Ryan Ratliff (L), Real Estate Sales Associate with Re/Max Advance Realty, shows Ryan Paredes (R) and Ariadna Paredes a home for sale on April 20, 2023 in Cutler Bay, Florida. In a report by the National Association of Realtors, existing-home sales edged 2.4% lower in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.44 million. In addition, sales declined 22.0% from one year ago.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)The benefits of living in Florida are no secret. We see the U-Hauls making their way through Tampa area streets every day. There is no state income tax. Shoveling isn't something we ever have to worry about. Sure our A/C bills are through the roof this month and home and auto insurance costs are out of control. But all in all, it's a pretty great place to live. However, it looks like there are five better states to settle down in according to a new Wallet Hub study.
They looked at things like what residents can do for fun, good weather, education, safety and job opportunities. So who beat us? Ironically, 4 of the top 5 states are people move FROM to come live here in Florida.
Topping the survey is Massachusetts. They came in at the top spot for education and health. For quality of life and safety, the state came in at #6. As someone who's lived in Massachusetts for about half of his life, I can tell you there are perks. Boston is a fantastic city, filled with fun places to see a concert, grab a drink and live life... at least for 4 or 5 months out of the year. The rest of the year... not so much.
Coming in at #2 was New Jersey. Seriously? You'd rather live in New Jersey than Florida? You'll find some decent pizza. But other than that the only thing that comes to mind from my drives through New Jersey is toll booths. Sure you're close to New York City, but that's about the only other perk I can think of. Wallet Hub says NJ came in at #1 for safety.
At #3 was New Hampshire. As a guy who grew up in Maine, I can see the appeal. You have Boston nearby but you're far enough away from the madness and traffic. The economy, safety, education and heath are where New Hampshire scored points.
New Hampshire just edged out #4 New York. But it's hard to take this survey seriously when you see that New York came in at #1 for quality of life. I love to visit NYC but after 3 or 4 days, I've had more than enough. I could never live among the bad smells, congestion, dirty streets and winter cold. But maybe it's the other cities in New York that helped them reach #4.
Just ahead of Florida? Wyoming! Who moves to Wyoming? The state came in at #4 for safety, but in the middle of the pack on everything else.
As mentioned, Florida came in at #6. What did the researchers like about the Sunshine State? They scored Florida #1 on restaurants per capita and our unemployment rate. For quality of life, Florida came in 5th behind New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and... wait for it, California. [Source: Wallet Hub]
Tampa’s Best 5 Suburbs To Live In
Not a fan of the big city life but want to be close enough to commute to Tampa, go to Tampa Bay Lightning or Bucs games and see the concerts when bands come to Tampa? These suburbs offer the best of both worlds, according to New Home Source.
They looked at things like home values, travel time to Tampa, crime rates, school rankings and population to determine the best suburbs in Tampa Bay to call home.
#5: Wesley Chapel
Home of the Tampa Premium Outlets and about a half hour commute to Tampa, Wesley Chapel scored an A- for education.
#4: Oldsmar
The only suburb to make this list with a median home value of under $200,000 (although it's unclear how recent that number is), Oldsmar scores really well with schools and low crime numbers.
#3: Palm Harbor
One of my favorite little towns in Tampa Bay, I love to bike along the Pinellas Trail through Palm Harbor and Dunedin. Great schools and pretty affordable compared to other Pinellas cities nearby.
#2: Cheval
An often forgotten community in the Tampa area, this one has the smallest population of the top 5 with about 11,000 residents. If you love the water, there are lots of lakes for relaxation.
#1: Keystone
New Home Source says the best spot to look in the Tampa area is this suburb about 30 minutes northwest of Tampa. The home prices reflect their #1 ranking with the median home value at about $370,000.
