Best places to live in Florida

We ranked 8 Florida cities on home prices, space, winters and trips home. Every number has a source, and every city gets its trade-off.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated October 2026.

Lakeland#1 pickScore 84 of 100
$329,000Lowest typical homeLakeland
54.3°F lowMildest JanuaryFort Myers · NOAA 1991-2020 normals

How the score worksFull method

40%Home prices
20%Space for the money
20%Milder winters
10%Nonstop to New York
10%Net move-ins

The top 3 in Florida

Tap a city for rent, monthly costs, weather and flights.

1
Lakeland
Score 84 of 100
Median home
$329,000
Per month
$1,808
Prices
3% cheaper
- Prices 3% below the US average
- Homes list 22% below the US median
- People are moving in
Trade-offHot summers. July highs average 92.1°F.
Cost of living in Lakeland
The numbers behind it
Prices 3% below the US average. Everyday prices, rent included, index at 97.1 against a US average of 100. (BEA regional price parities, 2024)
Homes list 22% below the US median. $329,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
People are moving in. 18,752 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
Hot summers. July highs average 92.1°F. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
Price level 97.1 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
2
Fort Myers
Score 73 of 100
Median home
$379,900
Per month
$2,088
Prices
2% pricier
- Homes list 9% below the US median
- Nonstop flights to New York
- People are moving in
Trade-offPrices 2% above the US average. Everyday prices index at 102.3 against a US average of 100. Still well below New York's 112.6.
Cost of living in Fort Myers
The numbers behind it
Homes list 9% below the US median. $379,900 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
Nonstop flights to New York. From RSW to JFK, LGA, EWR. (Airport route page, 2026-09-02 (document updated 9/2/2026))
People are moving in. 8,603 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
Prices 2% above the US average. Everyday prices index at 102.3 against a US average of 100. Still well below New York's 112.6. (BEA regional price parities, 2024)
Price level 102.3 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
3
Melbourne
Score 63 of 100
Median home
$369,775
Per month
$2,032
Prices
About the US average
- Homes list 12% below the US median
- People are moving in
- A real job market
Trade-offNo nonstop flights to New York. Trips home mean a connection or a drive to a bigger airport.
Cost of living in Melbourne
The numbers behind it
Homes list 12% below the US median. $369,775 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
People are moving in. 9,403 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
A real job market. L3Harris Technologies corporate headquarters; Northrop Grumman, Leonardo DRS, Embraer (Slower Sundays city profile)
No nonstop flights to New York. Trips home mean a connection or a drive to a bigger airport. (Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026)
Price level 100.0 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.

Ranks 4 to 8

4
Tampa
Score 58 of 100
Median home
$385,398
Per month
$2,118
Prices
1% pricier
Trade-offHot summers. July highs average 91°F.
Why it ranks here
- Homes list 8% below the US median
- Nonstop flights to New York
- Beach or lake access
- Homes list 8% below the US median. $385,398 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
- Nonstop flights to New York. From TPA to JFK, LGA, EWR. (Airport route page, accessed October 14, 2026)
- Beach or lake access. Gulf Coast beaches (Slower Sundays city profile)
Cost of living in Tampa
Price level 100.9 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
5
Jacksonville
Score 57 of 100
Median home
$379,000
Per month
$2,083
Prices
1% cheaper
Trade-offHot summers. July highs average 91.9°F.
Why it ranks here
- Homes list 10% below the US median
- Nonstop flights to New York
- People are moving in
- Homes list 10% below the US median. $379,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
- Nonstop flights to New York. From JAX to JFK, LGA, EWR. (Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026)
- People are moving in. 17,360 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
Cost of living in Jacksonville
Price level 99.5 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
6
Daytona Beach
Score 55 of 100
Median home
$374,950
Per month
$2,061
Prices
1% cheaper
Trade-offHot summers. July highs average 90.2°F.
Why it ranks here
- Homes list 11% below the US median
- People are moving in
- A real job market
- Homes list 11% below the US median. $374,950 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
- People are moving in. 11,894 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
- A real job market. NASCAR headquarters; Daytona International Speedway (Slower Sundays city profile)
Cost of living in Daytona Beach
Price level 99.4 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
7
Orlando
Score 47 of 100
Median home
$410,000
Per month
$2,253
Prices
1% pricier
Trade-offPrices 1% above the US average. Everyday prices index at 101.4 against a US average of 100. Still well below New York's 112.6.
Why it ranks here
- Homes list 2% below the US median
- Nonstop flights to New York
- A real job market
- Homes list 2% below the US median. $410,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally. (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026)
- Nonstop flights to New York. From MCO to JFK, LGA, EWR. (Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026)
- A real job market. Central Florida Research Park next to the University of Central Florida; Walt Disney World, AdventHealth, Lockheed Martin (Slower Sundays city profile)
Cost of living in Orlando
Price level 101.4 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.
8
Sarasota
Score 37 of 100
Median home
$457,450
Per month
$2,514
Prices
2% pricier
Trade-offPrices 2% above the US average. Everyday prices index at 102.4 against a US average of 100. Still well below New York's 112.6.
Why it ranks here
- Nonstop flights to New York
- People are moving in
- Beach or lake access
- Nonstop flights to New York. From SRQ to JFK, LGA, EWR. (Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026)
- People are moving in. 14,471 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025)
- Beach or lake access. Siesta Beach on Siesta Key; Lido Key on the Gulf of Mexico (Slower Sundays city profile)
Cost of living in Sarasota
Price level 102.4 (US average = 100).
Home price: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Price level: BEA, 2024.

How we ranked them

Each city is scored against the others in the state on five sourced measures, then weighted. Nothing about who lives in a place goes into the ranking.

Lower home prices40%Lowest median listing in the state gets full points, the highest gets none. Source: Realtor.com via FRED.
More space for the money (price per square foot)20%Lowest price per square foot gets full points, the highest gets none. Source: Realtor.com via FRED.
Milder winters (January low)20%Warmest January low gets full points, the coldest gets none. Source: NOAA 1991-2020 normals.
Nonstop flights to New York10%Full points for a year-round nonstop to New York. Seasonal, none or no figure scores zero. Source: Airport route pages.
More people moving in than leaving10%Full points if more people moved in from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025. Source: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025.

Points on each measure run from none to full, then the weights above add up to a score out of 100. A city with no figure for home price, price per square foot or January low gets half points on that measure. No flight or migration figure scores zero.

Weigh things differently? The quiz ranks every city on your own priorities.

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Florida?

On our ranking, Lakeland. It scores highest among the 8 Florida cities we cover on home prices, space, winters, flights to New York and net move-ins. See the full method on this page.

What is the cheapest place to live in Florida?

Of the cities we cover, Lakeland, with a median listed home of $329,000 (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026).

Do you rank places by who lives there?

No. Rankings use home prices, price per square foot, weather, flights and net migration only.

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