The Best Places To Live In Florida For 2023 Were Ranked & Miami Didn't Make The Top 5
The top three might shock you.
The Tampa skyline.
Six months ago it was almost impossible to find an apartment rental in Florida from the influx of New Yorkers and Californians. The state is in high demand for residency, so a study ranked the top 10 best places to live in Florida for 2023... though it might not be what you expect.
You probably would think Miami, Orlando and Tampa — the hottest metro areas in the state — would make the Top 3. However, this was only the case for one of the cities mentioned.
The data was gathered by Forbes, and it based the order on various factors, such as population, median home price, estimated monthly expenses, median income, unemployment rate, community wellness score and criminal offenses reported.
Coming in at No. 1 is Tampa, FL. The city is on the Western coast with gorgeous beaches and is a short drive to Orlando and Miami. It's an incredibly young area that creates a fresh vibrance to the town with tons of young families for the perfect downtown-to-suburban ratio.
The median home price for Tampa is $437,000.
Next, you have Jacksonville (No. 2), Gainesville (No. 3), Cape Coral (No. 4) and then Orlando, trailing all the way behind at No. 5.
Orlando is the most prominent city in Central Florida and, according to Forbes, it's more than just "a destination for tourists and work conferences."
Though the research doesn't list why it's not a top 3 pick, the city has a higher unemployment rate (2.9%) as well as criminal offenses reported (13,682) than those ranked higher.
Miami lands the sixth spot. It might be one of the most popular cities in the U.S., but Forbes writes that not everyone loves living there. Summer temperatures can be brutal and home prices can be astronomical.
The median home price in Miami is $617,000.
The last few cities that made the Top 10 include Melbourne (No. 7), Sarasota (No. 8), Tallahassee (No. 9) and Pensacola (No. 10).