Highland Beach is a very small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Florida. With a population of 4,266 people and two associated neighborhoods, Highland Beach is the 298th largest community in Florida.

Highland Beach home prices are not only among the most expensive in Florida, but Highland Beach real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Of important note, Highland Beach is also a town of artists. Highland Beach has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Highland Beach’s character.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 37.65% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Highland Beach is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Highland Beach’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

In addition, Highland Beach is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

The overall crime rate in Highland Beach is one of the lowest in the US. This makes it one of the safer places to live in the country in terms of crime.

One of the nice things about Highland Beach is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

If knowledge is power, Highland Beach is a pretty powerful place. 74.20% of the adults in Highland Beach have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

The per capita income in Highland Beach in 2022 was $144,249, which is wealthy relative to Florida and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $576,996 for a family of four.

Highland Beach is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Highland Beach home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Highland Beach residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Highland Beach include Italian, German, Irish, Russian, and English.

Highland Beach also has a high percentage of its population that was born in another country: 15.18%.

The most common language spoken in Highland Beach is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and French.