What Makes Palm Coast and Flagler County So Unique?

St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the nation’s oldest continuously occupied city. In Flagler County, 25 miles south, half of all homes were built after Palm Coast became a city, less than 15 yrs ago.

Palm Coast, FL – September 19, 2014 – Palm Coast and Flagler County are unique in several ways, not the least of which is their stark contrast to nearby St. Augustine. Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the nation’s oldest continuously occupied city. Palm Coast was non-existent until the early 1970s. It now boasts nearly 80,000 residents. It incorporated as a city at the turn of the century. Not yet 15 years old, it is one of the nation’s newest cities.

The median year built for Flagler County homes is 2000. For the City of Palm Coast, it’s 2001. A 2009 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau found that the median year built for all U.S. homes was 1975. Fewer than 15% were built after 2000. Certainly, that measure has risen slightly since 2009, but not by much. Homebuilders haven’t been very active in the intervening years. Palm Coast was just being born in 1975.

My point is that U.S. homes are more than twice as old as those in the Palm Coast metro area (which includes all of Flagler County).

Because they are newer, local homes are more likely to be in tune with current homebuyer needs and style trends, including:

  • Energy efficiency
  • Up to date floor plans with large kitchens, great rooms, larger baths and more storage
  • Increased storm resistance
  • Safety, since substantial building code changes were introduced a decade ago

Palm Coast and its newer surrounding developments are master-planned communities, with all the benefits that accrue with modern planning. Residential units are clustered, preserving wetlands and leaving plenty of space for recreational and leisure activities. I am always struck as I drive west over the toll bridge when I look out and see mostly tree canopy with few buildings in sight. It’s incredible that nearly 80,000 people live in Palm Coast.

  • With few exceptions (e.g. Florida Park Drive), homes are built on residential streets in quiet neighborhoods, not on thoroughfares.
  • Twenty-three miles of salt water canals create 46 miles of salt water canal frontage with access to the Intracoastal Waterway. Several canal lots are still available
  • The Intracoastal Waterway traverses the county north to south
  • Miles of beaches with plenty of public access and parking
  • Miles of trails for walking or bicycling
  • And of course, there is the weather

The housing recovery is beginning to suffer in some parts of the country due to a shortage in building lots. Because Palm Coast and Flagler County ranked ‘fastest growing’ in the past decade, we are blessed with plenty of “approved” development areas. There are 24,358 platted vacant residential lots in the county; half of them within the City of Palm Coast. These lots are mostly “shovel-ready,” awaiting only a building permit. In addition, there are several un-platted developments approved for additional residential and commercial growth.

Discover Palm Coast

Flagler County Parks

Use the Comments section below to suggest other ways in which our area is special to you or share with GoToby readers the reasons you chose to live here.

Be sure to tune into WNZF Radio (1550 AM) for my new radio show, “Real Estate Matters,” on Sunday mornings at 9:00. This week’s guest is Suzanne Johnston, Flagler County Tax Collector.

3 replies
  1. David Alfin
    David Alfin says:

    Florida Agricultural Museum & Princess Place

    Come out and visit our beautiful outdoors at these magnificent areas. Take a walk or ride a horse and enjoy a natural lifestyle!

  2. Groot
    Groot says:

    Palm Coast a good place to retire!

    I would like to add that while St Augustine is a nice community, it’s chock full of tourists. Palm Coast is close to St Augustine but few tourist. Not that there is anything wrong with tourists but, well try living with it for a while. Palm Coast a good place to retire!

  3. George Edward Chuddy
    George Edward Chuddy says:

    The Palm Coast Project

    What Palm Coast is:

    Palm Coast is a planned community on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. It is being developed by I.T.T. Community Development Corporation.
    Palm Coast is not a dream. It is becoming reality right now. Over $14 Million is being spent to help protect the environment at Palm Coast.
    This is the kind of community where you can live an active, comfortable, serene life – in one of the most beautiful places on earth – with thousands and thousands of protected acres all about you throughout the community.

    Palm Coast is one of the largest new proposed communities in Florida’s History !

    Distances indicated are from the location mentioned to the Welcome Center. Each purchaser should check the exact location of the property being offered him in relation to the Welcome Center.

    Where Palm Coast is

    Palm Coast is located 43 miles south of St. Augustine and 24 miles north of Daytona Beach. To picture it, imagine a beautiful semi-tropical land where the hubbub of crowded cities seems far, far away. A potential area of about 100,000 acres along more than 17 miles of Intracoastal Waterway and over 5 miles along the sandy Atlantic Ocean. A place with tranquil bays and coves. A place with clean air, soft breezes and the Florida sun shining down.
    Within Palm Coast there are many fresh-water lakes, ponds and streams. Over 15,000 acres are being set aside for proposed parks and green recreation areas. All this offers a new and varied way of life for you and your family. With songbirds as neighbors and all outdoors as your playground.

    The advantages of choosing land now

    Every year more and more people are attracted to the Palm Coast area by the favorable climate, low cost of living and lower tax structure. ( No state personal income tax. No local income tax.)
    Look into Palm Coast now, while you are assured of paying today’s prices; that could be very important, considering the history of desirable Florida land.
    The number of future honesties at Palm Coast is limited to an average of 2.7 dwellings per gross acre. So no matter which future site you choose, you will enjoy your privacy. No wonder about 34,000 families have already decided on Palm Coast as part of their future.
    Find out now how you can become a landowner at Palm Coast. Mail the attached postage – paid card today. There is absolutely no obligation on your part.

    What you’ll live in at Palm Coast

    Palm Coast offers a variety of home styles to choose from – designed to meet the needs of both small and large families. Complete with basic landscaping, utilities, appliances, and central air conditioning. Prices range from $ 23,990 for the San Remo to $30,500 for the Boca Rio to $ 32,500 for the elegant Ponce De Leon ( Palm Coast offers you 8 beautiful homes to select from ).
    Literally nothing has been overlooked to offer the ultimate in comfort and contemporary Florida living.
    The Florida Division of Health requires a homesite to have either a skeptic tank or central sewerage. AT this time neither can be assured on all lots. See offering statement for further details.
    If neither is available at time of home construction, the companywill refund all monies paid to it.
    * Prices do not include cost of lot, and are subject to change without notice.

    Be our guest
    Visit Palm Coast

    Stop at the Bonterra Boat Dock on route A1A ( 24 miles south of St. Augustine ) or our Welcome Center on Route 100 ( Just east of I-95).

    Read Property Visitation Program ( reverse side ) for details about complimentary tours and tickets to leading Florida Attractions.

    Palm Coast is

    Planned by ITT Community Development Corporation.

    Located on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, 43 miles south of St. Augustine, 24 miles north of Daytona Beach.

    A potential of about 100,000 acres with more than 17 miles along the Intracoastal waterway and over 5 miles along the sandy Atlantic Ocean.

    A planned Community with land set aside for proposed schools, shopping centers, and other public and community facilities.

    A better place, a better life, a better way..

    What Palm Coast has to offer

    Stepping into your backyard at Palm Coast is like stepping into a year-’round vacationland.
    You can go sailing, swimming, play tennis or golf.
    Our $ 600,000 Yacht Club and Marina is completed and is now in use. Our first Golf Course and Tennis Courts are already open for play.
    ( Membership rates and fees for recreational facilities are available upon request.)
    There is bicycling, water skiing, miles of quiet walking trails and superb fresh – water and salt-water fishing. Palm Coast is truly a living example of a complete community where you and your family can live and grow. Besides all the leisure activities you could want, parcels of land have been set aside for proposed schools, shopping centers, and other public and community needs.
    Palm Coast is more than just an ideal location with a comfortable climate. It will be a great place to live and build a future. Florida is one of the fastest growing states in America. In fact, Flagler County, in which Palm Coast is locates, reports assessed property values have climbed 60 % from January 1969 to January 1973, according to the County’s Tax Assessor. All of these factors make Palm Coast a great place to live and raise a family. To retire. Or have a vacation home.

    ************************************************************
    My Family and I made multiple purchases before ‘ The Palm Coast Project’ opened in ‘ The Palm Harbor Community ‘ of Palm Coast. We made these purchases largely due to the reputation of ‘ Levitt ‘ in conjunction to the Developer Amenties being offered to us for Palm Coast. The above is one of the Advertising Promos used to sell Palm Coast. It was given to us at the Palm Coast SunSport Oceanside Beach Club and it is perhaps advertising from at/around 1973; perhaps now one of a kind Historical Ephemera which I remain a Steward of. We hope it helps convey some of the earliest elements of ‘ The Palm Coast Project ‘ and hopefully will be helpful for Realtors in their promotion of Palm Coast today.

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