[StreetSmarts]

best state? No.

decent state? Yes.

[AES328]

I didn't move here for career advancement per se, but I have advanced quicker here (network engineering) than I did in DC. My wife has as well (cardiac nursing).

[CravingMountains]

Florida has some really great things about it. I personally like the low taxes, low cost of living, lots of great diversity, the nightlife is much better than the American norm.

Then there are things that I don't like. I really dislike the lack of public services for the poor for instance. So many of our major cities are lacking in public transit options for the poor. We are a state with among the lowest percentage of employers that offer health insurance, yet we haven't expanded medicaid for the poor. If you are poor and sick in this state then you basically have to just go to emergency rooms over and over again until the state has no choice but to put you on medicaid.

Florida's weather is okay. South Florida is way too hot for me. Even with the cold front today it is well into the 70s here in Naples. Central Florida where I live gets cooler about a month earlier than South Florida and North Florida gets cooler even sooner than that. I always thought that North Florida was possibly the place with my favorite type of climate, but I don't like Southern culture at all and it is still pretty Southern up there from what I hear.

The economy here still sucks. As of last quarter Florida's U6 unemployment rate was 13.4%. That is awful. Awful by any measure and until that starts going WAY down the most our state can say is that it is decent. Decent, but never great.

Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States

[CravingMountains]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Thing is, Florida has never been a state that attracts those with vision and talent, unfortunately. Most of the [young] people who move to FL are uneducated, unskilled, and from working-class backgrounds. Often, these young people lack ambition and motivation, and anyone who has lived in FL can confirm the generally apathetic nature of young people in the state, both native and transplant. Not to mention most educated, talented, ambitious youth who grow up in FL tend to move on to major cities such as Atlanta, DC, NYC, LA, SF, et al. after college for career opportunities anyway, which only further diminishes the already small presence of career/corporate-mindedness and entrepreneurial spirit. I think there's a general lack of awareness or sensitivity in FL to the economic competitive disadvantage this poses to the state, which is Problem #1, IMO.

Someone would be an idiot to move to Atlanta or LA for career advancement. Those are two cities in America that rank among the highest in joblessness. DC, SF, or NYC maybe if you get a job that pays enough to live in those cities. Living in crammed apartments and sharing a toilet with 3-4 other people isn't my cup of tea. I guess that is how you like to live.

[CravingMountains]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Thing is, Florida has never been a state that attracts those with vision and talent, unfortunately. Most of the [young] people who move to FL are uneducated, unskilled, and from working-class backgrounds. Often, these young people lack ambition and motivation, and anyone who has lived in FL can confirm the generally apathetic nature of young people in the state, both native and transplant. Not to mention most educated, talented, ambitious youth who grow up in FL tend to move on to major cities such as Atlanta, DC, NYC, LA, SF, et al. after college for career opportunities anyway, which only further diminishes the already small presence of career/corporate-mindedness and entrepreneurial spirit. I think there's a general lack of awareness or sensitivity in FL to the economic competitive disadvantage this poses to the state, which is Problem #1, IMO.

Just like you. You moved here after all. You must be symbolic of EVERYTHING Florida attracts.

[Spring Hillian]

The best state? How could that be measured? Everybody has a different outlook on where the best place to live is. Thankfully, FL is not for everyone or we'd have a population double what we have now.

One ex-FL resident keeps harping on jobs and the uneducated people who live here.
LA, SF, NYC, DC are all major megatropolis areas. If someone wants to live that lifestyle then
good for them. Uneducated people live everywhere. They are in LA, SF, NYC, DC, etc. There is opportunity here for people with a lack of education. Those folks make up most of those employed in tourism and service related occupations. They are required. There is nothing wrong with being uneducated. Generally they are not blowhards as many of the educated people are.

Fl has a uniqueness that is unmatched in the rest of the country.
Some love it, some dont. If a person is not up to being able to live here then they should either go away or never come.

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Moving to Florida for Career advancement.

Not unless you work in healthcare or can get a job within a said county, aka working for Fire Rescue is very lucrative here. Aside from that Wealth Management and etc.

More than half of county's fire-rescue employees earn more than $90,000 | www.palmbeachpost.com


If your highly educated and work another sector, say one that is STEM related and a few other professions, more than likely if you can get a job, you will have poor wages, minimal to no wage increases, lack of jobs and no stepping stones to another one (because there is little here to choose from)...fact is you can just accept it or leave for greener pastures where the work is more in demand. Many don't, that's why they end up waiting tables with a Masters Degree and $80+ in student loan debt...or totally give up on their chosen field of study and stay put working for way less than they would make just to live the Margaritaville lifestyle.

That lifestyle is what many in the middle of winter up north dream about, Guy Harvey Shirt, flip flops, shorts and a farmer tan sipping a Brewski under the Tiki Hut along the beach, how and the means they will pay for it...the lifestyle, is not usually thought about till longer after the arrive when the savings dries up...

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I'm sure Floridians everywhere are happy to hear that. Too many people here already.

You can speak of YOUR experience, however subjective, living in the state. If I were looking for information about Florida though, I'd take your words with a very large grain of salt ( and a few giggles to boot). But as we've said before, you are entitled to your opinion, and I'm glad you have moved somewhere else you don't find as highly objectionable.

Why? He said FL is flat and very hot and humid. It is also LOADED with a lot of rude transplants from the NE, these are all true.

Take a trip out of FL(might do you some good) and drive through Georgia, SC, and NC. You will see a noticeable difference in attitude in stores and restaurants compared to FL. You actually see manners.

Yes, they have transplants(in addition to much nicer scenery) but the difference is you move from NJ to GA there are enough natives(unlike FL) that they will tell you flat out "rude isn't going to fly here". It's a when in Rome do as the Romans do mentality that is lacking in FL due to the natives now being outnumbered.

But it is not conjecture that FL is hot, humid, flat and has a lot of rude people. You really notice it when you travel to other southeastern states and out west.

[tinytrump]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Why? He said FL is flat and very hot and humid. It is also LOADED with a lot of rude transplants from the NE, these are all true.

Take a trip out of FL(might do you some good) and drive through Georgia, SC, and NC. You will see a noticeable difference in attitude in stores and restaurants compared to FL. You actually see manners.

Yes, they have transplants(in addition to much nicer scenery) but the difference is you move from NJ to GA there are enough natives(unlike FL) that they will tell you flat out "rude isn't going to fly here". It's a when in Rome do as the Romans do mentality that is lacking in FL due to the natives now being outnumbered.

But it is not conjecture that FL is hot, humid, flat and has a lot of rude people. You really notice it when you travel to other southeastern states and out west.

Yea not the natives that are rude and cold- but all the transplants, and my experience the mid western and Canadians. In thier territory they are wonderful to each other -when they come here-,,, different story,

[eqttrdr]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/30-Re...88400907839232

Gallup: Florida among 10 worst states to live in - Jacksonville Business Journal

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/reaso...craziest-state