Boca Raton Apartments and Rentals

When you think of Boca Raton, you likely picture lounging on the beach beneath warm ocean breezes. This sedate city in South Florida definitely delivers on that score. It's an affluent part of the state, with strict building codes that keep the city spiffy. All told, the architecture and attitude here make Boca Raton apartments an excellent antidote to winter blues.

Boca Raton actually means "mouse mouth" in Spanish. This city likely earned that name for the shape of an inlet near where the town was founded. Boca really took off in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom. That's when architect Addison Mizner's distinctive pink and orange style came to town-a style that's still mimicked today. IBM built a large complex in Boca in the '60s and the city continued its trajectory towards affluence. Today, Boca Raton is a safe, quiet city known for keeping neat and tidy.

While Boca Raton may seem to sprawl out for quite a ways, the majority of what the postal service calls Boca Raton is actually outside the city limits. Depending on what you're considering Boca, you'd include communities such as Boca Del Mar, Mission Bay, and Sandalfoot Cove in your apartment search.

While the IBM complex is no longer operating in Boca Raton, other employers have come along to fill the void. Office Depot has its global headquarters in town, as does GEO Group. Other major hirers in Boca include Boca Raton Resort and Florida Atlantic University. The University-part of the State University System of Florida-is joined by a few other local higher education options. Those are Lynn University, Palm Beach State College, and Digital Media Arts College.

If you're headed to Boca, you better bring your wallet. Living in this city will cost you over a third more than the national norm. Rents aren't too horrible, however. Expect to pay between $1,011 and $1,381 for a one-bedroom Boca Raton apartment. The other piece of good news for renters is the high vacancy rate in town. More than 17 percent of properties are unoccupied here.

While Boca may be an affluent city, its biggest attraction is free-that's the beach. Check out Spanish River Beach to hang with the younger crowd or visit Red Reef Park for snorkeling. The Boca Raton Museum of Art is another good place to start, as is the Morikami Museum of Japanese art and culture. If you want to catch a concert, there are three different amphitheaters in Boca. The city also has cinemas, stages, and a bowling alley. If you want to attend a sporting event, the Florida Atlantic University football team plays in a 30,000-seat stadium here.

As a quieter city, Boca isn't too chaotic with fairs and festivals. That said, there are a few highlights of the annual calendar that are worth watching for. The Boca Bacchanal brings a weekend of wine and food to town in March. The Chamber of Commerce's Annual Celebration is another highlight of the social season. Boca Fest, a long-running community arts festival, hits in January.

Let Rent.com® help you get settled in your new Boca Raton apartment. Take a look through our apartment listings and you'll be well on your way to finding your next home.