Best places to retire in Florida

Florida has no income tax and does not tax Social Security, so the choice comes down to home prices, everyday costs, winters, storm risk and flights. We ranked the 8 Florida cities we cover on exactly those.

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

Lakeland#1 pickScore 75 of 100
$329,000Lowest typical homeLakeland
54.4°F lowMildest JanuaryFort Myers · NOAA 1991-2020

The top 3

Tap a city for monthly costs, weather, flights and trade-offs.

1
Lakeland
Score 75 of 100
Median home
$329,000
Prices
3% cheaper
Social Security
Not taxed
- 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)
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $1,808 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
2
Tampa
Score 69 of 100
Median home
$385,398
Prices
1% pricier
Social Security
Not taxed
- Homes list 8% below the US median
- Nonstop flights to New York
- Beach or lake access
Trade-offHot summers. July highs average 91°F.
Cost of living in Tampa
The numbers behind it
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)
Hot summers. July highs average 91°F. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,118 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
3
Fort Myers
Score 60 of 100
Median home
$379,900
Prices
2% pricier
Social Security
Not taxed
- 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)
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,088 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.

Ranks 4 to 8

4
Orlando
Score 56 of 100
Median home
$410,000
Prices
1% pricier
Social Security
Not taxed
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
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,253 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
5
Melbourne
Score 50 of 100
Median home
$369,775
Prices
About the US average
Social Security
Not taxed
Trade-offNo nonstop flights to New York. Trips home mean a connection or a drive to a bigger airport.
Why it ranks here
- Homes list 12% below the US median
- People are moving in
- A real job market
- 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)
Cost of living in Melbourne
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,032 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
6
Daytona Beach
Score 50 of 100
Median home
$374,950
Prices
1% cheaper
Social Security
Not taxed
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
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,061 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
7
Jacksonville
Score 50 of 100
Median home
$379,000
Prices
1% cheaper
Social Security
Not taxed
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
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,083 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.
8
Sarasota
Score 39 of 100
Median home
$457,450
Prices
2% pricier
Social Security
Not taxed
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
State taxes: income None, property 0.80% effective, sales 6.98% combined. Principal and interest on the median home: $2,514 a month.
Homes: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Prices: BEA, 2024. Taxes: Census ACS 2025, Tax Foundation 2026.

How we ranked them

Each city is scored against the others on this list on sourced measures, then weighted. Nothing about who lives in a place goes in, including age.

Weight	Measure
25%	Lower home prices (median listing)
19%	Lower everyday prices (BEA price level)
31%	Milder winters (January low)
13%	Lower storm, flood and wildfire losses (FEMA)
13%	Nonstop flights to New York

A city with no figure on a measure gets half points on it. The state tax score comes from our tax-friendly states for retirees ranking. Health care access and pension tax rules are not scored. Weigh things differently? The quiz ranks every city on your own priorities.

Questions people ask

What is the best place to retire in Florida?

On our ranking of 8 Florida cities, Lakeland, then Tampa and Fort Myers.

What is the cheapest place to retire in Florida?

Of the Florida cities we cover, Lakeland has the lowest median listed home at $329,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026).

Does Florida tax retirement income?

Florida has no individual income tax, so it does not tax Social Security, pensions or retirement account withdrawals. Retirees still pay property tax (0.80% effective statewide, Census ACS 2025) and sales tax (6.98% combined state and average local, Tax Foundation 2026).

What should retirees in Florida plan for?

Hurricane season and flood insurance. Check the FEMA flood zone of any address before you buy, and price homeowners and flood insurance before you commit, because they can add more to the monthly cost than property tax.

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