[crt0719]

Hello,

Probably another thread out there somewhere but I needed something a little broader. I am trying to determine where in Florida I would like to move to. I am 31, no kids. Need night life, shopping, foods, things to do. It does not have to be extremely busy. Not to far from the beach. But I do like to live in a more quiet or laxed neighborhood. Good Job opportunities. But also a place that will feel like home.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by crt0719

Hello,

Probably another thread out there somewhere but I needed something a little broader. I am trying to determine where in Florida I would like to move to. I am 31, no kids. Need night life, shopping, foods, things to do. It does not have to be extremely busy. Not to far from the beach. But I do like to live in a more quiet or laxed neighborhood. Good Job opportunities. But also a place that will feel like home.

For a moderate cost of living and work opportunities the Tampa-St Petersburg area could work out well for you.

[crt0719]

How moderate?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by crt0719

How moderate?

The average one bedroom apartment rents for around $1000 in the Tampa Bay area, meaning a swing around $800 up to $1200. The national average for major US cities is $1164, which is about 15% more. Then factor in a lack of state income tax...

https://www.zumper.com/blog/2017/03/...-april-2017-2/


The median home price in the Tampa-St Petersburg market is 215K, while the national average is 236K which is 10% below the average for ALL CITIES.

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by crt0719

Hello,

Probably another thread out there somewhere but I needed something a little broader. I am trying to determine where in Florida I would like to move to. I am 31, no kids. Need night life, shopping, foods, things to do. It does not have to be extremely busy. Not to far from the beach. But I do like to live in a more quiet or laxed neighborhood. Good Job opportunities. But also a place that will feel like home.

The I-4 corridor is great for the "yuppie" lifestyle of a good job, income, reasonable housing cost options, commute, and nightlife. I have graduate degrees from both UF and FSU. The graduate students from FSU or UF typically move to the I-4 corridor for a good job, social life, and housing options. It is also culturally diverse with a mix of demographics. There is diversity in age, ethnicity, regional affiliation, etc. Central FL was my favorite part of FL. I almost moved there in March but unexpectedly got a new job in my home state of AZ. So I returned to Phoenix.

In your case, I would recommend Central FL - the "I-4 Corridor". Mr. Kyle gave great suggestions and information. As for jobs, try indeed.com or dice.com. The opportunities are numerous in the area for jobs. I still get calls from Tampa to return to Florida for a job even though I already moved for a new job in Phoenix (LOL). There is a shortage over there for engineers. But there is a shortage here too.

Avoid: Tallahassee and the Panhandle. South FL is a toss-up. I know many people who did not like it. I did not. I also know many people who wouldn't want to live any place else (particularly Cubans or Central/South Americans with ethnic community roots of the area). I worked in South FL for one year and left.

North FL like Tallahassee and the FL Panhandle is very "Bible Belt Southern". Tallahassee is also a college town with a high prevalence of the 18-22 year age group. Either that, or the local southerners with families enjoy Tallahassee. But for an independent young professional the I-4 corridor would be your best option (in my opinion).

As for me, I am a Native American from rural Arizona. I am a biomedical and software engineer.