Top 10 Reasons to Move to Florida
1.Florida Offers Top-Rated Beaches
Spanning 1,350 miles of coastline alongside the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is home to many of our nation’s top-rated beaches. Many of these beaches receive awards and accolades each year by popular review sites such as Trip Advisor, Dr. Beach, Conde Nast Traveler and others. Sunny Isles beach is no exception to this! Sunny Isles Beach is a perfect destination for both leisure and business travelers. With its stunning beaches, warm sunshine, and crystal-clear waters, it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind.
2. Florida Does Not Have a State Income Tax
One of the biggest benefits of living in Florida is the lack of a state income tax, which allows you to keep more of the dollars you earn. In lieu of a state income tax, the state of Florida earns revenue from the many millions of tourists which visit our state annually year through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) on revenues from hotel stays and short-term rental properties (for stays of 6 month or less). Once you become an official Florida resident, you will then be thankful for the many tourists as they continue to pay your share of state taxes.
3. Florida Has Great Year-Round Weather
When you think of Florida, you likely think of sunshine, beaches and great weather year-round. Known as the “sunshine” state, Florida enjoys 250 days of sunshine each year making the average year-round temperature 72’ in south Florida and 67’ in north Florida. Via this great weather, take up watersport activities such as stand-up paddle boarding or kayaking for a vigorous workout or rent a small boat for the day and explore the Intracoastal waterway and its remote sand bars. If tennis, pickle ball or golf are more your game, many towns offer year-round courts and courses to check out.
4. Florida Offers Reasonably Priced Real Estate & Cost of Living
Even with higher interest rates, Florida’s real estate market continues to remain strong and new housing developments continue to break ground. This strong demand has caused home prices to rise in recent years and the average Florida home price in late April 2024 is now $399K. As the average home price in America is only $358K, Florida home prices are still reasonably priced at just 11.4% above the nation’s average. Florida’s real estate prices continue to hold steady in this economy as many relocating to the sunshine state are coming from New York, New Jersey and California where average home prices are respectively 30%, 46% and 140% above the nation's average.
5. Florida Has a Very Strong Economy & Employment Market
Florida’s economy and job market have been, and continue to be very strong, due to its top industries of tourism & hospitality, defense & homeland security, real estate & development, and multiple others. In calendar year 2023, Florida achieved 135 million tourists, just below its all-time high of 137.4 million tourists in 2022. Currently, Florida’s economy is ranked as the 4th largest out of all 50 states, based upon its Gross State Product (GSP) of $1.1 Trillion, just behind California, Texas and New York.
6. Florida Has Many Amusement & Theme Parks
Florida is currently home to 8 of the "Top 20" amusements parks in the entire nation as well as 3 of the "Top 20" water parks in the entire world. While Florida is well known for Walt Disney World and Busch Gardens, there are actually many more popular theme parks to explore. Many of these parks offer Florida resident discounts and have on-site accommodations for overnight and/or extended stays.
Florida Amusement Parks
Florida Water Parks
7. Florida is a Great State to Retire In
When most people think about a warmer climate to spend their retirement years, they usually think Florida, Arizona or Texas. In a recent study performed by WalletHub, a popular finance site, their panel of experts named Florida as the #1 state to retire in for 2024 based upon its overall affordability, quality of life and access to top health care.
In fact, each year, multiple cities within Florida are commonly rated as top retirement destinations including Naples, Sarasota, The Villages and Vero Beach. Many of these destinations, which offer lifestyle amenities catered towards baby-boomers, offer maintenance-free homes, RV parks, area golf courses, fishing piers and an abundance of outdoor activities to enjoy. When compared to all 50 states, Florida ranks highest in the nation with just over 21% of its total population being 65+ years of age, according to US census data.
8. Florida Offers Many Festivals and Outdoor Events to Attend
As a Floridian, you’ll be able to enjoy endless outdoor events year-round. Popular events include music concerts, famer’s markets, arts and craft shows, antique and exotic car shows, polo matches and sand sculpting contests just to name a few.
9. Florida is Home to Many Professional Sports Teams
If you're an avid sports fan, Florida has got your bases covered (pun intended) with many sports teams spanning football, baseball, basketball and hockey. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all based in the sunshine state. Also, with Florida’s warmer year-round weather, many MLB teams have their spring training here including the New York Yankees, The Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles. Many spring training games are open for public attendance and typically draw large local crowds.
10. South Florida offers Endless Attractions & Day Trips to Explore
If you move to the east coast of Florida, you’ll have access to popular location such as Hollywood Beach, La Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale Beach, and Ocean Drive. Explore the heart of Miami in the Downtown area, and venture into the artistic neighborhoods of Wynwood. Enjoy Miami clubbing and unforgettable parties in the Brickell area and come visit our famous beaches at Miami Beach! Sunny Isles Beach contains some great spots such as Haulover Park, Oleta River State Park, as well as many Luxury Resorts for you to explore and enjoy. Aventura has Gulfstream Park Racing near, Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, Don Soffer Exercise Trail, among other local attractions. Don’t forget to stop by Aventura Mall, the 5th largest mall in the country! If you are not afraid of heights, try a private helicopter tour in Miami. You can also rent jet ski rides, boats, yachts as well as other aquatic fun activities in Dade County!
