[expatCA]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Since the recession, many rural areas have lost population. Probably due to lack of jobs people moving to more populated areas. I would think it would be no different for those places in north florida and inland areas that have lost population. The older people die out and the younger people move away after college due to lack of jobs.

While lack of traffic and sorts is nice, there are disadvantages due living in rural areas such as having to drive an hour to get somewhere.

Hell, I live in Charlotte County and to buy stuff and that I either have to drive to Ft Myers, Estero or up to Sarasota since the mall here sucks. I'm from St. Louis, MO and I'm used to having everything within 10-15 min drive tops from me that I needed. I would think someone living in Tampa would feel the same way moving to a less populated area even like down here where you have to travel further and use more gas.

Living in a rural area has its plus and minuses. I'd love to live in the Ozarks for example around Table Rock Lake in far southern MO, but again there are drawbacks.

True, I would not want to live in too rural of an area. This is happening in the Midwest of the Country to such an extent many family farms are empty as the parents and grandparents still there move to a bigger town.

FL towns will not be like that as a lot of people are moving into FL. The rural areas would eventually be suburban to a degree. I grew up in SoCal and towns that were a bump in the road 40 or so years ago now have populations over 100,000. People are moving into areas no one wanted to live in 50 years ago, but they are now built up, have work and are still a few hours from the beach. The people buying there want to live in SoCal and accept far less than the better areas, as they can't afford them. FL is growing in the same way.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by expatCA

True, I would not want to live in too rural of an area. This is happening in the Midwest of the Country to such an extent many family farms are empty as the parents and grandparents still there move to a bigger town.

FL towns will not be like that as a lot of people are moving into FL. The rural areas would eventually be suburban to a degree. I grew up in SoCal and towns that were a bump in the road 40 or so years ago now have populations over 100,000. People are moving into areas no one wanted to live in 50 years ago, but they are now built up, have work and are still a few hours from the beach. The people buying there want to live in SoCal and accept far less than the better areas, as they can't afford them. FL is growing in the same way.

Outside of the college towns and Jax, the growth in Florida seems to be The Villages on south. I just don't see many people moving into north Florida as the winters are a lot colder than Orlando on South. I mean in the winter there are places in north Florida like Crestview and Marianna for example that have days where the highs struggle to get to 40 degrees and a couple nights each winter where the lows dip into the teens.

I talk to a lot of people down here and I ask about the Panhandle, North Florida because it's cheaper but most of them tell me they didn't consider it because it gets too cold up there and want to get away from the cold. The average lows in the middle of winter in north Florida are the mid 30s and highs only around 60.

I know if I was given the choice, I'd probably stick to St. Louis versus somewhere like Crestview or the Panhandle. Since it's cold in the winter already in St. Louis and stl doesn't get much snow or ice and it usually only sticks around for a few days. St. Louis average low coldest time is 23 and I think Crestview is 36 and rarely ever gets to 0 in Stl.

To me when it's 30 degrees or 20 degrees it's too cold for me lol!

It is interesting how it seems weather wise Orlando seems to be the dividing line. Average temps, everything north it is quite a bit colder compared to Orlando on South. From Orlando over to Crystal River seems to be the dividing line in FL for climate as south of there starts to take a more tropicalish look, then when you get to Sarasota near the coast on south, Florida takes on a mostly tropical look and feel.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

To me when it's 30 degrees or 20 degrees it's too cold for me lol!

It is interesting how it seems weather wise Orlando seems to be the dividing line. Average temps, everything north it is quite a bit colder compared to Orlando on South. From Orlando over to Crystal River seems to be the dividing line in FL for climate as south of there starts to take a more tropicalish look, then when you get to Sarasota near the coast on south, Florida takes on a mostly tropical look and feel.

Yep in the 30's is too cold for me.

Now Orlando is kinda the line, but even to Ocala it isn't that cold. Some people like some change in seasons and the North fits their needs and the time it is cold is very short.

From Citi-Data

Ocala:



Tallahassee:

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Yep in the 30's is too cold for me.

Now Orlando is kinda the line, but even to Ocala it isn't that cold. Some people like some change in seasons and the North fits their needs and the time it is cold is very short.

From Citi-Data

Ocala:



Tallahassee:

The Ocala airport, where NWS gets the data from has odd average highs and lows as they're quite warm for how far north in the state they're compared surrounding areas in the region.

Gainesville which isn't too far away has a lot cooler averages in the winter and summer for example, and Orlando has slightly cooler average highs despite being further south and a bit more of an urban heat island.

Would like to see where their sensors are mounted at and if there is a lot of dark pavement nearby. Ocala's coolest average high in the winter is 71 during the month of Jan which is 5 degrees warmer than Gainesville just 35 miles away.

Also the air seems to modify as it moves east. Like Northeast Florida doesn't get nearly as cold as the western parts of the Pan Handle.

If you want year round warmth, the Keys are the place to live. Besides being expensive, it's a pain having to drive hours to the mainland for stuff, and during a major hurricane can be deadly. If Wilma in 2005 were just 20 miles more south, it would have been a deadly disaster for the Keys as thousands would have died in storm surge and wind because no one evacuated for it. That was a near disaster many people don't think about how close it became. Likewise, if Wilma were 20 miles more north, Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City would have been devastated by storm surge.

[howyouspellkalispell]

Originally Posted by PowerofNow5

Thanks for posting. This was the only reason why I relocated back to DC *sigh*

D.C. SUX, dog. I can't get out of here fast enough. When I'm done this job I'll be gone so fast my shoes will have to catch the next flight.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

If you want year round warmth, the Keys are the place to live. Besides being expensive, it's a pain having to drive hours to the mainland for stuff, and during a major hurricane can be deadly. If Wilma in 2005 were just 20 miles more south, it would have been a deadly disaster for the Keys as thousands would have died in storm surge and wind because no one evacuated for it. That was a near disaster many people don't think about how close it became. Likewise, if Wilma were 20 miles more north, Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City would have been devastated by storm surge.

I want year round warmth, not heat and steam.

Central FL, East Coast has a nice almost constant ocean breeze making it better than the West Coast of FLand yet has temp variations that are fine by me yet not as cold as North FL. I can handle humidity but not year round as the Keys have it. Too far South for me. Where we are looking we can drive to many places such as Orlando for fun and even Tampa is about 2 hours away depending on traffic (done it) yet the area is like SoCal in the 1970's. I am a Beach Bum and will be happy to be on the beach just about every day.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

I've heard Tallahassee and Gainesville are just beautiful but that the college kids pretty much take up what jobs there are available along with the pay rate is lower because people in/just out of college will accept it in order to get their careers started... you think that's not correct?
(It seems to be that way in any city with a big college.)

I would say your assessment is probably most true with Tallahassee due to being the state capital and the opportunity for state government jobs, along with corresponding business interests with the state and FSU/FAMU. Gainesville is too small in my opinion for most twenty-somethings who are looking something larger/more exciting typically unless lucky enough to gain employment at UF or corresponding careers at UF Health (or research).

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I would say your assessment is probably most true with Tallahassee due to being the state capital and the opportunity for state government jobs, along with corresponding business interests with the state and FSU/FAMU. Gainesville is too small in my opinion for most twenty-somethings who are looking something larger/more exciting typically unless lucky enough to gain employment at UF or corresponding careers at UF Health (or research).

even at UF, it seems too one dimensional compared to a city like Madison or Austin.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

even at UF, it seems too one dimensional compared to a city like Madison or Austin.

Madison is an awesome city, my sister used to live there. Too cold for too long for me, but other than that I loved it.