Florida Has 3 Spots On List of Cities So Safe You Can Leave Your Door Unlocked

It's 2024. Chances are you locked the door last night before you went to bed. You probably locked the door as soon as you got home from work. It seems to be a bygone era - the thought of leaving your door unlocked just seems unsmart now.

A new study out lists 50 of the safest cities in America where you just might be able to sleep soundly if you forget to lock up. "Automate Your Life" looked at crime rates and other data to compile this list of cities that have shown a sharp contrast to national trends when it comes to safety. Hollister, Calfornia topped the list. But 3 Florida cities made the cut. The one that came in 1st might bring a chuckle or two.

Go ahead. Make the joke. Maybe safety isn't the reason those doors are unlocked. The Villages actually came in the Top 20 on the national list, landing at #19 between Evesham Township, New Jersey and Amherst, Massachusetts. The neighborhood known for its frisky retirees offers free nightly entertainment every night of the year in its three town squares and boasts the lowest crime rate in Florida.

Located between St. Augustine and Daytona, ti's not a big surprise Palm Coast makes the list. Filled with golf courses and beach resorts, if you live here, you've done pretty well in life. Palm Coast came in at #39 on the national list between Derry, New Hampshire and Chanhassen, Minnesota.

About halfway between Tampa and Fort Myers is the spot that just barely made the Top 50 list on this national survey. North Port comes in at #49 between Mentor, Ohio and Pullman, Washington. Its peaceful neighborhoods have a much lower than average crime rate. North Port has almost 100 miles of freshwater canals to paddle. But like the other cities on this list, you pay for that lifestyle. North Port has a cost of living about 22% higher than the national average.

While it's nice that as a resident of Florida, we get to skip paying a state income tax, we see lots of other expenses that offset that.

It's in the news constantly lately that home owners insurance companies are leaving the state. Those that continue to insure Florida homes are doubling, tripling and sometimes quadrupling their rates. The cost of homeowners insurance is getting so out of control that many just roll the dice and go without.

But that's not the only thing we pay more for in Florida than the rest of the United States.

This is the obvious one. Florida drivers aren't necessarily known for their courtesy or utilization of a blinker when making a turn. Add to that a fast growing population on already crowded roads. Then factor in the lack of a convenient public transportation system. It's a recipe for accidents and we see plenty. ABC Action News says we are paying DOUBLE.

While auto insurance is expensive, at least we can get it!  Florida is losing home insurers fast, thanks to our hurricanes and scammers.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Florida residents on Medicare pay way more than the rest of the country for supplemental Medicare plans.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that even the cost of simple gallon of milk costs more than most other states.

CBS Miami says the high cost of natural gas is to blame. While Floridians save money in the winter since we rarely turn on the heat, our air conditioners are running 24/7 for months during long Florida summers.

On average, Floridians pay $1,000 on average for title insurance, according to Make Florida Your Home. The price is set by the state.

We don't have any oil refineries in the state so that doesn't help.  So we have to import fuel from other states.