These Are the 4 Best Places to Live in Florida

Florida isn’t just one of the most meme-able states in America. It’s also one of the most livable places. And after the pandemic made working from home a possibility for more people, they began moving to Florida in droves.

Who wouldn’t want to live with nonexistent winters, great food and gorgeous beaches? Of course, this has meant that popular spots like Miami and Tampa have seen some dramatic jumps in housing prices.

But don’t worry. There are still some places where you can live your dreams of tropical days eating Cuban sandwiches without going broke. These are the four best places to live in Florida, and they rank among the places to live in the U.S.

We have based the livability ranking on the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024. The annual ranking takes into account numerous factors to come up with a list of 150 cities. According to the report, “a place had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life” to make the cut.

After analyzing the report, we’ve taken the four Florida cities that made it into the top 30 of U.S. cities overall. We considered the report’s ranking and scores for the cities and also added our own editorial input, based on the experience of our staff writer (me), who lives in the state.

Take it from a local and consider moving to these awesome places in Florida.

Population: 824,160 (metro population)

U.S. News ranking: 5 (out of 30)

Value: 6.1*

Quality of life: 7.0

Overall score: 6.8

*Value, quality of life, and overall score are from the U.S. News and World’s Report rankings, based on their analysis of public data and user opinions.

Sarasota comes in at number five in the overall list of livable cities. We aren’t surprised to see it do so well, especially because we lived there for almost half a decade and are well-acquainted with its charms. 

The city is known to the outside world as a sleepy town where retired northerners come to spend the winter. And the stereotype is definitely true. Snowbirds flock here when the weather gets cold. What doesn’t get advertised as much, however, is that Sarasota is also a college town, with New College of Florida, the Ringling College of Art and Design, and another four secondary education institutions. 

Both snowbirds and college students love cultural events, so Sarasota has a constant roster of plays, concerts, art shows, plays and performances happening. You will also be able to visit institutions like the Ringling Museum, which has an impressive art collection that spans from ancient times to the current century and includes works by Peter Paul Reubens and Marcel Duchamp.

In terms of food, you can expect both variety and quality. From Peruvian to Thai to American to Spanish, you’ll find it all Downtown, on Main Street or Saint Armand’s, along with boutique shops and bars. 

Of course, the real reason to move to Sarasota is the beach. Siesta Key constantly ranks amongst the most beautiful in the country. The flour-like sand is so soft that you’ll have the urge to eat it and the water in the Gulf of Mexico is clear and warm. At sunset, groups of dolphins often come close to the shore and bioluminescence happens seasonally. 

As someone who lived there for a long time, Sarasota deserves to be in the top 10 best cities in the U.S.

Population: 372,797 (metro population)

U.S. News ranking: 6 (out of 30)

Value: 6.8

Quality of life: 7.1

Overall score: 6.6