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Find Your Best Place to Live in Florida

Compare the Florida cities we cover, from Miami's Atlantic edge to Tampa's Gulf Coast, and find your best starting point.

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Vanessa Leikvoll

Florida Local Expert

Vanessa, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move

Vanessa has moved so many times she basically has her own punch card — seventh move is free, right? After ping-ponging from Massachusetts to Fort Lauderdale, St. Pete, and now Tampa (with yet another move on deck), she’s a master of the “shove-it-through-the-doorframe” school of moving. When she’s not plotting how to downsize from 3,000 sq. ft-worth-of-stuff, she’s watercolor-painting, slinging dumbbells like a wannabe bodybuilder, or serving as parakeet wrangler and dog foster mom. She swears Florida sunsets beat California’s, and she has no regrets about trading in her New England clam chowder and lobster rolls for Florida's grouper bites and Cuban coffee. She'll pass on the gator bites, though. At Snappy Scout, her moving scars and Floridian street cred make her the trusted local to guide your next move.

Written with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts

Which Florida City Fits You?

The inside scoop on each city's vibe, housing, and the stuff locals swear by.

Miami

Perfect for: People who love glam and luxury

Best known for: Glitter, salsa, and unapologetic excess

Miami as a personality: The friend who arrives overdressed and late to literally everything

Move here if you want: Diversity, culture, and cocktail-fueled networking

Locals swear by: Cafecito (aka cubano) breaks and traffic therapy podcasts

Orlando

Perfect for: Suburban dreamers dodging mouse-ear traffic

Well known for: Close proximity to theme parks, tourists, and endless construction cones

If Orlando were a person, it'd be: That friendly neighbor that always has a new story to share

Move here for: Family life, steady jobs, and year-round sunshine

Locals know best: Publix subs and lakefront fireworks picnics

Tampa

Perfect for: Ex-party kids and college grads chasing coastal adulthood

Best known for: The yearly Gasparilla pirate parade and the cigars and Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City.

If Tampa were a person, it'd be: A frat boy turned self-made entrepreneur "hustling" his way toward his next great idea, but working from the pool cabana

Move here if you want: Affordable waterfronts and chill commutes

Nothing's more Tampa than: Pretending to be a pirate

Jacksonville

Perfect for: People who love space and cheaper rent

Best known for: Bridges, beaches (surfing), and defensive driving champions

If Jacksonville were a person, it'd be: Your chill cousin with a truck

Locals live here because: It’s affordable, big, and oddly calm

Locals swear by: tailgates, Waffle House, and river sunsets

Tallahassee

Perfect for: Political junkies and football loyalists

Well known for: College chaos and pollen apocalypse season

If Tallahassee were a person, it'd be: That loud alum still chanting Go Noles

Locals live here because: It's cheap, green, and weirdly hilly

Locals know best: Tailgates that start on Tuesday

Gainesville

Perfect for: Students, scientists, and swamp creature fans

Widely recognized as the place for: Football, frogs, and loud opinions

If Gainesville were a person, it'd be: The barefoot genius with a bike

Move here if you want: Affordable rent and quirky brains

Nothing's more Gainesville than: Protesting, tailgating, and kombucha brewing

St. Petersburg

Perfect for: Sunset chasers with bohemian tendencies

Best known for: Murals, dog-friendly bars, outdoor markets and festivals, and a vibrant nightlife

If St. Petersburg were a person, it'd be: Your artsy aunt who surfs at sunrise

Move here if you want: Coastal calm with creative flair

Locals know best: Brunch on Central Ave and sunset applause

Read St. Petersburg Guide

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St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Moving Guide St. Petersburg Neighborhood Guide Find your St. Petersburg neighborhood quiz

Local's Q&AReal answers from someone who lives here

Eating Like a Local in Florida

This really varies by where in Florida you are. But, generally, Cuban and Latin-inspired food here is very popular, as well as what I refer to as "beach bar food:" coconut shrimp, grouper bites, crab cakes, gator bites, fish tacos, and of course, margaritas (especially spicy ones with a Tajin rim).

I don't think there are any unspoken rules here, per se, except that you always want to get the freshest fish available, such as mahi mahi or grouper, and skip the conventional white fish.

— Vanessa Leikvoll

Florida Local Expert

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