covered), it is absolutely my favourite spot in Florida. Such an exciting opportunity for you!

I moved with my family from DC to a suburb of WPB called a Wellington about 15 years ago.

Depending on how long of a commute you are willing to embark on I would suggest Wellington- good public schools, there are two pilates studios. The other decent areas to live in and around WPB, which is actually kind of crummy include western Delray or Boynton Beach. Most of the people I know with school aged children send their kids to private school or somehow get them in Boca Raton public schools, if they are not already in Wellington. Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton are really nice areas to live as well, but they take further away from the center of WPB. Home insurance is quite expensive, so while you can get a beautiful older, Florida style home close to the intercostal (waterway before you reach barrier islands and ocean) the cost to insure may be cost prohibitive.

The further south you go or at least being close to a highway makes it easy to navigate to other South Florida cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

I live about 20 mins south of WPB! I think you may find it more expensive than you expected. I am not from south FL, just moved here a few years ago. I have found housing prices, food, gas, etc. to be pretty expensive.

Where we live... a LOT of old people. LOL. We are about to move to a more kid friendly neighborhood. People are pretty rude down here, I find, but I'm a Southerner so that my color my perspective.

Traffic is horrible all the time, especially from Oct - May. That's "snowbird season." It just takes a long time to get anywhere.

The weather is gorgeous, of course, pretty much all year round. It's pretty nasty and sticky in the summer, but it's like that everywhere. Just take a DC summer and add some more humidity.

Keep in mind also that insurance for everything (car, homeowner, etc.) is more expensive than anywhere else in the country. If you buy a house, you have to deal with hurricane issues (make sure you have hurricane shutters, etc.), pool issues (most houses have them), etc.

There is a lot of great culture, places to eat, shopping, etc. in WPB. And you can drive to Miami and Fort Lauderdale for more culture things. I much prefer the WPB area than Fort Lauderdale/Miami - it's definitely quieter and way less seedy. Downtown WPB is really nice.

Someone suggested Wellington, which is nice, but I would DEFINITELY encourage you to rent for a year down here and decide where you want to live based on traffic. You may think "oh, living 15 or 20 miles away isn't so bad" but change your mind once you're here and stuck in traffic a lot.

You're also an easy 2.5 hour drive to Orlando, which is awesome for going to Disney, Universal, Canaveral space center, etc.

If you have any questions, you can ask me!

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@dc yoga bee:

@dc yoga bee: I agree with all that @Mraads said, I live 30 mins north of WPB

One of my best friends grew up here with me and lives in DC now and says it is way more expensive in DC!

My sister is actually moving to that area this summer and she was looking at adorable townhomes in Wellington, and Jupiter area 2br 2b 1,400-2,000 a month not as bad as DC

Best of luck to you!!!!!

@AmeliaBedilia: John G's is the best.

We have found eating out for seafood is often less expensive than buying it at the grocery store.

@wheres_c: agree with you on the sprawl. Once you're in a community, be it Wellington or Gardens, etc the surroundings look nice, otherwise the roads and city leading into downtown WPB are an eye sore.