Wealthy Home Buyers Are Flocking to Jupiter—and Not Just for the Golf

Professional golfers and quality courses helped turn the Florida city into the sport’s mecca, but people move to the area for other reasons, too

By: Jessica Flint – Wall Street Journal
June 1, 2025
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On southeastern Florida’s Atlantic Ocean coast is Palm Beach County, a roughly 50-mile-long stretch with about 40 intertwining communities, ranging from cities to hamlets. Toward the northern end is Jupiter, with a population of about 61,000. The beachy city with a classic Old Florida feel is a mecca for golfers, especially professional ones. “There are at least 75 PGA Tour players in this area,” says Brad Faxon, an eight-time PGA Tour Champion and Jupiter local. The city has nine golf clubs and around a dozen-and-half golf courses, according to Palm Beach County Sports Commission; about 133 more courses are elsewhere in Palm Beach County. Many of Jupiter’s courses are within private, exclusive country clubs, where initiation fees can go as high as close to $1 million. Still, golf isn’t the only reason people live in Jupiter. Residents also seek it out for favorable taxes, good schools and proximity to multiple airports.

Yes, it has great golf

“It isn’t just about the volume of golf in Jupiter, but also the quality,” says Joe Steranka, the former CEO of PGA of America, who also notes that the area has extraordinary practice facilities. The climate is suitable for year-round golfing. Golfers circumvent summer’s heat and afternoon thunderstorms by playing in the morning.

It’s outdoorsy, with water activities at its core

“People live on the coast for a reason,” says Brad Faxon’s wife, Dory Faxon, who is a Jupiter-based Compass real-estate agent. The city’s specific location along the Gulf Stream, which is a warm ocean current that provides the area with clear, aquamarine blue water, makes beach-going, boating, surfing and fishing all the more appealing.

Its vibe is laid-back

The lifestyle is more relaxed as compared with Palm Beach, a swanky, old-money enclave. It’s also less congested and more suburban in contrast to West Palm Beach, a hub of finance and culture that is also the county’s biggest city, with a population of around 128,000. “Jupiter is its own cutout piece of Florida,” says Jason Becker, CEO of Golf Life Navigators, an online platform that connects golfers to clubs and communities.

Who is buying

Aside from professional golfers, the city attracts buyers from the U.S.’s northeast corridor, including New York; Washington, D.C.; and Boston, according to Redfin data. Many also come from California, especially San Francisco and Los Angeles.

What they’re buying

The city has an abundance of options for single family homes and condos, and what properties that people covet depends on their lifestyle preferences, says Dory Faxon. Some people want a bigger waterfront property with boat access; others prefer to live in a golf club community. There are also houses in typical gated communities or old-school neighborhoods in addition to beachfront condos.

What they’re paying

“The price point is broad,” says Leland Rykse, a Jupiter-based real estate agent with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. Luxury properties can list around $50 million to $70 million, whereas there are also typical midmarket options. Jupiter’s median sale price was $717,500 in March 2025, according to Redfin.

What about home insurance?

“Florida has incurred six landfalling hurricanes over the past three seasons, so it’s essential to have adequate insurance coverage if you live in a coastal community like Jupiter,” says Sean Kevelighan, CEO of the Insurance Information Institute, a national trade group. He says this means purchasing property insurance with windstorm coverage, as well as flood insurance.

Advice for the buyer

Broadly speaking, people think Florida is flooded with inventory,” Rykse says. “The truth is we’ve gotten back to prepandemic levels.” He says buyers should be realistic about the deals that they think they can get. “It’s a healthier buying environment now than it was during the pandemic,” he says. “Things are sitting a little longer. But prices are still up year-over-year.”