Ocean Ridge's housing stock is dominated by large waterfront estate homes and townhouses, with properties oriented toward either the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway. Development is low-density and deliberately limited, which preserves the town's open, uncrowded character and means inventory is typically scarce. The mix ranges from oceanfront estates and modern custom homes to Intracoastal-frontage residences and a smaller number of inland houses along quiet residential streets. Buyers are drawn primarily by water frontage, privacy, and the small-town scale, and the market skews toward luxury rather than entry-level housing, with the barrier-island setting itself the defining amenity.

Ocean Ridge is a single cohesive residential town rather than a collection of distinct subdivisions. Its built form follows the geography: oceanfront estates line the eastern side of State Road A1A facing the Atlantic, Intracoastal-frontage homes face west toward the waterway, and a smaller number of houses occupy the inland streets between them. The area around the Boynton Inlet, at the southern end of town, anchors the community's boating and fishing activity. Because the town is only about two square miles and much of it is water or preserved shoreline, there is little room for conventional subdivision growth, and the neighborhoods read as a continuous stretch of coastal estates rather than named planned communities.

Ocean Ridge offers a quiet, low-key coastal lifestyle defined by the water. Residents enjoy direct access to Atlantic beaches to the east and Intracoastal Waterway boating to the west, with the Boynton Inlet at the town's southern end serving as a local fishing and boating landmark. The town is almost entirely residential and notably calm compared with its livelier neighbors, yet the dining, galleries, and nightlife of Delray Beach's Atlantic Avenue, downtown Boynton Beach, and Palm Beach are all within a short drive. Life here centers on the beach, the boat, and the outdoors, attracting those who want coastal privacy and space while staying close to South Florida's cultural and commercial hubs.

Ocean Ridge is served by the School District of Palm Beach County, one of the largest school systems in Florida. Because the town is small and residential with no public school campus of its own, students are assigned to schools in the surrounding area, typically in nearby Delray Beach or Boynton Beach, with attendance boundaries determined by the district rather than by town lines. Families considering Ocean Ridge should verify current school assignments for a specific address, as feeder patterns can vary within the barrier island. The region also offers a range of private and charter school options across southern Palm Beach County.

Ocean Ridge is reached primarily by State Road A1A, which runs the length of the barrier island as Ocean Boulevard. The Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard bridges connect the town to the mainland, where U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95 provide the principal north-south corridors through Palm Beach County. The town itself is compact and walkable along its residential streets, but most errands require a short drive across the bridges into Boynton Beach or south to Delray Beach. Palm Beach International Airport is roughly a 20-minute drive, while Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Miami international airports serve longer-haul and international travel farther south.

Recreation in Ocean Ridge revolves around the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The town's Atlantic shoreline provides beach access, while the Boynton Inlet, at the southern end, is a well-known spot for fishing, boating, and watching vessels pass between the waterway and the open sea. Boating, paddleboarding, and kayaking are everyday activities on the Intracoastal side, and the town's quiet A1A stretch is popular for walking and cycling. Just beyond the town limits, the broader Palm Beach County coastline adds oceanfront parks, golf, and public beaches, and the dining and cultural scene of Delray Beach and the shopping of Worth Avenue in Palm Beach are a short drive away.