Best cities to live in Florida 2022

Florida has always been a popular destination for moving. In 2021, Florida ranked number five among the states with the most inbound moves. But what makes Florida so attractive? Why are so many people moving here? The answer here is simple. Florida has the whole package. Great weather, attractive nature, sandy beaches, and on top of that all, it is affordable. Of course, every city has its own physiognomy and offers a different feel.  So, if you’re planning to move to Florida, you’ll have to do some digging before you find a place that suits your preferences. To give you a few ideas and get you started, Best Cross Country Movers prepared a list of the best cities to live in Florida in 2022. We checked many parameters and consulted some of the best interstate moving companies in Florida and this is what we came up with.

Here are the 14 best cities to live in Florida in 2022

What makes one place better than the other? If you look at it from a personal perspective, surely you will prefer some places because they suit your temperament and professional interests, or because your friends and family live there. Still, in order to be able to think about those things a place in which you live has to meet certain standards –standards in safety, affordability, and employment and education opportunities. And those are the main factors that we considered when we were assembling this list of the best cities to live in Florida.

Also, we talked to some of the best long distance movers Florida to see where most people move these days. Finally, we picked the 14 best places. Every city on this list can be a perfect place to live. Our suggestion is to pick a few places that you like, explore them a little bit more, and then choose where you want to move.

• Naples
• Sarasota
• Melbourne
• Jacksonville
• Pensacola
• Tampa
• Fort Myers
• Port St. Lucie
• Daytona Beach
• Ocala
• Orlando
• Tallahassee
• Miami
• Petersburg

Naples

We start with Naples. Naples is a small city located in Collier County south of Fort Myers and it is a city that can be found on every similar list on the internet. It has a population of 21,812 and offers an urban feel with lots of restaurants coffee shops, parks, and one of the best pieces of Florida’s coast. If you like living on the coast with sandy beaches at your grasp, This is a perfect place for you. It has highly rated public schools, one of the lowest crime rates in Florida, and plenty of job opportunities.

Unfortunately, Naples can be pretty inaccessible if you are planning to buy a property.  Most people here own their homes and are not easily willing to give them up. That is why the median home value here is $988,500. Fortunately, you will have plenty of options to rent as the average rent is $1,357.

Sarasota

The next place on our list of the best cities to live in Florida is Sarasota. It is a city located in Sarasota County with a population of 56,919. It is a beautiful city with many small bays, beaches, great views, and fantastic scenery. Sarasota has highly rated schools, a low crime rate, and plenty of entertainment and employment opportunities. Another good thing is that it is much more affordable than Naples. The median home value here is $268,400 with rents around $1,134 on average. Still, according to some of the best cross country movers Sarasota has to offer, many people are moving here right now so it might not stay so affordable for much longer.

Melbourne

Another coastal city found its way to our list of the best cities to live in Florida. Melbourne is a city located in Brevard County close to Orlando. It has a population of 81,468 and offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of restaurants, parks, and long sandy beaches. Melbourne is also a city with great schools and low crime rates. However, according to some of the best residential movers Florida has to offer, most people move here because of affordability.  Especially for people looking to buy a house. The median home value in Melbourne, FL is $169,000.

Jacksonville

A list of the best places to live in Florida can’t go without Jacksonville.  A city located in Duval County it is also known as one of the best places to retire in the US. A coastal city with good schools, average crime rates, plenty of job opportunities, fantastic nightlife, and more. It is a favorite destination for families with kids, young professionals, and retirees because it offers something for everyone. Still as the best cross country movers Jacksonville report, the main reason why so many people are moving here is affordable housing. The median home in Jacksonville is $173,200 with an average rent of $1,065.

Pensacola

Pensacola is also currently one of the best cities to live in Florida. It is a city located in Escambia County just a few miles from the border with Alabama. It has a population of 52,642 and offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of restaurants, parks, and some of the best beaches in Florida. Pensacola also offers above-average schools and low crime rates and has a positive business climate.  It has good nightlife a lot of diversity and it’s great for families.  Pensacola is also pretty affordable for buyers as well as renters. The median home value in Pensacola is $182,800 with an average rent of $954.

Tampa

Moving down the ladder, we come to Tampa. No list of the best places to live in Florida can be complete without Tampa. An unforgettable city with a lot of parks, greenery, unreal beaches, canals, and marines, it certainly represents one of the most attractive cities on this list. The great thing about Tampa is that it is pretty affordable considering that it offers so much.  The median home value in Tampa is $238,900 with an average rent of $1,131. Still, according to some of the best cross country movers Tampa has, people are moving here because of the high quality of life.

Fort Myers

North of Naples there is another place that found its place on our list of the best places to live in Florida – Fort Myers. Fort Myers is a city located in Lee County with a population just a little bit below 80,000. However, since this city was recently named the fastest-growing city in America, we are sure that this number will be higher pretty soon. It lies on the coast of the Caloosahatchee River and offers an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of parks, restaurants, bars, and overall great nightlife. Fort Myers has above-average schools and it’s safe, so it is very good for families with kids. The median home value in Fort Myers is $238,700 with an average rent of $1,033. However, considering the speed at which this city is developing, you can expect a rise in prices very soon.

Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie is one of the best places to live in Florida and also one of the most stunning places that you will visit in your life.  It is located in St. Lucie County and has a population of 189,396. Besides its beauty, the city also offers above-average schools, low crime rates, and plenty of employment and business opportunities. According to some of the best commercial movers Florida, this city is attracting a lot of businesses lately as well.  What is best about this city, however, are affordable properties. If you are looking to buy a house in Florida, in St. Lucie County you can get one for $207,200.

Daytona Beach

Moving back to the coast, directly east of Ocala there is a well-known place and certainly one of the best places to live in Florida – Daytona Beach. Located in Volusia County. Daytona Beach offers an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of restaurants, bars, parks, great beaches, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. Daytona Beach has 67,604 but that number is growing every year. Of course, besides advantages, this city is also pretty affordable with a median home value of only $153,000 and an average rent of $934.

Ocala

If you are looking for a nice quiet place far from shore, maybe Ocala can be a good choice. It is a city located right in the middle of the peninsula in Marion County. It is a city that offers above-average schools, low crime rates, and plenty of job opportunities. The nightlife here, however, is slow and you won’t have endless opportunities like in other places on our list. However, if you are looking for a place to retire, for example, this might be the place you are looking for. The median home value in Ocala is only $142,200 with an average rent of $922. A good bargain considering the value.

Orlando

The next place on our list is reserved for Orlando. A great city with a population of 280,832 is located in Orange County.  Of course, Orlando is mostly famous because of its entertainment opportunities,  more precisely theme parks. However, it is a city that has much more to offer than a venture to Disney World. It has good schools, low crime rates, and plenty of business opportunities. The median home value in Orlando is $240,000 with an average rent of $1,196. If you are planning to move here, though you better hurry as best cross country movers Orlando predict that this city is going to experience a surge in real estate prices in the next couple of years.

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is a gorgeous, simplistic, small city located in Leon County. It has a population of 191,279. And even though it may not be a tourist attraction like some other Florida cities, it is very convenient. The city offers an urban-suburban mixed feel with many fast-food chains, family restaurants, grocery stores, and parks.  It has highly rated public schools, low crime rates, and numerous options if you are looking for a job. Currently, the median home value is $203,800, however, the best cross country movers Tallahassee say that there are many people moving to the city lately. So an increase in real estate prices is to be expected.

Miami

Certainly, the most popular and well-known city in Florida is Miami. And even though it has its fair share of problems, the city offers so many different opportunities that it is impossible not to put it on the list of the best places to live in Florida. The city is located in Miami Dade County and has a population of 454,279. And according to some of the best cross country movers Miami has to offer, the city is a popular destination for retirees as well. Still, when you are in Miami, do not expect to find fancy schools or high safety, like in every other larger city. The median home value is $317,700 with rents that are on average $1,183. Nevertheless, Miami is one of the best places to live in the whole country.

St. Petersburg

Finally, we came to the last place on our list of the best cities to live in Florida. And it is reserved for St. Petersburg. This city is not only the best place to live overall but it is also one of the best places to retire in the whole country. It is located in Pinellas County and has a population of 261,338. And it offers its residents an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of parks, bars, restaurants, grocery stores, museums, and great nightlife. According to some of the best cross country movers  St. Petersburg has to offer it’s currently one of the most popular cities in Florida. The median home value is $205,000 with rents that are around $1,116.

Make sure that you find good movers if you decide to move

Those are the best cities to live in Florida. Hopefully, this list will help you find a perfect place for you. If not, at least you eliminated 14 cities.  If you did find a place for you in Florida, don’t forget to find a good moving company to help you with the move.