Are you conflicted about whether you should move to Florida or not? If you plan on moving to Florida any time soon, here is everything you should know about the sunny state. Florida is a popular tourist and travel destination for local and domestic tourists. Florida is a typical family vacation state and generally a must-visit state, especially in Summer or Spring breaks.
Statistically, in 2020, the total number of visitors to Florida was just under 87 million, a large majority of who came from the US. This statistic alone makes Florida a state worth moving into.
Florida is home to beautiful year-round sunshine, sandy beaches, and super fresh food within easy reach. Regardless, it should take more than that to convince you of moving to Florida permanently.
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Florida Facts
Florida possesses a rich and fascinating history. It is ecologically diverse and offers some of the most beautiful natural settings in the United States. Geographically, it is the only US state that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. As such, it is almost impossible that you will be more than 60 miles away from a water body.
Florida hosts a diverse population, depending on race, ethnicities, backgrounds, and walks of life. Generally, it is a place for you to meet and interact with different kinds of people without worrying about major or minor differences.
What Makes Florida An Ideal Place to Live In?
Generally, Florida has been a destination spot for most Americans and non-Americans coming into the states. However, going on a vacation in Florida is entirely different from living in Florida permanently.
It would be best if you were a Florida resident to see the state from all aspects and decide whether it is worth living in. Below are a few things that make Florida the beautiful sunny state it is for its residents.
Florida Is A Massive State with Plenty of Personalities
The United States is home to several states, including New York, California, Texas, and Florida. Florida is generally considered the fourth largest state by population in the US. As of 2016, Florida was estimated to have over 20 million residents. The estimated Florida population as of 2019 was around 21.7 million residents, which was a 1.12% increase from 2019.
This sizable statistic, combined with the fact that over 80 million people visited Florida in 2020, means that the state always has something going and many people to witness and experience it.
Why do so many people moving to Florida? It could be that the state’s 1,350 miles of breathtaking coastline has a major influence on people’s decisions. It could also be the nature and beautiful Florida nature.
Florida’s nature is impressive, and the weather is generally favorable all year through. It is home to many native tree species, unlike other states in the US, except Hawaii. Many nature points make Florida a favorite among most permanent residents, ranging from pine forests to palmetto palms. From deer moss, wildflowers, magnolia trees, coastal dune lakes to blackberries, Florida is a diverse and beautiful state.
However, the above mentioned do not begin to summarize Florida’s lovely landscape. The state is famously home to coral reefs, underwater caves, low rolling hills, barrier islands, and plenty of swimming holes.
Florida is Home to Several Cities that Provide Opportunities for Everyone
Besides the lovely and breathtaking landscape, Florida is also an equally diverse state for cities, each of which seems to provide something unique to everyone. If you are a budding ambitious young professional, Miami is a leading city with fun-filled opportunities.
Miami also provides a rich culture and art scene as well as diverse ethnicities. Most importantly, it gives a blazing party scene that you ought to experience to grasp.
However, if you want to move to Florida and into a big yet budget-friendly city, St.Petersburg should be your dream city.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a laid-back city to kick back and settle down, The Villages is a designated place located in Sumter County, Florida. It is a beautiful retirement community that is the size of a small city with over 79,000 residents.
These are just a few of many Florida cities, each offering unique features. You can check out Tampa, Tallahassee, Vero Beach, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, among several others, for your dream residential destination.
Moving To Florida Pros & Cons: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Contrary to popular beliefs, it is not all roses living in Florida. Just like other states, Florida has its fair share of challenges, depending on which angle you view it from.
Fortunately, as an experienced moving company, Rocky Denver Movers is determined to share the pros and cons of moving to Florida. We believe that having first-hand, unbiased information will help you decide about moving to Florida.
Pros of Moving To Florida
- The obvious perceived advantage of becoming a Florida resident is the constantly warm and sunny climate, which is why it is often referred to as the sunshine state.
- In addition, Florida has excellent beaches, which is ideal for surfers and beach lovers. If visiting the beach is not your cup of tea, there are over 170 state parks for you to explore. According to TripAdvisor, Florida also has the best award-winning beaches, such as the Sarasota Siesta Public Beach, named the best US beach. Other famous Florida beaches include Miami Beach, Panama City, Clearwater, Delray, among others.
- Besides the beautiful beaches and sun, Florida also boasts no income tax, meaning less money to pay and one less tax return to file. When comparing to other states, consider that Chicago has a 3.75% income tax while California’s income tax is 13%. As a result, moving to Florida means less tax and more savings or investments. Most importantly, everything costs less in Florida if you compare it with most states.
- Real estate in Florida is relatively cheap. You can get a lovely beachfront house in Florida at an affordable price, contrary to popular opinion on beach properties. Florida is no wonder a favorite choice among individuals looking to move, combining no income tax, relatively inexpensive properties, and reasonable living costs.
- Diverse cultural landscape. Florida is home to Americans and non-Americans from different parts of the world and diverse cultures. Moreover, Florida has one of the largest Latin populations in the US. The Latin community is rich in art, food, music, history, and culture.
- Sports Fandom Galore. If you love sports, there is never a shortage of a sport or game to follow. Florida has three NFL teams and two NBA teams. Florida also has two NHL teams (Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning) and two MLB baseball teams (Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays). It is the ideal city to move to if you are a major sports fan.
Cons of Moving To Florida
Generally, when living in a city with plenty of tourism, the chances are you are not interested in tourism. Therefore, if you are not into tourism, Florida can get boring and tiring quickly. However, different areas generally experience less tourism compared to others.
For example, if you live in less tourist-populated areas such as Vero Beach (ranked one of the best US beach towns), you will likely come across less tourism. But if you to cities such as Orlando, Tampa, or Destin, chances are you will come across more tourists than the actual residents.
Florida is also hot and humid all the time, which might not be an ideal condition to live in, depending on your preferences.
The Ugly?
Unfortunately, Florida is known for mean hurricanes yearly from June 1st to November 30th. During this hurricane season, a lot tends to happen to homes and properties. While a hurricane is not a sufficient reason to reconsider moving to Florida, it is definitely one of the less attractive qualities of Florida as a state.
Florida’s Job Market and Economy
When planning your move to Florida, one of the first things you need to concern yourself with is gaining a decent understanding of the current economy. Chances are, you will need a job once you move to Florida unless you are doing an intercompany transfer.
Florida has an economy that is getting hotter. As of 2021, the Florida economy has surprisingly hit the $1 trillion mark. In other terms, if Florida were an independent nation, it would be the 17th largest economy in the entire world. The growing economy favors the state, current residents, and anyone thinking of moving to Florida.
Well-Established Industries with A Growing Tech Scene
As of 2019, the six top largest industries in Florida include tourism, agriculture, international trade, life sciences, aerospace and aviation, and financial services. The agriculture industry alone employs nearly 1.4 million people and contributes more than $131 billion to Florida’s economy yearly.
However, beyond these massive industries making strides, there is a silent and gradual development in various Florida cities, case in point, Miami. Besides Miami’s prominent sectors such as hospitality, tourism, and real estate, technology is one of the fastest advancing areas bound to take over.
In 2018, Miami area startups received $1.3 billion in venture capital funding, placing the city 8th on the list of US cities in VC activity, right between Chicago and Seattle. If you are a budding professional aiming to gain experience while propelling your career forward, the proper startup can provide you the ideal opportunity.
The tourism and hospitality industry currently employs over 1 million, with growth potential. In addition, agriculture is also a significant part of Florida culture, owing to its warm and sunny climate that is ideal for growing tomatoes, oranges, and much more. Florida produces 70% of the US’s oranges.
Florida also has a solid education industry. Owing to the multiple colleges and universities, Florida possesses a bustling college culture that most people love.
Florida Lifestyle
How is it like to live in Florida? It takes experience to answer this question. Most residents are confident that the money and the weather are good in Florida. However, it takes more than that to determine the overall Florida lifestyle.
Florida residents claim a phenomenon known as the honeymoon phase. During the honeymoon phase, the first few months of living in Florida tend to be amazing, which almost feels like going on a prolonged vacation.
Unfortunately, once the honeymoon phase wears off and you establish a routine and get accustomed to the Florida weather, you gain a more realistic idea of what and how it feels like to live in Florida. Luckily, most people generally find it easy to make friends in Florida once they move in.
Best Places to Live in Florida
Since you now know the things that make Florida the ideal city to move to, you should also know some of the places in Florida that are perfect for moving into. However, Florida is a large state, meaning there is anything and everything across the entire state.
From rural areas to suburban, up-and-coming neighborhoods, there are many options to pick from and move into. These are considered to be the best spots to live in Florida.
Orlando
Orlando is one of the best cities in Florida to live in. It has some of the best features ranging from its relative cost of living to provide most of Florida’s most beloved attractions. Orlando is often known as the world’s Theme Park Capital. It is home to Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld, among other beautiful attractions.
Orlando has an impressive and admirable public education system. It also has a fully functional public transportation system throughout Florida which is incredibly accessible.
Tampa
Tampa metro area is one of the largest in Florida, but it is not generally considered the largest. It has over 2,911,000 residents. Tampa is deemed to be excellent for singles and families alike. As a result of excellent healthcare infrastructure, high-performance schools, and some leading companies setting up shops within Florida. Moreover, Tampa is the ultimate city for job growth in Florida. Fortunately, the cost of living remains low, unlike other cities. Furthermore, Tampa has some of the best views, allowing one to take in and embrace nature.
Tallahassee
Tallahassee is a major college town that is home to A& University and Florida State University. It has roughly 190,000 residents who enjoy Florida’s low cost of living and rent prices. Moreover, public transportation is a local favorite as well as an economical choice. There are also lots of things to do on an average weekend. They range from museums to beautiful local parks to annual festivals. You can also try out delicious resistants serving a wide range of cuisines, among others. Generally, Tallahassee is an ideal place to live when moving to Florida.
Miami
One of the allures of living in Miami is going to the beach on any night you desire. However, there are more reasons to want to live in this beautiful city. Miami is home to over 6,167,000 people and possibly more than three million people if you factor in the surrounding county.
The city has an energetic, colorful, and diverse culture that brings together influences worldwide to provide a fantastic mix of cuisines, entertainment options, and backgrounds that visitors and tourists adore.
Miami also centralizes all the benefits of moving to Florida-beautiful beaches, all-year warm weather, among others.
What’s the Cost of Living in Florida?
The cost of living in some parts of Florida is typically higher than the national average. The average cost of living in the United States is listed as 100. Florida has a 102.8 cost of living, which is technically a 2% increase.
If it boils down to making that decision to move or not to move, it is essential to factor in the cost of living. The cost of living in Florida may be higher or smaller depending on several factors, such as your job and your current status.
Things to Do in Florida
How do you plan to occupy yourself or entertain yourself once you move to Florida? Below are some of the best few things to do in Florida.
Enjoy The Nightlife
Miami and Orlando are among the top Orlando cities that have gained a reputation as being famous for their nightlife. Therefore, as a permanent Florida resident, you can indulge in party life whenever you fancy.
There are many clubs, worst-class restaurants run by top-notch chefs, and some of the US’s best entertainment venues, all of which are constantly open to you if you move to Florida.
Go to The Beach
As a Florida resident, you will have access to over 825 miles of beautiful pristine beaches to enjoy. In addition, Florida beaches host a wide range of wildlife, ranging from 80% of loggerhead turtles in the US to dolphins. You will always have something to talk about when it comes to wildlife spotting.
Enjoy the Beautiful Landscapes
Florida has several things to see and do. However, one of the most favorite among residents and visitors is to explore the beautiful different unique landscapes. Check out the Florida Keys, a long and transcendental stretch of islands extending out into the sea.
Visit The Everglades, a rare and vital ecosystem, where you are guaranteed to spot massive alligators from fan boats. Rest assured, you are bound to be intrigued by nature to intrigue you, from lush, green forests to white sandy beaches and anything in-between.
World’s Best Theme Parks
How close have you come to Disney World? Moving to Florida makes it convenient to visit some of the world’s greatest theme parks. Whether it is Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, or Disney World, these parks in Florida will provide you and your family with unlimited entertainment.
Finding A Home/ Apartments to Live In Florida
Are you thinking of moving to Florida? Your next step before calling our Denver movers is to find a suitable home in Florida. There is more than one option you can get your dream home in Florida. As already established, housing is relatively inexpensive in Florida.
Talk to your real estate agent to connect with their fellow agents in Florida to get you what you want. Alternatively, you can check online for property listings. It is essential to take your time when searching for a home.
Florida’s real estate sector also provides a lucrative investment opportunity if you are looking to be more than a Florida resident. Ask around family members and friends for recommendations on the best real estate agents who can help you get what you want in Florida.
How to Move to Florida (Summary)
Are you thinking of moving to Florida? Do you know any long-distance moving companies?
While the idea of moving to a new state may seem daunting, our team at Rocky Denver Movers can help you with much of the heavy lifting. As a qualified moving company in Denver, we give you precise knowledge about what to anticipate for your big move to Florida. We are also available to help you make the best out of your relocation by providing seamless cross-country moving services.
Florida (The Sunshine State) is a beautiful and warm state to live in. If you are used to living in cold climates, Florida has all-year-round warm temperatures, making it the perfect place for you to reside. The above guide covers the most basic and elemental factors to consider before moving to Florida.
Florida’s economy is generally favorable. There are many opportunities in different industries such as tourism, tech, agriculture, and hospitality. It is perhaps one of the only states with 0% income tax.
Florida has beautiful beaches, climates, and a diverse population. The cost of living is moderately favorable, and housing prices have never been so relatively affordable.
If you are relocating to Florida, Rocky Denver Movers are your ideal cross-country movers in Denver. We provide top-notch short and distance moving services. We also offer long-term storage solutions. Do not hesitate to call us to help you move and get settled in your new Florida home.
Get settled in your new Florida home.
