In your opinion, what is the best place to live in Florida and why?
Answers:
Having lived in Florida for many years (but I now live up north) I would suggest you first consider the West Coast Gulf area. Presumably you want to be fairly near the beach? The Gulf Coast has much nicer people than the Gold Coast, i.e. the Miami/Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach area. The SE corridor of FL attracts many people from the large cities of the NE, like NY, NJ, and MA. It is also like Las Vegas in that it attracts a lot of transients, gypsies, scammers, and criminals of all types. Not too long ago Ft. Lauderdale was rated by the FBI as the Murder Capital of the USA. When you factor in that tons of rude - and I mean very rude - people from NYC and environs flock to this area, plus the crime rate, uh, I would stay away. You won't like it. To live in this area comfortably you're going to need a LOT of money - the rents and housing costs are out of this world.
The Gulf Coast is populated more by people from the Midwest, who are not so paranoid and rude, and are more laid back and fair-minded. The cost is still high, but not AS high. The beaches are also much nicer on the Gulf, although you don't have the strong waves that come in like on the East Coast.
My suggestions would be communities like Sarasota, Venice, Naples, Port Charlotte or any community between Tampa Bay to the north and Naples to the south. The areas around Tallassee aren't too bad, especially for cost, but they are known as the Red Neck Riviera (which is fine by me since these folks are always nice).
Central Florida - such as from Orlando outward in any direction is OK in my opinion, but you're about 2.5 hours from the beach on the east coast. If you like the idea of being near Disney and the many other amusement parks there then you might like living inland like this. There are many other small country-like towns that are inland that might be nice if you want to be away from tourists and don't mind being far from the beach.
One of the previous answers mentions the bug problem. It's a real concern to me personally. The insects in the subtropical Florida climate are a real force to be reckoned with and they grow large and horrific and show up everywhere - cleanliness has nothing to do with it.
Also, the heat is also more than most people realize who don't live there but only vacation there. It can be in the 90's with near 100% humidity almost all year with a nice break only in Dec., Jan., Feb. and Mar. It's not the nice dry heat like California - it's tropical and omnipresent and overwhelming as far as I'm concerned. But, a lot of people seem to be OK with it.
Good luck!
Other answers:
There is no such thing in Florida. The entire state is hot, very, very humid and full of bugs. Doesn't matter what name they go by, they are still cockroaches...and they fly down there. Thank you no, I never want to know my Orkin man on a first name basis.
There is no such thing in Florida. The entire state is hot, very, very humid and full of bugs. Doesn't matter what name they go by, they are still cockroaches...and they fly down there. Thank you no, I never want to know my Orkin man on a first name basis.
I live in Florida, there is nowhere that's nice to live. It's extremely over populated. The traffic is horrendous, the temperature is too damn hot. The hurricanes will find you.
If you have to go anywhere,... go north. Naples, Orlando area.
Those places are still nice.
West Palm Beach, because it is pretty but not too far South.
There very few places in florida that are nice. You have to find one of the smaller cities. Stay out of Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Daytona Beach, Cocoa beach areas. These places are full of crime and hate.
in my opinion, the best place to live in Florida is Miami. just because it is very populated.
Central Florida - Orlando area. You're only 1 hour from the beaches yet still mostly protected from the hurricanes. Also there's so much to do with the theme parks.