Florida Ranked 2nd Best State To Live In

A new study released this week shows something that many of us already know. It's pretty awesome here in Florida. In fact, the Wallethub story ranked us as the second best state to live in. But what is it about Florida that makes people want to keep moving here?

Ok, since Florida is second, which state did they have as number one? That would be Massachusetts. They cited the strong health care system where 97.3% of the population has insurance, and high-quality education. In the education section, the study ranked them as the best in the nation including the fourth-best high school graduation rate. Finally, Massachusetts has the third-lowest property crime rate in the country and has the third-best access to public transportation.

So why was Florida chosen at number 2? Well, for starters, there's jobs. Florida's unemployment rate currently sits at 3.3%, one of the best in the country. We also have no state income tax and the sixth-highest median household income growth, making Florida a great place to build and grow wealth. Especially on days like today when the stock market jumped significantly.

There's also so much to do. Florida has a large number of restaurants, beaches, fitness centers, and theaters per capita. Finally, the Sunshine State has a better handle on crime than most with the ninth-most law enforcement employees per capita, which has contributed to the 13th-lowest violent crime rate and the 15th-lowest property crime rate.

There's always a "but", isn't there? Living in Florida is not for everyone. It's oppressively hot right now, so if you're going to be here in August, be ready to sweat. And bugs. I hope you aren't afraid of bug bites because it's going to happen. And of course, the hurricanes. No matter where in Florida you live, at some point nature will try to kill you. But I never complain, I love it here. To me, Florida is the best state to live in.

Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and resorts. After all, Florida is the Sunshine State. But, if you're looking for some more underrated, and less busy, Florida beaches, then you also have some options. The major beaches are often filled with tourists, so finding some of the more underrated Florida beaches may be just what you need for a quiet getaway.

Before we get to the most underrated Florida beaches to visit, let's talk about the amazing water areas that Florida has to offer. Florida is one of the boating and fishing capitals of the world. As VisitFlorida.com points out, the state has more than 7,700 lakes, 11,000 miles of rivers, 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline and has been home to more than 900 world fishing records. That tops any other state or even country. How wild is to to think that Florida has created more fishing records than even any other country? It shows just how rich the state is when it comes to our water.

Florida also has more than 700 freshwater springs, and 27 are classified as first-magnitude springs, which is more than any other state. A few other special things about Florida is that John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo was America's very first underwater state park. Also, the fishing village of Cedar Key is known for having the best clam chowder in America. So, if you have a craving for clam chowder, that's the place to go.

A separate article from VisitFlorida.com notes that Florida beaches are known for being very clear, but "it varies from week to week, and even from day to day depending on the amount of sunlight, the temperature, the amount of rainfall, the wind speed and direction, water currents and surf." They add that Florida has some very clear and beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and on the Atlantic Ocean. For clear water ost days, try "northwest Florida beaches in and around Panama City Beach, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola; southwest Florida beaches on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and Siesta Key."

I love that fact that you can enjoy Florida beaches any time of the year. I mean, contrary to what people outside of the state think, it can get cold here in the winter. But, it's rarely too cold to sit on the beach with a sweatshirt on and watch the sunset. Read on for underrated Florida beaches to get on your radar.

Fort Myers Beach still has a good amount of damage from the hurricane, but Margaritaville is open, so you'll find plenty to do there. Situated on Estero Island, Fort Myers Beach is one of the state's most underrated beaches. At Fort Myers Beach, you'll find beautiful, white-sand beaches and gorgeous sunsets.

Make sure to visit Siesta Key here, as well as Sarasota Gay Beach and Crescent Beach. Just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota is a lovely beach town that is especially popular during the holidays. You'll find lots of local shopping opportunities here.

St. George Island State Park is located on a barrier island fronting the legendary Apalachicola Bay. It's a great place to gaze at the stars. Note that starting March 1, 2025, the campground at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park will be closed for an expansion project.

If you head to Santa Rosa Beach and want to find some really special, and secret, beaches, try Blue Mountain Beach and Grayton Beach State Park. This beach town is less crowded than most, which makes it a low-key getaway.

Pensacola Beach is located on a 40-mile barrier island, Pensacola Beach, and has beautiful, translucent waters. It's a really small town, so it's much less crowded than other beaches. It's a hidden gem.

If you don't want to go too far, do some digging and visit one of the closest beaches to you, that you haven't visited yet. This is one of my favorite things to do. Maybe you'll find a new favorite beach super close to home.