Boca Raton 55+ Communities 

One of the most affluent cities in the country, Boca Raton is the second-largest municipality in Palm Beach County, FL, West Palm Beach is the largest.  All of the Boca Raton 55+ communities are governed by an association, with monthly dues ranging from around $100 on the low end and over $3,000 on the high end.  There are contemporary condominiums, Mediterranean-inspired villas, mid-century co-ops, and traditionally styled ranch single-family homes, to name only a few.  As of April 2020, Boca Raton's population was approx. 97,422, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with the addition of around two hundred thousand residents in West Boca.

Boca Raton Lifestyle

Residents of Boca Raton 55+ Communities enjoy numerous opportunities for outdoor activities.  The city of Boca Raton offers 1,650 acres of recreation space, with 47 parks and 5 miles of Atlantic shoreline.  On the ocean alone, there are a handful of phenomenal parks.  Spanish River Park offers a dog-friendly portion on the north end.  Gumbo Limbo Nature Preserve features a butterfly garden, aquariums, and boardwalk.  Red Reef recently enhanced their snorkel trail, and South Inlet Park attracts anglers from all over.  Mizner Park is home to the Boca Raton Museum of Art and various top-tiered restaurants and shops, with an enormous outdoor Amphitheater hosting live music and comedy events.

According to the City of Boca Raton Florida's website, "The mission of the City of Boca Raton is to responsibly provide outstanding services to enhance our unique quality of life." with this vision: "Boca Raton - a beautiful, prosperous, safe, and vibrant coastal community."  Boca Raton offers exclusivity, elegance, class, and style, continuing to stay on-brand with Mizner's original theme for the city.  Browse Boca Raton 55+ Communities here - adjust the search perimeters on the left to reflect Yes-verified under the 55+ community portion.  Happy browsing!

Boca Raton History

The Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum mentions that maps from the 1700s illustrate that at first, "Boca de Ratones"- a navigational term for a rocky and jagged inlet- was located in current-day Biscayne Bay in Miami Beach.  Eventually, the City of "Boca Raton"  was incorporated in May of 1925, where it sits on the Atlantic Coast today, north of Deerfield Beach and south of Delray Beach.  Before the completion of the Florida East Coast Canal, today's Intracoastal, and the Florida East Coast Railway, the Glades, a native tribe, were the earliest inhabitants of the area, dating back to around 1,000 years prior.

In the early 1900s, the eastern area was home to a quaint agricultural community, primarily farming pineapples.  In 1904, a group of Japanese settlers led by Jo Sakai settled in Northern Boca Raton, Southern Delray Beach.  This agricultural colony was named "Yamato" - a revered name in Japan.  The settlement later attracts George Morikami, whose namesake and donation of over 200 acres of land makes the beautiful Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens still attract people from all over the world today.

Addison Mizner became known as the official "town planner" within a year of Boca Raton's incorporation in the mid-1920s.  Mizner's resume included little formal training, but an apprenticeship with prominent with Willis Polk, a significant force in the development of the city of San Francisco, and had a decade of experience working on the architect of country homes on Long Island.  He was known for themes and styles reminiscent of the Mediterranean and Spanish Revival architectural look and feel.

Mizner wanted to make Boca Raton the number one resort city destination.  He started the Mizner Development Company raising $5 million in stock, $500,000 set aside for the average Florida citizen.  The rest sold to notable figures such as Harold Vanderbilt, the Dutchess of Sutherland, Madame Frances Aida, Paris Singer, and Irving Berlin, to name a few.  He began with the city buildings.  The original town hall is now home to the Boca Raton History Building.  Constructed in 1926, the Ritz Carlton Cloister Inn designed by Mizner today is home to The Boca Raton Resort & Club.  Sadly, most of Addison Mizner's dreams did not reach fruition.  In 1927 the Mizner Development Company went bankrupt after the Miami Hurricane of 1926 and the end of the Florida land boom.

1930's And On

During World War Two, land from the Yamato Colony became the Boca Raton Army Air Force Base.  The base became known for training radar operators and B-29 bomber crews.  Later the land was donated to one of the first public universities in the State, Florida Atlantic University, established in Boca Raton in 1961, with the first students attending in 1964.  In the early 1950s, Boca Raton featured two amusement parks.  Present-day Camino Gardens subdivision, Africa U.S.A. - running from 1953 to 1961, was the first open-air, no cage, wildlife attraction.  The entrance to Camino Gardens showcases remnants of Africa U.S.A. such as a red wooden bridge and a 30-foot waterfall.  Ancient America, the other amusement park constructed around an actual native American burial mound, ran from 1953 to 1959.

Today, residents and visitors can view the Barnhill Mound from the Boca Marina and Yacht Club on U.S. 1 near Yamato.  In 1981, the first personal computer by IBM was unveiled at the Boca Raton Campus - at one point the largest employer in the city.  Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the City of Boca Raton was focused on Redevelopment.  Architecturally inspired by the Mediterranean Suburban Town Center design, in 1991, Mizner Park finished construction where the old Boca Raton mall once sat.

Scroll down to peruse the gorgeous homes for sale in one of the gorgeous Boca Raton 55+ Communities.  Find all you need to know in one place!

• Find out how much the HOA fees are and what they cover.
• Review association restrictions on pets and vehicles.
• Learn about the design and construction.
• Discover community amenities.
• Explore restaurants, nightlife, things to do, transportation, and hospitals in the surrounding area.