Palm Coast vs. Ormond Beach: which is right for you?

Established vs. still growing

Ormond Beach was incorporated in 1880, wintered John D. Rockefeller at The Casements, and calls itself the Birthplace of Speed for the early auto races on its beach. Its neighborhoods are established, many under big live oaks, and it has grown only about 4 percent since 2020. Palm Coast incorporated in 1999 from ITT's planned community and has grown about 23 percent since 2020, so most of its homes are newer and there's far more new construction.

Beachside or mainland

Ormond is split by the Halifax River. The beachside (32176) runs along A1A between the river and the ocean, and the mainland (32174) holds the Main Street district along Granada Boulevard and the neighborhoods to the west, with newer golf communities such as Plantation Bay past I-95. Palm Coast's equivalent split is the barrier island (Hammock Dunes, Ocean Hammock) versus everything west of the Intracoastal. My post on Ormond beachside vs. mainland goes deeper.

Things to do

Ormond's Main Street district runs about 1.8 miles along Granada Boulevard with more than 150 local businesses, and the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail is a National Scenic Byway through old-Florida hammock. Tomoka State Park is on the north side of town. Palm Coast's strength is the outdoors on a bigger scale: 130-plus miles of connected trails, a dozen city parks, golf, and saltwater canals to the Intracoastal.

Taxes and costs

Ormond's total tax rate inside city limits was 16.3635 mills for 2025 against 18.1746 in Palm Coast, about $181 less per $100,000 of taxable value. Ormond's 2026 proposed rate rose slightly and Palm Coast's 2026 total dipped to 18.1218, so the gap is a little smaller this year. Both cities run their own water and sewer and both use FPL for electricity. On the same home price, Ormond usually wins on taxes; Palm Coast usually wins on the age and size of the home.

Storms

Neither town escaped the 2022 and 2024 storms. Hurricane Ian flooded an estimated 15 to 20 percent of Ormond's streets at its peak, especially along the Halifax River, and Milton brought roof damage and flooding again. In Palm Coast, Milton pushed the saltwater canals 23 inches over their banks. Flood risk is street by street in both, so I check the flood zone, elevation certificate and insurance quote for every home before you make an offer.