Considering St. Petersburg/Tampa (Pinellas Park: apartments, rent, insurance)

[RyanK4]

A little about me: I'm 24 and originally from central NY; I've been living in Atlanta this year and teaching middle school for my graduate program that I'm in at a Midwestern university.

While I think Atlanta has a lot of things going for it, I'm not sure I want to stay here long term after my program concludes next year. I've always wanted to try living near the coast and am a big fan of palm trees and beach/water-related activities.

For a number of years, I wanted to move to San Diego; now that I'm a bit older and am working, I realize how many problems California has and the cost of living is exorbitant.

In doing some basic (very basic) research, it looks like the St. Petersburg/Tampa area would not be that much more expensive than Atlanta (which I already think is quite affordable for a city of its size). Are there lots of hidden costs associated with living in Florida? I know there is no state income tax, but I've heard that homeowner insurance is considerable because of the hurricanes (though I would be renting an apartment, so I'm not sure if I would need insurance). Additionally, I know I can expect to pay more for groceries in general and electricity in the summer for A/C. Are there other costs someone from the outside may not consider?

A few other things I would like to know: I'd like to get into jetskiing and kayaking (two things I enjoy but cannot do much of here in a landlocked area) - are these popular activities down there? Is boating insurance expensive? I also enjoy sailing, running, and cycling.

I know many people complain about the summer heat; is the summer humidity and temperatures much different from Atlanta?

In addition, what pest or critter problems are there? There are a lot of rodents and small roaches in Atlanta.

How is the social scene for people in their mid 20s? I'm not a big partier by any means (I'm pretty low key), but I enjoy having fun with my friends whether we are going to a sporting event, concert, or other happening. In fact, I did enjoy my first Gasparilla experience earlier this year when visiting some friends in Pinellas Park!

Also, I'm not sure whether I'll stay in teaching - but does anybody know how benefits are for teachers? I'm at a Catholic school; although I enjoy it, the salary, pension, and health benefits just aren't there - so I may try and go public.

I apologize for the barrage of questions - feel free to answer any!

[alicat611]

I can answer a few of your questions based on my two years of living in the Tampa Bay area - we plan on moving back soon.
1) Yes, you can expect pests...every apartment/house we lived in required pest control, mostly for cockroaches. If you have good pest control you won't really be bothered by it. Most apartments will take care of this as part of your living agreements, at no extra cost to you. If you rent a house I'd recommend making sure they will do a pest control visit before move-in. I didn't really notice any other rodent issues...my in-law's have fruit rats from time to time because of their lemon trees, but living in a more urban area I don't think you'd have an issue.
2) Nightlife is pretty active. There is a young population, especially with the university at SPU close by. We were in our early 20s when we lived in Tampa and there are lots of bar, clubs, etc.
3) Yep, it's hot there. I came from the Midwest and I found the first summer to be unbearable, but by the second one it didn't really bother me as much. I'm not sure how it compares to Atlanta but I suspect they're pretty similar.

Sorry I can't help you with the other questions...good luck!