Lake Park, Westlake Add $880M in Taxable Value, Fastest in PBC
Lake Park's taxable value jumped 38.7% and Westlake's 23.7%, both far ahead of Palm Beach County's 7.35% countywide gain on the 2026 tax roll.
Lake Park and Westlake, two of Palm Beach County’s smaller inland and northern towns, added a combined $880.9 million in taxable value on the county property appraiser’s 2026 preliminary tax roll, the fastest growth rate of any municipality in the county.
Why it matters
Taxable value growth is a leading indicator of where entitlement fights, impact fee revenue and buyer demand are headed next, and both towns are running more than three times the countywide pace. Lake Park’s jump is concentrated in one project, Forest Development’s 24 story, 330 unit Nautilus 220 condominium towers on the Intracoastal, whose preliminary value the appraiser’s office put in a separate media release at $400.9 million. Westlake’s growth reflects a newer municipality, built out from the former Minto West community west of Royal Palm Beach, still filling in its tax base with fresh construction rather than one anchor project. For developers scanning Palm Beach County for the next site, both towns are now case studies in how a single large vertical project or a young platted community can outrun the county average almost overnight.
The numbers
Lake Park’s taxable value rose from $1.29 billion in 2025 to $1.79 billion in 2026, a 38.74% increase, according to the Property Appraiser’s 2026 Preliminary Taxable Value report. Westlake rose from $1.61 billion to $1.99 billion, up 23.73%. Palm Beach County as a whole grew 7.35%, from $342.2 billion to $367.4 billion. No other municipality in the county’s 40-plus taxing authorities posted a percent change higher than Westlake’s, making the two towns first and second countywide.
What’s next
The figures are preliminary. Municipalities had until early July to flag errors, and property owners can formally contest their assessments through the Value Adjustment Board before the roll is certified later this year, a process that can trim the final numbers. Lake Park and Westlake officials will use the preliminary figures to set proposed millage rates ahead of TRIM notices, with the certified roll due later in 2026.