Palm Beach Shores' housing stock is dominated by beachfront and waterfront condominiums and apartments, a product of its mid-century resort development and its narrow, buildable peninsula. The town has little room for large single-family tracts, so residences tend toward mid-rise condominium buildings with ocean, inlet, or Intracoastal views. This creates a market character centered on vacation-style and seasonal living, though a core of full-time residents remains. The compact footprint and direct beach access distinguish it from the larger inland communities of northern Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach Shores is small enough that its "neighborhoods" are really a few blocks of beachfront condominiums and waterfront streets, all within walking distance of the ocean and the marina. The town sits at the southern end of Singer Island, with the Blue Heron Bridge connecting it north to Riviera Beach and the mainland. Homes and buildings line the Atlantic beach on one side and the lagoon and inlet on the other, giving nearly every address a waterfront orientation and reinforcing the town's resort feel.

Life in Palm Beach Shores revolves around the beach and the water. Mornings on the Atlantic shoreline, afternoons at the marina, and boat runs to Peanut Island are part of the town's everyday rhythm, and the atmosphere is relaxed and resort-paced. The Sailfish Marina doubles as a social hub, with waterfront dining and market evenings. While the town itself is quiet, West Palm Beach's dining, arts, and nightlife are minutes away across the inlet, so residents can enjoy a small-town, barefoot existence with a major urban center close at hand.

Palm Beach Shores is part of the School District of Palm Beach County, one of the largest school districts in Florida and the nation. Students attend district schools in the surrounding Riviera Beach and northern Palm Beach County area. The district's scale gives households access to a wide range of programs, magnet options, and specialized academies, though the town itself is primarily a residential and resort community rather than a school-centered one.

Palm Beach Shores is reached by the Blue Heron Boulevard bridge (the Jerry Thomas Memorial Bridge) from Riviera Beach and the mainland, connecting Singer Island to Interstate 95 and the broader region. The Lake Worth Inlet and Port of Palm Beach lie immediately to the south, and West Palm Beach is a short drive away. Palm Beach International Airport is roughly twenty minutes from town. Within the compact municipality, most destinations are walkable or a brief drive, reflecting its small footprint.

Recreation in Palm Beach Shores is defined by its setting between ocean and inlet. The town's Atlantic beach offers swimming and sunbathing along Florida's easternmost shoreline, while the Sailfish Marina provides boating, fishing charters, and water-taxi service to Peanut Island, a popular spot for snorkeling, picnicking, and exploring the Lake Worth Inlet. The Intracoastal Waterway adds paddleboarding and kayaking, and nearby John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, just north on Singer Island, preserves natural barrier-island habitat with trails and a boardwalk.