3 Of The Weirdest Small Towns In The United States Are In Florida

The weirdest small towns in the United States are weird for many different reasons. And of the top 20 on the list, it should come as no surprise that 3 of them are right here in Florida.

In a list compiled by Ranker, the top 20 towns were complied as a bit of a travel guide to the weirdest small towns in America. Number one is Centralia, Pennsylvania. Not many people live there anymore because an abandoned coal mine is on fire underneath the town, and has been since 1962. The town's main road is hot to the touch and there's no end in sight. Experts say the fire could last another 250 years.

For starters, Florida has a lot of unusual town names. From Yeehaw Junction, to Fluffy Landing, and even a town named Two Egg, there's a lot of oddities to go around. But those towns aren't really that unusual, even though their names are.

Since Florida is pretty much the capitol of weird in the United States, let's take a look at the 3 weirdest small towns you can visit. Or maybe avoid, depending on your level of adventure.

Miracle Village is the largest community of registered sex offenders in the United States. The community, located on the southeast corner of Lake Okeechobee was founded by a Christian ministry that seeks to help individuals reintegrate into society. Around 200 registered sex offenders live here.

A town just south of Tampa where carnival workers and sideshow human attractions spend the off-season in a warm, welcoming climate. Atlasobscura states "Gibsonton was once home to Percilla the Monkey girl, the Anatomical Wonder, and Grady Stiles Lobster Boy. Siamese twin sisters ran a fruit stand in the town and, at one point, Gibsonton was home to the only post office in the country with a counter short enough for dwarves to use." There's a lot of carnival history in this town.

"Florida's Friendliest Retirement Hometown." We've all heard the stories about the promiscuous behavior of the residents of this retirement town. According to the New York Post, the STD rates in this small town are some of the highest in Florida. The Villages even have a loofa code that lets others know what you're in to. I guess this is what's known as an active retirement lifestyle.

Florida is absolutely full of weirdness, we even have our namesake "Florida Man" to help document it. Even Taylor Swift sings about us with her song "Florida!!!". In an interview with the Today show, Taylor explained the meaning behind the song “Is there a place you could go?” she asked before laughing. “I’m always watching, like, ‘Dateline.’ People have these crimes that they commit. Where do they immediately skip town and go to? They go to Florida.”

Remote jobs are still a big trend, even following the pandemic. So, what are the most in-demand, high-paying remote jobs out there right now? For those who would rather work at home, the good news is that there are more options today than there were in the past. During the pandemic, many companies discovered that employing remote workers had benefits to them, including savings in infrastructure and other costs. Many workers discovered that it fit their lifestyles and personalities, too. So, it's a win-win for a certain segment of the population.

Before we get into those in-demand, high-paying remote jobs, let's look at some companies that are actively hiring remote workers. The experts at Forbes.com have a new feature out highlighting some companies that are looking for remote workers right now. No. 1 on the list is GitLab, which they describe as "an AI-powered DevSecOps platform that allows software developers to collaborate and deliver projects with full compliance and security." They add that GitLab currently has more than 100 remote job openings available in a variety of departments, including sales, marketing product and user experience, engineering, security, admin, HR, legal and more. Another big one on Forbes.com's tally is Buffer at No. 2. Buffer is a social media marketing software company. According to the article, they're "actively seeking to add to their remote team with roles for a senior front-end and senior back-end engineer." Other choice companies include Automattic, Toggle and Kona. A separate Forbes.com article also cites Canonical, Veeva and Invisible Technologies as companies hiring remote workers. So, the jobs are out there, but you might be working with a company that you're not familiar with yet.

It's also worth noting that salaries in 2024 are not what they were years ago. A new study from the experts at Ladders revealed some interesting information about salaries in 2024 and what they can actually buy. According to the study, if you want to have the buying power of a job that had an annual salary of $100,000 in 1994, you would need to pull in more than $200,000 a year in 2024. So, it shows how inflation has impacted the buying power of salaries over the past three decades. Also, the same study notes that while finding a job that pays more than $100,000 a year that's also a remote job is more difficult today than it was a few years ago, one industry that is leading the way in remote jobs is fintech, which stands for financial technology. But, it doesn't stop at fintech. Let's get into the best industries to find in-demand, high-paying remote jobs, from sources such as Money.USNews.com, CNBC.com and more.

Did you know that reviewing documents can make big bucks? According to CNBC.com, being a document reviewer can pay an average salary of $123,427. They also say it's one of the most in-demand remote jobs of the moment.

A different Forbes.com article says software engineers are an in-demand, high-paying remote option. "Software engineers are the backbone of fintechs," they explain, "and plays a crucial role in developing software for financial solutions, being the brains behind innovative financial products including emerging spaces such as blockchain and AI, and developing and integrating APIs while ensuring the products are compliant with financial regulations and are optimized for security."

The experts at Money.USNews.com have web developer as an in-demand remote job, making a median salary of $78,580. They note that the education required is a bachelor's degree. "Web developers maintain, troubleshoot and create websites to ensure they’re effective for business, health care, technology, education or whatever service they provide," they state.

The same Money.USNews.com article says their pick for the best remote job is financial manager. They make a median salary of $139,790. "They keep an eye on the finances of an organization and make reports on financial activity," they note. There are other jobs in the financial sector that are also great for remote workers, such as being an accountant or financial planner.

One hot job for remote talent, according to Forbes.com, is a content writer. So, what does a content writer do? "Content writers create written content for various platforms such as websites, blogs, and email marketing, which engages and informs audiences, with the goal of making sales and increasing brand awareness," they explain.

Believe it or not, being a general physician can be a great remote job. According to Insider Money (via MSN.com), general physicians make around $110 per hour. "A remote general physician provides medical care to patients via telecommunications technologies, offering consultations, diagnoses, and treatment recommendations remotely," they explain.

Forbes.com notes that being an editor is a good remote gig. "Remote editors work for magazines and journals, and other news publications, and they review and sometimes revise content to ensure accuracy and that the correct writing style is adhered to," they explain. They add that editors also make sure that "content meets publication guidelines."

If you're good with social media and have the professional history to prove it, being a social media manager could be a great remote role for you. According to CNBC.com, the average social media manager makes $81,329 annually. For this job, you have to keep up with all of the latest social media trends.

Many tech companies hire remote workers. For one, many of them are startups, so they don't want to spend money on the infrastructure of having people in an office. But, in general, tech jobs line up very well with remote work. According to Tech.co, Apple is a big one hiring right now.