Known as Lake Worth until voters approved the Lake Worth Beach name in 2019, the city stretches from the lagoon that gives it its name across to a municipal beach on the barrier island. Its historic districts, including College Park and Old Lucerne, are full of wood-frame houses from the 1910s through the 1940s.
When water, smoke or storm damage hits, call (866) 937-3230. We run a referral line, and our job is to point you toward an independent restoration contractor working near the lagoon. We don't do repairs, can't promise a particular company will be free and don't set prices. Read how it works and the referral disclosure for more.
Lagoon, sandy soils and a century of hurricanes
The city sits at about 16 feet of elevation with Lake Worth Lagoon, now a saltwater estuary carrying the Intracoastal Waterway, along its east side and Lake Osborne to the west. Wikipedia describes the soils as mostly poorly drained, acidic sands, and the climate as tropical monsoon, a type found almost nowhere else in the lower 48.
Storm history here is long. The 1928 Okeechobee hurricane destroyed about 600 homes and damaged 1,500 more; the 1947 and 1949 hurricanes damaged hundreds of houses again. Frances and Jeanne in 2004 damaged the municipal pier, and Wilma in 2005 destroyed 27 homes and damaged 2,491. FEMA has since included Palm Beach County in declarations for Fay (2008), Isaac (2012), Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Dorian (2019), Ian and Nicole (2022) and Milton (2024).
Old cottages, new leaks
Century-old frame cottages often have raised wood floors, older galvanized or cast-iron plumbing and roofs that have been patched many times. When a pipe fails under the floor, water can sit unseen in the crawlspace and soften joists. Newer homes and condos deal more with water heater failures, AC condensate overflows and supply-line bursts.
For water damage restoration in Lake Worth Beach, a contractor will generally stop the leak, extract water, check framing and subfloor with moisture meters and set up drying equipment. In historic homes, ask how they plan to save original wood flooring and trim before anything is torn out. Follow-up water damage repair can then match older materials.
Federal disaster declarations that included Palm Beach County
FEMA records show Palm Beach County was included in 13 major disaster declarations for weather or fire events from 2000 through 2026 (12 hurricane, 1 severe storm, by FEMA incident type). Declarations are made at the county level, so they do not mean every neighborhood in Lake Worth was affected. The most recent:
- 2024 – Hurricane Milton (DR-4834)
- 2022 – Hurricane Nicole (DR-4680)
- 2022 – Hurricane Ian (DR-4673)
- 2019 – Hurricane Dorian (DR-4468)
- 2017 – Hurricane Irma (DR-4337)
- 2016 – Hurricane Matthew (DR-4283)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved 2026-10-10. Counts include major disaster (DR) declarations with hurricane, flood, severe storm, tropical storm, fire, tornado, coastal storm, winter or ice storm, mudslide and dam/levee incident types.
Water, fire or storm damage in Lake Worth?
Call (866) 937-3230 and tell us what happened at your Lake Worth property.
Fire and smoke in wood-frame houses
Older frame houses can let smoke travel quickly through attics, wall cavities and the gap beneath raised floors. Soot settles on plaster, wood paneling and window glass, and odor lingers in porous materials. Companies providing soot removal and odor treatment generally test surfaces first, then clean, seal or replace as needed.
Keep doors closed to unaffected rooms, and avoid scrubbing soot with water, which can drive it deeper into porous surfaces.
Wind, surge and stormwater along the lagoon
Properties near the lagoon and on the beach side face storm surge and wave action, while inland streets can pond when poorly drained soils are saturated. Any water that came in from outside should be handled as contaminated, with soaked drywall, carpet and insulation removed.
Look for providers that offer storm damage cleanup and flood damage restoration, including roof tarping, debris removal and drying. Before anything is thrown out, record it on video for your claim.
Mold under raised floors and in closed rooms
Humid air, shaded crawlspaces and older homes without modern vapor barriers create good conditions for mold. After a leak or storm, wet materials should be dried within about 48 hours. EPA guidance treats growth covering more than about 10 square feet as a job for trained remediators.
A mold remediation company should be able to explain how it will contain the area, what it will remove and how it will address crawlspace moisture.
Before you go back inside
- Call 911 for fire, smoke, gas odors, downed lines or injuries.
- Check for sagging ceilings or soft floors before walking through older homes after a leak.
- Use AlertPBC and zone information from Palm Beach County Emergency Management, especially if you live east of the lagoon.
- Photograph every room and keep receipts for emergency purchases.
- Talk with your insurer or agent; coverage depends on your policy, and flood generally requires a separate policy.
Neighborhoods and nearby communities
Areas in and around Lake Worth that callers often mention include:
- Bryant Park
- College Park
- Downtown Jewel
- Eden Place
- Lake Cove
- Mango Groves
- Memorial Park
- Murray Hills
- Parrot Cove
- Pineapple Beach
- ROLO
- Royal Poinciana
- South Palm Park
- Sunset Ridge
- Tropical Ridge
- Vernon Heights
- Whispering Palms
- Osborne Colored Addition
Nearby communities with their own pages (straight-line distance from Lake Worth):
- Greenacres · 3 mi
- Boynton Beach · 6 mi
- West Palm Beach · 7 mi
- Delray Beach · 11 mi
- Wellington · 11 mi
- Riviera Beach · 11 mi
Lake Worth restoration FAQs
Is Lake Worth the same as Lake Worth Beach?
Yes. The city was incorporated as Lake Worth and renamed Lake Worth Beach after a 2019 ballot measure. Unincorporated areas to the west still carry Lake Worth mailing addresses but are outside city limits.
Which past hurricanes hit the city hardest?
Wikipedia highlights the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, which destroyed about 600 homes, and Wilma in 2005, which destroyed 27 homes and damaged 2,491. The 1947 and 1949 storms and the 2004 pair of Frances and Jeanne also caused notable damage.
My 1920s cottage has a wet crawlspace. What should I do?
Find and stop the source if you can, and keep people off soft or sagging floors. Water under raised floors can damage joists and invite mold. Call (866) 937-3230 for a referral to an independent contractor who can assess and dry the area.
Where can I check my evacuation zone?
Palm Beach County Emergency Management provides Know Your Zone information, shelter details and AlertPBC sign-up on its website.
Restoration guides
- Water Damage Restoration
- Water Damage Repair
- Storm Damage Cleanup
- Flood Damage Restoration
- Mold Remediation
- Soot Removal