This is our ninth time ranking the best counties to live in Florida. Naples is not only famous for its low crime rate, but also its fabulous schools and amenities. Venice has a beautiful historic downtown area that is within walking and biking distance to the beach. Featured Review: Current Resident says Weston was the first place I moved to since moving to the US in 2018, having been here now for nearly 4 years I can truly say that this place is special. Guide to Florida Retirement Communities and Condos, by Ryan Erisman | Updated: January 16, 2023. Winter Springs Florida is located north of Orlando in central Florida with a population of about 35,000 people. Naples is also known for popular golf courses and great fishing. Sanibel is a city in Lee County, Florida, on Sanibel Island -- go figure. See a video of a Festival in Winter Springs Florida, Gulf Breeze is unlike most of our other picks. Cape Coral is a place many will describe as a paradise. Who would have thought Florida would have so many cows! Venice. The crime rate is 881 per 100,000 people, which is the lowest in the entire state. President Donald Trump painted the Florida map a . Among small cities, Cooper City (est. All three are within 30 minutes from downtown Tampa and 20 minutes from the beach. Read 123 reviews. Its a small laid back town of only 6,000 people. Seniors in Fort Myers can create a relaxing beach retirement lifestyle, even on a modest budget. Featured Review: Works Here says Coral Gables is a great City. I came to the Temple Terrace area in early 2020, so right before everything that. Current Resident: Welcoming, diverse, and eco-friendly community with all of birds and aquatic wildlife in the Little River Read 11 reviews. Year over year, the crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants went down in every M.S.A. From when to retire to how much to save, here are expert-backed answers to crucial retirement questions. Many people take their boats to rent boats nears buy and spend a day on the water. Living close to Orlando to be able enjoy its shopping, dining and entertainment options is an obvious advantage, but it comes at a price. Whether you're moving the whole family, scoping out a new young-professionals scene, or looking for your dream retirement destinationwe'll help you narrow down the best places to live in Florida. The reasonable cost of living and proximity to the beach make Florida a desirable place to retire, according to a U.S. News analysis of the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. What about 55+ communities in Ocala, Fl, like On Top of the World? Venice is also on at least one of our other best places lists for 2015 and has been a top pick of ours for years. Marco Island has been a mainstay on our rankings for the last six iterations -- this place is just constantly safe. A small tight knit community that watches out for one another, low crime, highly rated schools, and great. Current Resident: My family moved to Windermere back in 2020 and we couldn't be happier. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. . This left us with a total of 207 of the biggest cities in Florida to rank. Its relative affordability, safety, schools, and proximity to Miami places it among the best places to live in Florida. If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. 6. Here's a look at the most recent IRA and 401(k) tax reform laws. The schools are part of the highly rated Sarasota County School District. Mostly the stellar #1 ranking in violent crime, which the city earned with a violent crime rate more than 16 times lower than the national average. Nearby Resident: Pinecrest is a great place to live and has undergone a lot of development/population change in the past few years. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Mix of age groups out but youll definitely run into Flagler students! Read on to see why Nassau County is the best county, while Glades County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Florida. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score "The Safest Place In Florida" with any ties going to the bigger city. A lot more people have come in and with new houses being built and trees being torn down it might feel a bit more crowded to new-comers. Editors Note: We updated this article for 2022. Cape Coral is one of the best places to raise a family on the west coast of Florida and has a historically low crime rate even compared to the rest of the Sunshine state. Excellent schools, safe community and a park on every block! Venices median rental cost is about $1000 a month. People call us now to say where there are guns stashed. Even just driving from one city to Weston I get this buzz of sheer excitement because there is just a different aura that Weston has compared to a lot of other places that I have been to. on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Featured Review: Current Resident says The only way I can describe this Island is to picture yourself in 1950 with modern life. It's a fairly small city close to Fort Lauderdale and has multiple great schools as well as lots of places for people to enjoy such. The Oviedo mall is even being remodeled to house hundreds of new modern-style apartments. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Additionally, it's good to that Sanibel is a barrier island - a collection of sand on the leeward side of the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island - or a barrier to crime. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Florida Republicans swayed Latino voters, boosted support in the state's rural heartland and cut into the Democratic advantage in big cities. X-Large 2.5M+ Large 1M - 2.5M Medium 500K - 1M Small 50K - 500K Average Rent < $500 - $2,100+ Median Home Price < $20,000 - $1,020,000+ Commute Time < 20 minutes 20 - 30 minutes 30+ minutes Buying. Although most of these are large, some smaller towns host substantial . Population: 756,570. 112 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars. He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move. Tucked away along the Atlantic Coast of South Florida, Martin County offers an authentic slice of paradise, blending seaside allure with a dash of Key West whimsy and true "Old Florida" charm. I still love this town, Ive made many friends by volunteering at the Library and Bargain box. The biggest decision you'll have is which region of Florida is best - the Panhandle, South Florida, the Gulf, East Coast or West Coast. The conservative city doesn't much believe in government redistributing wealth, but it saw no problem with the NBA redistributing liberal Seattle's beloved Supersonics to their city. Well, if you paid any attention to the news the last couple of years, you've heard of Parkland because of the mass shooting at the local high school. It turns out living in Florida can vary from one part of the state to the next who woulda thought? Well, all these are important considerations to put in mind when moving to a different city. Ostrowski is proud to say he knows how to use a financial calculator to amortize a mortgage. The Pros, Cons and Best Places to Live or Retire in Florida. Population: 85,762Median Income: $72,998.0 (2nd best)Median Home Price: $243,700.0 (14th best)Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (18th best)More on Nassau County: Photos |Data, Population: 255,410Median Income: $83,803.0 (best)Median Home Price: $326,300.0 (3rd best)Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (24th best)More on St. Johns County: Photos |Data, Biggest Place: Palm Cityif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'homesnacks_com-box-4','ezslot_5',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homesnacks_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'homesnacks_com-box-4','ezslot_6',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homesnacks_com-box-4-0_1');.box-4-multi-109{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:5px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:5px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}, Population: 160,420Median Income: $65,821.0 (10th best)Median Home Price: $293,000.0 (6th best)Unemployment Rate: 4.6% (15th best)More on Martin County: Photos |Data, Population: 32,855Median Income: $67,480.0 (8th best)Median Home Price: $171,200.0 (35th best)Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (2nd best)More on Wakulla County: Data, Population: 466,695Median Income: $70,297.0 (5th best)Median Home Price: $263,700.0 (10th best)Unemployment Rate: 4.6% (13th best)More on Seminole County: Photos |Data, Population: 179,587Median Income: $70,663.0 (4th best)Median Home Price: $214,900.0 (23rd best)Unemployment Rate: 5.5% (38th best)More on Santa Rosa County: Photos |Data, Population: 129,938Median Income: $59,618.0 (19th best)Median Home Price: $267,100.0 (9th best)Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (17th best)More on Sumter County: Photos |Data, Population: 379,345Median Income: $70,217.0 (6th best)Median Home Price: $366,600.0 (2nd best)Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (11th best)More on Collier County: Photos |Data, Population: 207,430Median Income: $64,373.0 (13th best)Median Home Price: $234,600.0 (16th best)Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (8th best)More on Okaloosa County: Photos |Data, Population: 215,294Median Income: $68,657.0 (7th best)Median Home Price: $195,900.0 (29th best)Unemployment Rate: 5.4% (35th best)More on Clay County: Photos |Data. Family oriented neighborhood with wonderful schools. Featured Review: Current Resident says Loved growing up in St.Augustine beach! 12. Featured Review: Current Resident says Indian Harbour Beach FL is a central east coastal town. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The crime rate in Parkland is 70 percent below the national average, which is pretty impressive. Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Florida according to the data: Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. The city prides itself on selfless volunteers whove worked hard to ensure its success. 26 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'homesnacks_com-box-3','ezslot_9',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homesnacks_com-box-3-0');Don't let a couple of shark bites and extra large alligators scare you, Florida is really safe: the Sunshine State actually has some of the safest places to live in America. Best Parent Student Loans: Parent PLUS and Private. North Port is located in SW Florida, south of Sarasota and north of Fort Myers. One unsurprising thing about this list is that several of these cities also show up on our list of wealthiest cities in Florida. 10. Cape Coral is a new entry on our list for 2023. Ranked at 5 for being the safest city in Florida, North Palm Beach has to make our list of safest places to live in Florida. and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other There's barely any property crime here, so no one will steal your daiquiri by the pool. This hidden gem boasts over 22 miles of uncrowded beaches and more than 100,000 sprawling acres of parks and conservation lands. The most dangerous city in Florida? Good info Nobody locks the doors to your home, when you drive to pick something up in the local grocery store if you. Current Resident: Winter Springs is a quiet suburb in central Florida located close to major shopping, highways and airports. Chlorine is one of the most commonly used chemicals to disinfect water in the United States. It's also a testament to how much of a surprise the shooting was here -- Parkland is a super safe community with little crime overall. We ranked each city for each criteria from 1 to 207 where 1 in any particular category is the safest. It breaks my heart, looking back at the days of boating and tubing in clean and safe water, which is now polluted and becoming dangerous. Small, tight knit community with all the local beach flare. Theres a fun (but more chill) night life as well. To give you the best county in Florida, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. Peaceful community, beautiful scenery, tons of parks and activities for the kids. Of these, only four are home to more than one million. Last year, a 13-year-old boy visiting a beach in Florida was infected with an amoeba and continues to recover months later. It is beyond beautiful, first sight of sunsets over the Indian River Lagoon will give away just one of the many aspects that I love about living here. Afterwards, visit our historic downtown on St. George street. Because Arizona's only gun . While there have been some high profile crimes in The Villages over the last decade, most of the crimes that take place there involve DUI's, domestic disturbances, and theft. Florida has always been considered a retirement location thanks to its abundance of beaches, golf courses, and opportunities for post-career relaxation. This place also borders some wildlife management areas and might be why other parts are relatively quiet. Featured Review: Parent says Our family is blessed to send our son and daughter to Ascension.The staff is wonderful.The wide variety of education and programs they receive, especially ongoing religious education is something. Current Resident: Lake Mary is a wonderful place to start a family. Over a third of the population is age 60 or older in this popular retirement destination, and the area has added over 5,000 new residents in the past year, the Census Bureau found. Also only about 45 mins to Key Largo, 35 Minutes to downtown Miami and 25 mins from MIA and ! If youre moving your family to Florida to enjoy the water and want a great safe small town, Gulf Breeze should be on your list. People walk, run and bike here like nowhere else I have seen!. The schools are part of the small but very highly rated Nassau School District. Featured Review: Current Resident says Gulf Breeze is perfectly situated on a peninsula between Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. We have our own water system, library, post office, police, fire station and town hall. The city of Melbourne is right over the causeways so hospitals and shopping are close by. While the Florida towns listed above are among the best places to raise a family in Florida, Florida may be one of the worst states to move your children. If you are family oriented, and want peace and tranquility while been close to everything South Florida has to offer, then this is your place to call Home! Floridas overall crime rate is higher than the rate in 44 other US states. We love the food offerings in our area and have still yet to try everything. You feel like you are in a bubble that safely tucked in between Hollywood and South Beach. This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information. Read 7 reviews. Starting out our list of the best rural cities to live in Florida is the small coastal town of Glencoe. While the report is a quite a comprehensive study and comparison of the well-being of children in different states, the map found here will allow you to quickly compare how the state you now live in compares to the state of Florida, as far as your childrens overall well-being is concerned. Thats why to make it onto our Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida list, the entire city or town must have a much lower crime rate than Florida. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. To put a dollar figure on the value of safety, MoneyGeek turned to an academic study that calculated the societal cost of crime. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Manage Settings Valparaiso, population 5,069, gets the nod as fifth most conservative city in Florida and its twin city Niceville comes in at No. Theres no exception when moving to Florida. Local police are great! READ MORE: Trump lays out his plan for futuristic 'Freedom Cities' By Rob Crilly, Senior U.S. We aim to deliver bite-sized pieces of infotainment about where you live. 68 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Cape Coral, Florida. Time to drop the disability coverage and review your other plans. Family oriented neighborhood with wonderful schools. I thought it would be interesting to crunch their numbers and see which places in Florida may actually be the safest to live and retire in. Located along the eastern part of the state, Glencoe is 53 miles northeast of Orlando and 90 miles south of Jacksonville. School shootings don't really indicate how safe a place really is. Learn how to stop stressing about money matters and start enjoying your free time with these pro tips. . We aim to deliver bite-sized pieces of infotainment about where you live. If you want the safe areas, I suggest moving to Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, or Oldsmar. It's not located directly on the coast but it's only a short drive to some of the best beaches in Florida. Try to look at it as I've just put them in order for you to make them easier to read.