[aylinap]

Hi everybody,

I've been to different places in Florida a few times and I absolutely love it for its beaches and growth. I currently live in NC and thinking about finding a job and moving down there. I currently work as an office manager. What are the best cities/towns to move to that are affordable and safe? Preferably near Miami and Fort Lauderdale..maybe an hour or 2 away from there but it doesn't have to be in Miami. I would be renting. I've looked at Boca Raton and it seems like a decent area, but I don't know much about the job market there.

[kyle19125]

You might also check out a city like St Petersburg which is booming and has a a lot to offer with a fairly affordable cost of living. Like any big city it has areas to avoid, but many nice ones as well.

St. Petersburg, Florida | Visit St Petersburg Clearwater Florida
St.Pete Rising

[TD*]

Tallahassee is the best city in Florida.

[cfbs2691]

Get the job first and work from there.
There are countless websites to submit your resume and apply for jobs

[RamenAddict]

South Florida in general is pretty expensive in comparison to the salaries offered. They may offer a bit higher salaries than the rest of Florida but not nearly enough to make up for the much higher cost of living. The traffic down there is also horrific. My coworkers in that part of Florida travel pretty far to get to their offices (because they don't make enough to live close by) and drive an hour + each way).

It's really going to depend on your career field and where the opportunities are, but the Tampa Bay area and Jacksonville area are probably going to give you the most bang for your buck. Both areas are still much more affordable in the areas close to the beach and they're also a lot of bargains to be found near the beach. The traffic is getting worse in both areas but it's not nearly as bad as it is in South Florida. The Tampa area is definitely worse than Jacksonville. The vibe of the cities is different. Tampa is more liberal than Jax, so if that is something that matters to you, then keep that in mind.

[smarino]

I'm of an opposite mind. Never, ever accept a job in a place you know nothing about. Invest some money and time finding where you want to LIVE, then put together a job. A great job in a place you don't like (and maybe a place that doesn't like you) has no value whatsoever. This is why so many people try to get to places like Hawaii, for instance. Despite the high cost of living issues and the problems of employment, for them it's worth it to have a higher quality of life.

[froglipz]

Visit areas and research , then decide where you think is a good fit.

[aridon]

You really need to visit the areas in question.

SW FL and SE FL are the two most popular areas with very different look and feel to them.

North FL, east coast or panhandle is also quite different. Depending on what your job offers it might not be worth it to live in SE FL as it is quite expensive.

[JazzmanLI]

I see you are interested in some cities in South Florida. I currently live in SW Fla and have 3 complaints that I did not know till I moved here 5 years ago.
1.)Traffic - South or Southwest Florida are two of the most desirable areas in the state. Especially during the winter months... There is too much development and not enough highways to support it. Roads are backed up for miles and yet they are still developing every piece of land they can find. I use to work 2-3 miles down the road and when season came, I left myself 30 minutes to get there on time.
2.) Tourism - During the winter months, the airports will be packed, shopping centers are full, and the interstate is backed up for miles during rush hour. The beaches are untouchable if you don't get there first thing in the morning. I understand tourism needs to exist, especially for FL. But just be aware that snowbirds and tourist will be scattered throughout South and Southwest Florida come November.
3.) The expense of living here- When I first moved here Florida appeared to be so much cheaper from where I came from. And in a sense it was. But now as 5 years has went by, the price of real estate is going up faster and faster as demand for seasonal condos and single family homes increases. The water bill in Southwest Florida is crazy! Probably because it is piped in from the springs in central Florida. One thing Id like to note, is FL does have homestead tax exemption which is very nice. FL residents receive 50% off property taxes!

I know it sounds as if I am saying to stay away from South and Southwest Florida. I don't mean for it to come out that way. If you visit and love it, maybe its for you! I like living here, but wasn't aware of those three concerns I listed before I moved here.

I do like North Florida. I don't know much about it but have visited the area many times. If you are open to other areas, check out Jacksonville. I have family that use to live there and loved it. Even if you look south of there (Palm Coast, Flagler) you're not too far from JAX and have all the amenities of a big city near by. I recently was in Port Orange for a few days (Daytona area) and loved what I saw.

Best of luck!

[BNBR]

You guys keep talking about traffic, but it's not that simple. Traffic is something to concern yourself with when you look for a specific place to live in relation to your office. But it's not as if all of South Florida has traffic issues. I have no traffic at all on my commute to work. It really just depends. And they are absolutely building highways and infrastructure to move traffic faster - and it's working very well, actually.

I wouldn't avoid South Florida over traffic, that's for sure. But it would may affect where I decide to live and work in South Florida.