Top Cities in Florida

Florida at a Glance

Florida is a large peninsula located at the extreme Southeast corner of the United States. It is bordered on the North by both Georgia and Alabama. Almost 20 million people call the Sunshine State home. Major cities include Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa and Orlando. Florida is the third most populous state in the country and has the most coastline of the contiguous states. With hundreds of miles of beaches, easy access to water, and warm year-round temperatures, Florida is extremely popular for vacationers, but it is also a terrific place to live.

Florida's geography is extremely flat, with its highest point at just 345 feet above sea level at Britton Hill in the Florida Panhandle. The Panhandle is the extreme Northwest part of Florida bordered on the south by the white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast. The Panhandle is home to the state's capital of Tallahassee. Northern Florida includes Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Gainesville. Orlando, Tampa and Dayton Beach comprise central Florida, with Miami and the Keys a part of South Florida. College Football takes center stage each fall with Tallahassee's Florida State Seminoles and Gainesville's University of Florida Gators garnering much of the attention. Orlando's University of Central Florida is the largest university in the country. Florida boast three NFL teams in the Dolphins, Jaguars and Buccaneers. It offers over 1,200 golf courses. Along with lengthy coastlines, Florida is dotted with inland lakes, the largest of which is Lake Okeechobee. The state's waterways include the second longest south to north flowing river in the world, the St. John's River. Because Florida is such a popular tourist destination, there are plenty of activities from amusement parks to airboat rides.

Top Cities in Florida

• Boca Raton
• Bradenton  Boynton Beach
• Coconut Creek
• Coral Gables
• Delray Beach
• Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Myers
• Greenacres
• Hollywood
• Jacksonville
• Jacksonville in Saint Johns County
• Kissimmee
• Kissimmee in Polk County
• Lake Worth

Why You'll Love Living in Florida

Many people love living in Florida due to its moderate weather. While temperatures can get below freezing occasionally in the north and even central part of Florida, sunshine abounds. In the heat of summer, quick passing showers are frequent. Housing in Florida is surprising affordable. While beachfront properties come at a premium and there certainly are neighborhoods with million dollar homes, finding modest priced housing is not overly difficult, especially in the state's interior. The fact that Florida has no state income tax is also a plus. The Tax Foundation has found that Florida has the 5th lowest tax burden of any state in the country. Tourism is big business in the state with about 100 million visitors heading to the Sunshine State each year. Tourism adds about $67 billion to the Florida economy. Agriculture is also significant with sugar and citrus being large contributors. Florida produces about 40% of the world's orange juice. If you like day trips, you'll love living in Florida. Because of its moderate temperatures there are festivals and community events throughout the state on just about any given weekend.

Living in Florida pretty much means balmy weather year round. It also means access to plenty of attractions, amusement parks and sandy beaches. A little known benefit of living is Florida is that many attractions and amusement parks offer "resident discounts" that are significant. About 1,000 people a day move to Florida and it is easy to see why.