Crime rate can be one of the deciding factors of where families settle down. Based on the metro areas’ murder and property crime rates per 100,000 people, determined by the FBI crime reports, these are the safest places to live in the country. According to U.S. News & World Report, Patrick Riley Naples Florida ranked the Top Three Safest places to live in the U.S. for 2022-2023: #1 Naples, #2 Port St. Lucie and #3 Fort Myers.
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.
Florida is 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.
#1 Naples, Florida
What’s it like to live in Naples, FL?
Nestled between the edges of the Everglades and the shores of the Gulf of Mexico sits Collier County, home to Naples, Immokalee and Marco Island, as well as a range of distinctly Florida flavors.
Long known as a preferred retirement spot for the rich, powerful and cold-averse, the greater Naples and Marco Island area supplies pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping. Closer to the area’s rural interior, meanwhile, cattle graze and seasonal workers pick tomatoes in the fields around Immokalee, a farming community an hour’s drive outside of Naples.
Much of the greater Naples and Marco Island area is subject to a seasonal ebb and flow as residents from cold-weather states – often called “snowbirds” – flock to the region during the winter months to enjoy Florida’s seemingly endless supply of sunshine and warm weather. Those seasonal residents leave their second homes in Naples and Marco Island as the sweltering summer months approach.
But proximity to the beach, loads of sunshine and no state income tax come with drawbacks. Continued growth and development are exacerbating a lack of affordable homes, especially in the greater Naples and Marco Island area. And traffic, although nowhere near the levels seen in larger Florida metro areas, tends to choke roadways in the urban area during the winter months.
- Naples
- Sarasota
- Melbourne
- Jacksonville
- Pensacola
- Tampa
- Fort Myers
- Port St. Lucie
- Ocala
- Orlando
- Daytona Beach
- Tallahassee
- Lakeland
- Miami
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.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
Tampa
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: 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.
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 U.S. Census Bureau.
Fort Myers
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.
