With 1,350 miles of coastline, the Sunshine State is full of diverse places to live, ranging from small beach towns to huge metropolitan cities. Deciding the right city to you depends on your career, the stage of life you’re in, and how much you’re willing to spend. Here are the top Florida cities you should consider for your next move:
Tampa
Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tampa is a vibrant cultural center that’s perfect for both young professionals and families. Some of Florida’s most renowned beach towns, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, are just a short drive away. The cost of living is relatively low in Tampa, compared to its southeast Florida counterparts.
Miami
Home to the glamorous South Beach, Miami is one of the most-visited cities in Florida. The job market in Miami mainly revolves around the finance, tourism, and telecommunication sectors. Sports fans flock to Miami to watch the Miami Dolphins or the Miami Heat Play. If you’re thinking of relocating to this city, moving company Miami businesses can take away the headaches that come with moving into the Miami-Dade area.
Orlando
There’s much more to Orlando than Disney World and Universal Studios. With a population of roughly 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, Orlando is the third-largest city in Florida. While you won’t find beach-side living in Orlando, many popular beaches are just over an hour away. The distance from the beach makes Orlando a much more affordable place to live, with an average home price of around $260,000. Once you’ve decided to move in Orlando, celebrate it by having some spanish food catering and drinks.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida and boasts several jobs in agricultural, manufacturing, oil and gas, and financial industries. The city has tons of scenic getaways for all ages: Amelia Island, Little Talbot Island State Park, and the Kingsley Plantation, to name a few. Just north of Jacksonville is Neptune Beach, a quiet coastal town that’s a popular surf spot.
Tallahassee
Located just 20 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, Tallahassee is the capital of Florida and boasts many of the state’s historical sites. The average price of a home in Tallahassee is just $195,000, making it one of the most affordable places to purchase real estate in Florida. Given that it’s the capital, the second largest employer in the area is the state government, right after Florida State University.
Cape Coral
A popular place for wildlife enthusiasts, Cape Coral sits on Florida’s southwest coast, right next to Fort Myers. In this picturesque Florida town, you’ll find aquatic preserves, freshwater lakes, and family-friendly waterparks. Cape Coral has one of the fastest growing job markets in Florida, with an abundance of jobs in manufacturing, construction, and tourism. If you desire a slower pace of life in a quintessential beach community, Cape Coral may be a top contender in your move to Florida.
No matter what city you choose in Florida, you’ll soon realize why millions of tourists visit the Sunshine State each year. Whether you settle in the globalized city of Miami or the laid-back beach town of Cape Coral, picking the right city for you is the first step of making Florida home.
I must say that all these places are a real gem, a few popular and few unknown. If I get a chance to visit one of these places, I would go with Orlando, because it’s a perfect place to visit several beaches which are an hour’s drive from the main city.