The Best Places to Live in Florida in 2021
Where in Florida is the best place for you?
If you're a fan of warm weather, sandy beaches and plenty of sunny days, Florida probably sounds like a great place to live. But it's a big state with coastal cities, sprawling, landlocked towns and areas dotted with lakes and canals. For that reason, you'll want to consider all your options when searching for the right place to live in Florida. Fourteen of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. are located in the Sunshine State, so you have plenty of options. We've compiled the details from the Best Places to Live in the U.S. rankings, which factor in desirability, affordability, access to quality health care and more, to help you decide which major metro area is right for you. Read on for the Best Places to Live in Florida, counting down to the top spot.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 128
Metro Population: 6,090,660
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 30.54%
Average Annual Salary: $50,060
The most populous metro area in Florida, Miami sits at the state's southern tip and is a major tourist destination for its year-round hot weather, vibrant culture and lively nightlife. The Magic City's population growth has slowed in recent years, seeing the population grow by just 2.89% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, residents spent as much as 30.54% of the median household income on housing expenses, including mortgage payments, rent and property taxes. Only San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a more expensive place to live among the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 80
Metro Population:686,218
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 24.19%
Average Annual Salary: $43,150
Lakeland isn't a coastal metro area, but it is appropriately named for the lakes that dot the area. Lakeland ranks fifth out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for its population growth due to net migration, having increased by 10.56% between 2015 and 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But salaries are relatively low in Lakeland, which has an average annual salary of $43,150, compared to the national average of $53,490.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 76
Metro Population: 382,197
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 25.15%
>Average Annual Salary: $46,500
While Tallahassee doesn't necessarily attract the same volume of tourists as other parts of the state, its position as the capital of Florida makes it a key place for people looking to make major career moves. High school students in Tallahassee rank eighth for college readiness among those in the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., based on data from the U.S. News Best High Schools ranking. Unfortunately, Tallahassee's relatively high cost of living contributes to its spot at No. 76 on the overall Best Places to Live list -- residents spend 25.15% of the median household income on housing.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 69
Metro Population: 646,288
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 26.55%
Average Annual Salary: $40,930
Daytona Beach has a population about one-tenth the size of Miami, but that may not be the case for long. Between 2015 and 2019, Daytona Beach grew by 9.65% solely from net migration. Many people who are attracted to this spot on the Atlantic coast are retirees, as the median age in the Daytona Beach metro area is over 47. But the biggest factor contributing to its rank at No. 69 on the Best Places to Live list is the cost of living. Daytona Beach residents spend 26.55% of the median household income on housing, compared to the median 23.06% for all the metro areas on the Best Places to Live list.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 60
Metro Population: 2,508,970
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 25.76%
Average Annual Salary: $46,140
Falling 12 spots from the Best Places to Live list in 2020, Orlando ranks No. 60 out of the 150 metro areas on the list, in large part due to a rising cost of living for the area and job market strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Still, Orlando maintains its reputation as a highly desirable place to live. Home of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando draws tourists year-round, thanks to its theme parks and warm weather. But it's not just visitors coming to Orlando, as the metro area has grown by 8.62% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 58
Metro Population: 353,526
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 24.25%
Average Annual Salary: $39,640
At No. 58 on the overall Best Places to Live list, Ocala is the smallest of the 14 Florida metro areas included, with 353,526 residents. Similar to many other Florida metro areas, Ocala's highest score for Best Places to Live is based on its population growth, having seen an increase of 10.31% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration. Many new residents are retirees, as the median age for the metro area is 48.7, which makes sense as the central Florida spot ranks No. 6 on the U.S. News Best Places to Retire list.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 47
Metro Population: 472,012
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 26.08%
Average Annual Salary: $45,630
Port St. Lucie is growing slightly slower than Daytona Beach, seeing a 9.12% jump in population from 2015 to 2019 based on net migration. Of the metro areas on the Best Places to Live list, Port St. Lucie also ranks 11th for crime due to its low rates of property crime and murder. However, like a lot of Florida metro areas, the cost of living is considered prohibitive for many residents. More than 26.8% of the median household income in Port St. Lucie is spent on housing costs, making it the 18th-most expensive place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 43
Metro Population: 737,468
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 25.74%
Average Annual Salary: $45,300
While Fort Myers ranks No. 43 on the overall Best Places to Live list, it ranks No. 2 on the Best Places to Retire list. It's no surprise that Fort Myers is a popular retirement destination, with its median resident age of 48.5 years. Fort Myers is also growing at a fast clip -- by 11.2% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration -- and it is the third-fastest growing metro area out of the 150 spots on the Best Places to Live list, after only Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Sarasota, Florida.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 32
Metro Population: 3,097,859
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 24.83%
Average Annual Salary: $49,590
Ranking No. 32 on the overall Best Places to Live list, Tampa is experiencing a population boom like many other places in Florida, having grown by 7.46% from 2015 to 2019 due to net migration. Located on Tampa Bay, which is connected to the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa draws many retirees to its shores and has a median age of 42.1. The Big Guava, as Tampa is known, is slightly more affordable than many other Florida metro areas, but residents still spend more than 24.83% of the median household income on housing.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 26
Metro Population: 488,246
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 23.05%
Average Annual Salary: $43,200
This panhandle metro area sees less growth due to net migration than many other metro areas in Florida, though it remains an ideal place to move for many people. It's the 12th-most desirable spot out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., according to a SurveyMonkey analysis of more than 3,600 people throughout the country who were asked where they would prefer to live. And its location farther from other Florida hot spots that draw the most tourists helps keep the cost of living down, with residents spending just 23.05% of the median household income on housing.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 22
Metro Population: 1,503,574
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 23.58%
Average Annual Salary: $48,270
Located near Florida's border with Georgia along the Atlantic coast, Jacksonville ranks No. 22 on the overall Best Places to Live list. In addition, the area ranks 13th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for college readiness among high school students. With a population of more than 1.5 million people, the Jacksonville area grew by 6.5% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 18
Metro Population: 585,507
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 23.87%
Average Annual Salary: $51,180
Ranking No. 18 on the Best Places to Live list, Melbourne is the third-ranking metro area in Florida. Melbourne's high school students rank fifth out of those in the 150 most populous metro areas for college readiness, with only Boulder, Colorado; San Jose, California; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and McAllen, Texas, ranking higher. Like almost everywhere else in the Sunshine State, Melbourne is growing rapidly based on net migration, with a population growth of 8.46% between 2015 and 2019. The median age of residents in Melbourne in 47.3 years.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 9
Metro Population: 803,709
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 25.16%
Average Annual Salary: $46,040
Ranking No. 9 in Best Places to Live, Sarasota has a median age over 52. An older population certainly makes sense for the area, as Sarasota also ranks No. 1 on the Best Places to Retire list. Retired or not, the area has plenty of new residents, as Sarasota grew by 11.22% between 2015 and 2019 due to net migration. Living in Sarasota can be pricey, however. Residents spend 25.16% of the median household income on housing costs.
Best Places 2021-2022 Rank: 7
Metro Population: 371,453
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 26.79%
Average Annual Salary: $47,980
This smaller metro area on the Gulf Coast is the No. 1 spot among the Florida places included in the Best Places to Live ranking, scoring highest for its net migration and desirability. In addition, Naples takes the No. 13 spot out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. in the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index, which measures residents' satisfaction with where they live, their physical health and the area's economic stability. On the Best Places to Retire list, Naples ranks No. 4.
Here are the 14 Best Places to Live in Florida:
-- Naples.
-- Sarasota.
-- Melbourne.
-- Jacksonville.
-- Pensacola.
-- Tampa.
-- Fort Myers.
-- Port St. Lucie.
-- Ocala.
-- Orlando.
-- Daytona Beach.
-- Tallahassee.
-- Lakeland.
-- Miami.
