Why Florida Is No Longer The Best State To Retire In
So, in 2022 Florida was named as the best state to retire in. Now, it isn’t even in the Top 5. So, what happened? Bankrate came up the best and worst states to retire in 2023. Last year Florida was #1 state to retire in and this year it comes in at #8. The way Bankrate comes up with the list is that they look at a number of factors. Those are: affordability, overall well-being, the cost and quality of healthcare, weather and crime.
According to their ranking Florida ranks third for well-being and weather. The problem is that the state doesn’t even rank in the Top 20 in affordability (35th), cost of healthcare (21st) and crime rank (27th). Inflation did not help Florida this year as some of the highest inflation rates are right here in the Tampa Bay area.
The best state to retire in according to this study is Iowa. Iowa ranks #3 in affordability. The state also ranked 31st in well-being and 38th in weather, so obviously affordability was a key factor for the list this year. The other states in the Top 5 are Delaware, West Virginia, Missouri and Mississippi.
The worst state to retire in according to this study is Alaska. They rank 43rd in affordability, 49th in crime and 50th in weather.
[SOURCE: WTSP]
7 Tampa Bay Area Cities With The Most Affordable Rental Prices
6. Largo
Expect Largo to be another fast growing Florida city. With it’s central location to Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Pete, it makes it a great location for newcomers. Plus, they’ll have the first drive-thru Wawa in Florida! Not that that should be the highest priority on your list, but it is a bonus! The median rent for a one bedroom apartment in Largo is $1,560. Two bedrooms are only about $300 more.
5. Clearwater
That’s right, the home to the best beach in the south is also one of the more affordable Tampa Bay area cities for rental. That is, if you don’t plan on living directly on the beach. The median one bedroom rental price in Clearwater is $1,510. But expect to pay over $600 more for a two bedroom place.
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4. South Bradenton
Same perks as Bradenton, just a little more inland. This means that the one bedroom rental prices are about $200 cheaper. The median price according to Zumper is $1,380.
1. Winter Haven
The number 1 city in the Tampa Bay area with the cheapest rent is Winter Haven. This area has 50 lakes within its borders, including its famous Chain of Lakes. It’s also super close to some other popular fresh-water springs. The median price for a one-bedroom apartment here is $1,250 and is $1,460 for a two bedroom!
