Pros and Cons of Living in Florida in 2026 (Insurance, Heat, Taxes)

Are you considering moving to Florida? You’re in the right place. With a population now surpassing 23.4 million people, it’s safe to say that Florida is a great place to live (it feels like paradise!). But is it really all sunshine and roses? That depends on who you ask, and we want to hear YOUR take.

My name is Tony and I moved to Florida in 2013 because I was looking for change. I intended to stay in the Sunshine State for 3-5 years yet recently found myself celebrating over 13 years here. Yeah, Florida has a way of doing that to people. I thought it’d be helpful to draft up a quick list of the pros and cons of living in Florida for anyone considering a similar move.

Note: As long time readers of this website will know, the real gold is in the comments. We pride ourselves on creating honest lists with no ulterior motive in mind (no fluff, no pitches, no BS). Scroll down to see what hundreds of Florida locals are saying and don’t be shy about adding your own perspective. We update this post regularly based on YOUR feedback. Agree or disagree? Let us know!

#1. No State Income Tax

When living in Florida you can forget about paying any state income tax because Florida doesn’t have one. For instance, if you’re earning $50,000 a year, living in a state with an average income tax rate of 5%, you’d save about $2,500 annually just by living in Florida. This is a perk that cannot be overstated, especially for those moving to Florida from states with an even higher income tax like Oregon or California where it goes up to 10%, depending on income. This saving can make a big difference in your budget, allowing more room for leisure or savings. It’s one of the reasons people move here specifically to get ahead financially, whether that’s paying off debt faster or actually building savings for the first time.

This one deserves its own callout because it’s become one of the biggest reasons people are choosing Florida specifically in the last few years. If you work remotely for a company based in California or New York, you are saving somewhere between 10 and 13 percent in state income tax just by living here instead. On a $100,000 salary, that’s $10,000 to $13,000 back in your pocket every year. That’s a car payment. That’s a vacation. That’s a meaningful chunk of a mortgage payment.

Co-working spaces have been popping up all over Tampa, St. Pete, and Miami over the last five years. The remote work infrastructure here is real now. I know people who made the move from the Bay Area or Brooklyn specifically because they did the math. Same job, same salary, no state income tax, and they’re now 20 minutes from a beach. Hard to argue with that.

#2. Mild Winters and Year-Round Vacation Living

While much of the country braces for blistering winters, the folks living in Florida find daily life mostly unchanged. That’s because mild winters are one of the biggest perks of living in Florida. The winter temperatures range from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the region. This lovely weather means you can enjoy outdoor activities like golfing, beach walks, or gardening all year round. This doesn’t even cover the biggest benefit of all: sunshine is a mood booster (those living in gray climates know what I mean).

Florida’s 1,350 miles of coastline boast some of the most stunning beaches in the U.S., attracting over 143 million visitors in 2023 alone (a record), making Florida the second most-visited state in America. Plus, it’s home to world-famous attractions like Walt Disney World and Everglades National Park, which alone attract over 20 million and 1 million visitors respectively each year.

The real perk of living in a vacation state is that you learn how to actually enjoy it without the tourist markup. You figure out which beaches to hit during the week when they’re empty. You learn the off-season timing for theme parks (September and January, you’re welcome). You get resident discounts at places that charge tourists full price. And honestly, having family and friends who always want to visit is pretty great for your social life. The sun shines for both tourists and locals, but locals know the best spots. What’s your favorite Florida under-the-radar spot that tourists don’t know about? Share it in the comments.

#3. Florida is Genuinely Varied

Florida is one of the most varied states in America. This is largely in part to the influx of residents from the neighboring countries. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state’s population is approximately 53% white, 27% Hispanic or Latino, 16% African American, and 3% Asian. Taking it a step further, more than 20% of the population was born outside the U.S., which means the food, music, and neighborhoods are genuinely different depending on where you are in the state. From the variety of food and music to top-notch festivals and an incredible art scenes, daily life in Florida is more interesting than less varied states.

In Tampa you’ve got some of the best Cuban food in the country coming out of Ybor City. South Florida has heavy Caribbean and Haitian influence (and if you really want to go all-in on island life, check out the US Virgin Islands), from cafecito windows in Little Havana to Haitian griot in Little Haiti. Orlando has pulled in people from everywhere. You hear five languages in one grocery store trip and that’s just a Tuesday.

#4. Housing and the Job Market

The median home cost in Florida is around $413,000, which is right around the national average of $420,000. So, if you’re moving to Florida from a pricier state, you’ll likely still find it reasonable, though calling it “affordable” is a stretch at this point. 2026 Update: Florida’s housing market has cooled slightly from its pandemic-era frenzy, but prices remain elevated. After surging over 40% between 2020-2023, the market has stabilized, but don’t expect any bargains if you’re house hunting in South Florida or the Gulf Coast.

The insurance situation is the real kicker though. Homeowners insurance in Florida has become brutally expensive (we’re talking 3-4x the national average in some areas). If you’re considering buying, factor that in. That said, those moving from states like California or New York will still find Florida relatively affordable. Current Florida homeowners, what’s your insurance situation like? Are you staying or thinking about leaving? Let us know in the comments.

On the job front, the state’s unemployment rate sits around 4.3%, roughly in line with the national average, which reflects a job market that’s normalizing after the post-pandemic boom. Tourism is the obvious one, but healthcare has exploded here as the population ages, and Tampa specifically has seen real tech and finance company growth over the last several years. The tech scene has been growing fast, with cities like Tampa, Miami, and Orlando attracting startups and remote workers. Tourism and healthcare are still the backbone of Florida’s economy, so there’s plenty of work if you’re willing to hustle. What industry do you work in while living in Florida? Is the job market as strong as they say? Share your experience below.

#5. Daily Access to the Beach

Florida’s impressive coastline (the largest in the continental US) is a big draw for folks moving to Florida. Florida has a lot of beaches, and they’re actually pretty different from each other. The Gulf side is warm, calm, and has that white sugar sand. The Atlantic side has waves, cooler water, and a different vibe entirely. Siesta Key consistently ranks as one of the best beaches in the country, and Fort De Soto near St. Pete is a local favorite that tourists mostly don’t know about. In fact, Florida beaches consistently rank as some of the best in the country.

On average, Floridians are within a 30-minute drive to the nearest beach, making it easy to incorporate a beach visit into your regular routine. This proximity to the ocean not only means unlimited leisure opportunities but also makes it easy to actually get outside and move around year-round. So, if you’ve dreamed of living by the sea then daily life in Florida is hard to beat. Gulf Coast or Atlantic side, where do you stand? This is one of those debates that gets Floridians seriously fired up. Tell us your pick in the comments!

#6. Sports, Festivals, and Social Life

Florida’s sports culture is a huge perk of living in the Sunshine State. Here’s a quick roundup of the sports teams you should get acquainted with before moving to Florida.

• 3 NFL (Football) Teams: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers & Jacksonville Jaguars.
• 2 NBA (Basketball) Teams: Miami Heat & the Orlando Magic.
• 2 MLB (Baseball) Teams: Miami Marlins & Tampa Bay Rays.
• Hockey: Surprisingly, Florida’s also big on ice hockey with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers (fresh off their 2024 Stanley Cup win, proving hockey can thrive in the tropics).

Sports culture is huge here. If you’re into college football or prefer games on a professional level, there’s never a shortage of teams to root for. If you’re not a sports fan, you’ll be missing out on a ton of social events. Locals love getting together to watch big games over brews and snacks. Make an effort to get into sports and you’ll find it easier to get into new social circles (well, that’s been the case for me, at least).

After living in Florida for over 13 years now, it feels like there’s seldom a dull moment. Gasparilla in Tampa is basically a pirate-themed excuse for the entire city to day-drink on Bayshore Boulevard, and it’s exactly as fun as that sounds. The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City draws over 500,000 people every year for strawberry shortcake and country music. Fantasy Fest in Key West is… something else entirely. Leave the kids at home for that one. Trust me.

The Epcot Food & Wine Festival is legitimately great if you pace yourself (spoiler: nobody paces themselves). Every city has its own thing going on, whether it’s art walks in St. Pete, First Friday events in a dozen different downtowns, or the random alligator festival in some town you’ve never heard of. On any given weekend, there’s something happening within driving distance. What’s your favorite Florida festival or event? The ones I mentioned or something I’m missing? Drop it in the comments.

#7. Nature, Water, and the Outdoor Life

Sandbar culture is everything in Florida. You anchor the boat at a shallow sandbar, set up a cooler, stand waist-deep in clear water with a beer, and just exist. If you haven’t done this, you haven’t lived the Florida life yet. Boats are practically a second car for a lot of families here.

The springs are another level entirely. Places like Rainbow Springs, Weeki Wachee, and the Ichetucknee River are spring-fed and sit at 72 degrees year-round. In July when the air is 95 degrees and the humidity is trying to kill you, jumping into 72-degree crystal-clear water feels like a religious experience. You can see every fish, every rock, every blade of grass on the bottom. Fishing down here is basically a religion. People take it seriously. Inshore, offshore, freshwater bass, it doesn’t matter. Florida has more registered boats than any other state in the country, and the Florida Reef spans 350 miles and is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US. What’s your favorite water spot in Florida? Springs, sandbars, fishing holes, whatever. Tell us in the comments.

Florida has a lot of nature that people overlook because they’re thinking about theme parks and beaches. The Everglades alone are a World Heritage Site spanning over 1.5 million acres, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. Florida also has over 700 natural springs, including the famous Crystal River, where nearly 400,000 visitors yearly swim with manatees. With over 11,000 miles of rivers, streams, and waterways, Florida offers endless opportunities for kayaking and canoeing amidst stunning backdrops. Living here means you’re never far from something worth seeing outside, whether that’s the springs (which look photoshopped but they’re real), bioluminescence kayaking in Merritt Island, or roseate spoonbills wading through the Everglades. This stuff is in your backyard.

One of my favorite parts of living in Florida is being able to actually grow fruit right in my own backyard. Because of the weather conditions (and lack of freezing temperatures), growing fruits and vegetables is a breeze. This, in turn, makes eating seasonal and fresh produce easier than most other places in the country. Heck, you can even grow oranges and grapefruit in your yard. How cool is that?

#1. The Real Cost of Living in Florida

Let me give you the actual numbers, because the vague “higher than average” stuff doesn’t prepare you for what hits your bank account. The average electric bill in Florida runs $157 to $166 a month, and that’s the annual average. In August, when your AC is running 24 hours a day just to keep the house at 77 degrees, you’re looking at $250 to $300. People who move down from the Midwest or Northeast genuinely cannot believe their first summer bill.

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages around $1,700 a month statewide, and that number climbs fast in Tampa, Miami, or Orlando. Then there are the toll roads, which are everywhere. If you commute on I-75, the Selmon Expressway, or the Turnpike, you can easily spend $100 to $200 a month just on tolls. Groceries tend to run about 5 to 8% higher than the national average depending on where you shop. And no, the lack of a state income tax does not fully cancel all of this out. It helps, but it doesn’t make it free. Has the cost of living in Florida caught you off guard? Tell us what surprised you most in the comments.

The home prices look almost identical to the national average, but that insurance line is where Florida will actually surprise you. Paying $6,000 to $8,000 per year just for homeowners insurance changes the math on a mortgage significantly.

#2. Healthcare and Crime

Healthcare in Florida can be genuinely frustrating, especially for finding quality services. Statistically, Florida doesn’t rank in the top tier of states with the best healthcare, partly due to limited access in certain areas. For example, in rural regions, there’s roughly one primary care doctor for every 3,500 residents, which is higher than the national average. Additionally, Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured residents at about 13%, impacting access to healthcare services. These factors can make it tricky for some residents, particularly in less urbanized areas, to receive timely and high-quality medical care. It’s an important consideration for those living in or moving to Florida, especially for families and the elderly. While the state has many excellent healthcare facilities, particularly in major cities, healthcare access and quality vary a lot depending on where you live in the state, and it’s something to research before you move.

On the crime front, let me set the record straight because this is one of those things people get wrong about Florida constantly. Florida’s violent crime rate is roughly 258 to 267 per 100,000 people, which is about 25% below the national average of around 370. The “Florida Man” headlines make it feel like the whole state is chaos, but the actual numbers tell a different story.

That said, crime is not uniform here. There are neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Miami, and parts of Orlando where you genuinely need to pay attention. And property crime (car break-ins, package theft, smash-and-grabs in parking lots) is the real everyday annoyance for a lot of Floridians. Don’t leave anything visible in your car. Not a bag, not a charger, not a gym towel. People will break your window for a $4 phone mount. Do your homework on the specific neighborhood, not just the city. What’s your experience been? Drop your neighborhood safety tips in the comments.

#3. Hurricanes, Insurance, and Red Tide

This is the one that’s gotten a lot more serious in the last few years, and I’d be doing you a disservice if I sugar-coated it. Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida in September 2022 and caused an estimated $113 billion in damage. Fort Myers Beach was essentially erased. Then Hurricane Milton came through in October 2024 and caused another $34 billion in damage across the central part of the state. Two catastrophic storms in two years.

The insurance situation that followed is its own disaster. Since 2020, more than 12 insurers have either left the Florida market or gone insolvent. The ones that stayed raised rates dramatically. The average homeowner’s insurance premium in Florida now runs somewhere between $5,600 and $8,300 a year, the highest in the country by a lot. If you’re in a flood zone, add another $865 to $878 a year for flood insurance through FEMA.

And then there’s the reality of actually living through hurricane season. You learn to watch the cone of uncertainty starting in August. You make decisions about when to board up your windows and when that’s overkill. You sit in line at Home Depot for plywood with 400 other stressed-out people. You fill your bathtub with water and argue with your spouse about whether to evacuate. And when a storm does hit your area, you watch your neighborhood get torn apart. I don’t say this to scare you off. Plenty of people live here for decades without taking a direct hit. But you need to go in clear-eyed about what you’re accepting as a possibility. If you’ve been through a major hurricane in Florida, what do you wish you had known beforehand? Leave your advice in the comments.

If you’re moving to the Gulf Coast side of Florida, red tide is something nobody warns you about upfront. Red tide is a naturally occurring algae bloom that rolls in off the Gulf, sometimes for a few days, sometimes for weeks. When it’s bad, dead fish wash up on the beach by the thousands. The smell is exactly what you’d expect. More than that, the airborne toxins cause respiratory irritation. People with asthma or breathing issues sometimes can’t go near the water at all during a bad bloom. Beach season can effectively be wiped out for stretches of time.

In recent years, the blooms have gotten worse. Agricultural runoff carrying nutrients into Florida’s waterways and the periodic releases from Lake Okeechobee are both contributing factors. The 2021 Piney Point disaster made national news when a breached phosphate wastewater reservoir released approximately 215 million gallons of contaminated water into Tampa Bay. None of this means the Gulf Coast is unlivable. Most years have windows of genuinely beautiful, clear water. But it’s something you should know going in, especially if you’re picking a home specifically because of beach access.

#4. You Will Need a Car

Florida is not a walking state. It’s barely a biking state outside of a few neighborhoods in specific cities. If you are moving here without a car, you need to seriously rethink that plan. Public transit exists in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, but it is not going to get you to work reliably. Plus, the traffic is some of the worst in the country.

Florida welcomed around 143 million tourists in 2023. Those people are on the roads, they don’t know where they’re going, and they’re looking at their phones trying to find the resort. On top of that, I-4 between Tampa and Orlando is consistently ranked as one of the deadliest highways in the United States. The left lane on any Florida highway is apparently reserved for people going 90 miles an hour with no intention of moving over. The toll roads add up fast: if you’re commuting on the Turnpike, I-75, or any of the express lanes, you can spend $100 to $200 a month on tolls before you’ve even put gas in the car. And yes, the elderly driver stereotype exists for a reason, though the snowbirds who drive down from the Northeast every October somehow manage to combine both problems at once. What’s your worst Florida driving story? I know you have one. Let it out in the comments.

#5. The Heat, Humidity, and Flat Landscape

I’ve lived in the Tampa area since 2013 and I will tell you honestly: June through September is a different planet. The moment you step outside in July, your glasses fog up. Not metaphorically, literally. The air is so thick with moisture that your shirt is damp within two minutes of walking to your car. And your car, by the way, is a 140-degree oven. The seatbelt buckle will brand you. I’m not joking.

The electric bills in summer are legendary. August routinely runs $250 to $300 for a normal-sized house, and that’s with the thermostat set to a temperature that still feels warm. You stop fighting it eventually and just accept that summer electricity is a Florida tax. The thunderstorms are actually somewhat predictable. They build up almost every afternoon between 2 and 4pm from June through September. You can set your watch to them. They roll in hard, drop a few inches of rain in forty minutes, and then they’re gone and the air smells like wet concrete.

The honest truth is that many Florida residents go into a kind of indoor hibernation from June through September. You do your outdoor stuff in the morning before 10am, you stay inside during the worst of the afternoon, and you basically wait for October. When October arrives and the humidity finally breaks, the entire state comes back to life. People are outside, smiling, riding bikes, going to farmers markets. It’s genuinely wonderful, which is why people put up with the summer to get to it. Do you ever actually get used to the heat? After 13 years I’m still not sure. Tell me where you land on this in the comments.

And while we’re on the subject of the physical environment: the highest elevation in Florida is Britton Hill and at only 345 feet, it tells you everything you need to know about the type of landscape you can expect. If you love mountains, hiking, and climbing then you will have a very hard time getting your fill after moving to Florida. The 1,200 miles of astonishing beaches and the 2,800 hours of sunlight a year might make you want to grab the board and hit the ocean rather than getting into your hiking gear anyways.

#6. Bugs and Wildlife

Let’s talk about palmetto bugs, because no one prepares you for palmetto bugs. A palmetto bug is what Floridians call a giant cockroach so that we don’t have to say the word cockroach. They are roughly the size of a Hot Wheels car. They live outside mostly, but they come inside when it rains or when they feel like it. The part no one tells you is that they fly. Not often, but sometimes. And when a three-inch cockroach launches itself across your kitchen at 11pm, every single person screams. I have never seen an exception to this rule.

Love bugs show up twice a year, in May and September, and they exist in numbers that feel apocalyptic. They mate in mid-air while flying directly into your car. The splatter is mildly acidic and will damage your paint if you leave it on too long. Florida old-timers know to wash the car within a day or two. Newcomers learn this lesson the hard way after the first May. Fire ants are in essentially every yard in Florida. Kids figure this out very quickly and usually only once, because stepping in a fire ant mound is a sensory experience that teaches a lesson immediately. The mounds appear overnight after rain. You get used to scanning the ground before you stand anywhere.

And no, mosquitos are not the official state bird of Florida, no matter how many you see daily. No-see-ums are the invisible enemy: tiny biting midges that come out around sunset near the water. You won’t see them until you’ve already been eaten alive. The bites itch worse than mosquito bites and last longer. Bug spray with DEET helps but doesn’t stop them completely. What’s your worst Florida bug story? Everyone who lives here has one. Share yours in the comments.

Beyond the bugs, Florida wildlife deserves its own warning, especially for pet owners. Bufo toads (cane toads) secrete a toxin through their skin that can kill a dog within minutes if the dog licks or mouths one. They look like regular toads. They sit in your yard at night, especially after rain. They are not rare. If you move to Florida with a dog, you need to know what these look like and you need to be careful about letting your dog nose around in the yard after dark. Having your vet’s emergency number accessible is not an overreaction.

• Alligators live in every body of freshwater in Florida. Ponds, canals, retention lakes, drainage ditches, occasionally swimming pools. The rule is simple: do not let small children or small dogs near unfenced water. Alligators are generally not aggressive toward humans, but a small dog at the edge of a pond at dusk looks like dinner to them.
• Water moccasins (cottonmouths) are venomous and more assertive than most snakes. They live near water. If you see a thick-bodied, dark-colored snake near a Florida pond, give it a lot of room.
• Lizards: On the lighter end, you will have dozens of lizards in your yard. Anoles running up your walls, geckos on your lanai. They’re completely harmless, they eat insects, and after a couple weeks you’ll stop noticing them. Most people end up liking them.

#7. HOAs, Education, and Day-to-Day Quirks

No state has more homeowners associations per capita than Florida. If you buy a home here, there is a very good chance you are buying into one, and you should know exactly what you’re signing up for before you close. At their best, HOAs keep neighborhoods looking tidy, maintain shared amenities, and protect property values. At their worst, they are a source of petty bureaucratic misery. Fines for a trash can that was visible from the street for an extra hour. Notices about lawn grass being a single inch over the allowed height. Letters about door paint that was the wrong shade of beige. Yes, beige. There is an approved beige, and you do not get to pick your own beige.

Some people genuinely like the structure. But most Florida residents have at least one HOA story. Before you buy, read every page of the CC&Rs. Find out how the board is run. Ask current residents what it’s actually like to live there. The monthly fee is only part of the picture. Where do you land on HOAs? Love them or loathe them? The comments are open.

Florida’s education story splits right down the middle depending on which level you’re talking about. Higher education? Florida ranks #1 in the country. A huge reason for that is the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. If your kid earns good grades in high school, the state pays for their college tuition at a state university. Fully, or close to it. That is a genuinely massive financial benefit that parents in other states would love to have, and it’s one of the things I tell people about Florida that consistently surprises them.

K-12 is a different story. Florida hovers around #22 nationally for public K-12 education. Class sizes tend to run large, teacher pay is below where it should be, which drives turnover. If you’re moving here with school-age children, the district matters a lot. Pinellas and Sarasota counties consistently outperform the state average. Others are more of a gamble. Do your homework before you pick your neighborhood.

Locals: still true in 2026? Say so in the thread.