Ft Myers/Naples vs. Tampa Bay (low crime, schools, restaurants)

[Learnedhand]

Gentlemen and ladies,

I am moving to the sunshine state with the aim of opening a branch of a successful plaintiffs law firm in either the Tampa / St. Pete area or the Ft. Myers/Naples area. I do not know much about either place.


I know it can be difficult to compare places so I will include some information about me that might help:

- I am in my early 30s and engaged to be married. I expect to start a family relatively soon. I'd like access to quality schools, culture, and a low crime rate.
- I will be in charge of the entire law office (including client acquisition) so the relative population growth of each area is relevant.
- Restaurants and attractions are important to me.


My gut tells me to settle in the Tampa area but my fellow partners think Ft Myers would be a better fit. They have some say in where I end up (its a long story - family is involved) so I need to have some hard evidence (statistics about population, schools, crime rate etc) that can clearly differentiate the two areas. I have tried to find the information on my own but it is proving very difficult.

Thank you in advance for the help. I am hopeful that this fine community will be able to point me in the right direction - This has been weighing on my mind for some time.


Best,

Learnedhand