Low Wages (Tampa, Lakeland, Brandon: new home, construction, high school)

[Vanderbiltgrad]

The salaries here are even lower from the national average for health care workers including DR's and Nurses. Florida has no state tax which makes balances it out thou. Source I work at a hospital in the Miami Area.

[hindsight2020]

Originally Posted by Vanderbiltgrad

The salaries here are even lower from the national average for health care workers including DR's and Nurses. Florida has no state tax which makes balances it out thou. Source I work at a hospital in the Miami Area.

Yeah but i'sn't MIA proper way higher in the cost of living index than Tampa? Tampa also has more affordable access to surburban options than Dade/Broward does it not?

Not knocking it, but my wife just started RN school and we're planning on moving to FL (for proximity to PR) with an eye on the TPA area over any other enclave between there and Miami precisely due to the differences in cost of living.

Is the COL in Dade and Broward overblown? Honestly curious, because from all the research I've done so far, even with my income being derived out of a job I would have to commute to MIA once a week for, we would be ahead in Tampa, (Orlando maybe? have no clue on that one wrt COL differences) or the like over trying to have a middle class lifestyle in MIA, even if TPA nursing jobs are a paycut.

But I'm open to ideas, if you think there's a place closer to MIA where my wife can have the kind of nursing job pool the size of TPA can provide while keeping the COL in check.

[wallyb2013]

Originally Posted by Student66

Other "data" can be found to contradict "real statistical data." This is the era of multiple economic "truths." One report says the labor force is back to full participation, another report says the contrary. One report says wages are up, another report says wages are stagnant and/or declining due to inflation and various Cost of Living expenses.

Have a great day.

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Show me "data" that backs up anything but what 3 different cost of living calculators state.

Any person with half a brain can Google cost of living calculators or salary statistics. Some people come to this forum for the exact type of information you are for some reason discounting - actual, specific accounts from real people living in Tampa Bay, not some statistical average that lumps everything into one category.

Cost of Living calculators don't account for the differences between the shady Save-a-Lot and the upscale Publix, or between a 2000 sq ft. cinder block box on a busy 4-lane, treeless road and the historic 2000 sq ft bungalow under a canopy of trees on a brick street. That information can only be gathered from speaking with actual people living here, or people with experience in this market. Even real estate websites like Zillow are misleading, as I learned the hard way. I thought that housing costs here would be apples to apples based on the Cost of Living calculator and Zillow, only to find out that comparably priced houses in walkable neighborhoods here in St. Pete were always either on busy streets, next to a shady apartment building, or had a crazy lay-out because they had been flipped from multi-family housing.

As far as salaries are concerned, I can't speak to every industry, but I can tell you that salaries in the legal industry are much lower here than they are in similarly sized metro areas. Just visit Law Firm Stats and compare a large law firm in Tampa Bay to a large law firm in Charlotte (although metro Charlotte is smaller population-wise). Starting salaries at large law firms in Tampa Bay are 30%+ lower than they are in Charlotte. And that's comparing things apples to apples - firms of the same size and caliber.

The only reason I still frequent this site now that I'm settled in is to try to provide insights and answers based on my personal experiences now that I'm here. I didn't find this forum to be helpful at all when I was considering a move, as almost no one from my demographic (mid-30's professional with a graduate degree and kids seeking to live in the city vs. the suburbs) replied to any of my posts. The only posts I ever comment on are those I have personal experience with. I don't comment (or even read) posts from people asking about suburban living, boating, retirement communities, etc., because I can't add value. Arguing with people who are trying to help others and claiming that they have no credibility because they can't provide "data" is detracting from the spirit of this forum and is discouraging people like me from using it (maybe that's your objective?). Let people speak without jumping down their throats because they don't provide a link to some generic website that any average Joe could find in 15 seconds of Googling. Insulting people who provide real-life examples as responses to threads doesn't add value and feels a lot like bullying. Grow up.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by wallyb2013

Cost of Living calculators don't account for the differences between the shady Save-a-Lot and the upscale Publix, or between a 2000 sq ft. cinder block box on a busy 4-lane, treeless road and the historic 2000 sq ft bungalow under a canopy of trees on a brick street.

If that were true in Tampa, it'd also be true in Charlotte (and everywhere else for that matter). Therefore, if the COL calculators don't account for the differences between shady Save-A-Lot and the upscale Publix here, they also don't account for the differences between shady Sale-A-Lot and the upscale Publix there. Unless you're telling us that Tampa has more shady Save-A-Lots or more cinder block boxes on a busy 4-lane, treeless road, then the COL calculators would still be accurate. I would imagine someone with a graduate degree would understand basic statistics.

[wallyb2013]

I'm done arguing. You all won. I'm tired of being insulted. I will no longer be commenting on this site.

[Spring Hillian]

Lawfirmstats.com only lists a handful of law firms in FL and I didnt see anything regarding salaries which would have a wide swing depending on the specialty a lawyer works in regardless of the number of attorneys in a firm or a comparison between the number of partners vs. associates. Also, attorneys in FL are a dime a dozen. The Florida Bar reports 96,512 members. The North Carolina Bar reports 23,766 members.

Cost of Living Calculators base their findings on a wide range of available statistics. COL calculators simply compare known information in one place against known information in another. It does not give a comparison of specifics like which supermarket is better than another nor does it compare a house on a busy 4-lane, treeless road and the historic 2000 sq ft bungalow under a canopy of trees on a brick street.

You can take the opinions or comments of 100 individuals on CD and get 100 different scenarios which are the personal experiences of those 100 people. It is not in anyway shape or form an indicator of factual comparison. If someone wanted to know the cost of a cinder block box in Orlando compared to a cinder block box in Live Oak they would be much better served by looking at information based on statistical facts vs. an individual opinion. For instance, you stated in a post that electricity is more expensive here then in Charlotte NC. If you look up the actual rates you will find that electricity in Tampa is 1/2 the rate in Charlotte.

It is my opinion that if one discounts the data provided in a source they should provide information that backs up their statements. If they have nothing to support their opinion then it is just that, an opinion.

Originally Posted by wallyb2013

Any person with half a brain can Google cost of living calculators or salary statistics. Some people come to this forum for the exact type of information you are for some reason discounting - actual, specific accounts from real people living in Tampa Bay, not some statistical average that lumps everything into one category.

Cost of Living calculators don't account for the differences between the shady Save-a-Lot and the upscale Publix, or between a 2000 sq ft. cinder block box on a busy 4-lane, treeless road and the historic 2000 sq ft bungalow under a canopy of trees on a brick street. That information can only be gathered from speaking with actual people living here, or people with experience in this market. Even real estate websites like Zillow are misleading, as I learned the hard way. I thought that housing costs here would be apples to apples based on the Cost of Living calculator and Zillow, only to find out that comparably priced houses in walkable neighborhoods here in St. Pete were always either on busy streets, next to a shady apartment building, or had a crazy lay-out because they had been flipped from multi-family housing.

As far as salaries are concerned, I can't speak to every industry, but I can tell you that salaries in the legal industry are much lower here than they are in similarly sized metro areas. Just visit Law Firm Stats and compare a large law firm in Tampa Bay to a large law firm in Charlotte (although metro Charlotte is smaller population-wise). Starting salaries at large law firms in Tampa Bay are 30%+ lower than they are in Charlotte. And that's comparing things apples to apples - firms of the same size and caliber.

The only reason I still frequent this site now that I'm settled in is to try to provide insights and answers based on my personal experiences now that I'm here. I didn't find this forum to be helpful at all when I was considering a move, as almost no one from my demographic (mid-30's professional with a graduate degree and kids seeking to live in the city vs. the suburbs) replied to any of my posts. The only posts I ever comment on are those I have personal experience with. I don't comment (or even read) posts from people asking about suburban living, boating, retirement communities, etc., because I can't add value. Arguing with people who are trying to help others and claiming that they have no credibility because they can't provide "data" is detracting from the spirit of this forum and is discouraging people like me from using it (maybe that's your objective?). Let people speak without jumping down their throats because they don't provide a link to some generic website that any average Joe could find in 15 seconds of Googling. Insulting people who provide real-life examples as responses to threads doesn't add value and feels a lot like bullying. Grow up.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

If that were true in Tampa, it'd also be true in Charlotte (and everywhere else for that matter). Therefore, if the COL calculators don't account for the differences between shady Save-A-Lot and the upscale Publix here, they also don't account for the differences between shady Sale-A-Lot and the upscale Publix there. Unless you're telling us that Tampa has more shady Save-A-Lots or more cinder block boxes on a busy 4-lane, treeless road, then the COL calculators would still be accurate. I would imagine someone with a graduate degree would understand basic statistics.

You would think they would understsand as I would but apparently personal opinion trumps facts.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by wallyb2013

I'm done arguing. You all won. I'm tired of being insulted. I will no longer be commenting on this site.

Nothing personal, but thanks for playing.

[Pragmaticus]

You two are experts in chasing people out of a thread, LOL......

Hey W- don't take it personal. Learn to take it as entertainment as we long-timers tend to do

I personally don't buy COL calculators that all these website provide. I do my own research to compare MY personal lifestyle at two different locations given the expected salary that I would get in each area. Easy to do that down to the tee. Not sure why all this back and forth argument is about.

[Iching]

Originally Posted by Pragmaticus

You two are experts in chasing people out of a thread, LOL......

Hey W- don't take it personal. Learn to take it as entertainment as we long-timers tend to do

I personally don't buy COL calculators that all these website provide. I do my own research to compare MY personal lifestyle at two different locations given the expected salary that I would get in each area. Easy to do that down to the tee. Not sure why all this back and forth argument is about.

Housing cost and property taxes are the biggest difference analyzing COL.