Delray vs Deerfield vs Boynton?

My husband and I are looking to move to Delray from NYC we want to be near the beach and rent a nice apartment complex with amenities for a year to check it out. And coming from a 600 sq ft apartment we want SPACE…but some people suggested Deerfield beach and Boynton. I don’t really trust the realtor YouTube videos. So can any of you explain to me the difference of each area and the pros and cons etc? More bang for your buck? Also, for me especially it’s so important to be in a safe neighborhood, low crime.

We are in our 30s, small dog, no children. Tired of NYC living. Want something slower paced, but also not a sleepy town either. At least half hour driving to the beach if not closer (biking to the beach, walk etc) right now school systems are not important as we only want to rent for maybe one or two years to check it out and just transition from NYC to Florida. We don’t like Miami. So not an option.