Whats the cost of living, weather, and best places to live, and job market in Florida?

I currently live in Maryland and it gets pretty cold in the winter. I desperately want to move and i was thinking about going to Florida, I perfer southern Florida. I really need a change. I lived here my whole life and need a warm place to move. I already graduated from college. whats it like there? cost of living; weather; things to do, etc. And I definitely need to know what the job market is like. Serious answers only please.

Public Comments

1. I recommend Orlando, a nice city with a booming economy. The weather is very nice and warm year-round. The cost of living is comparable to other major Florida cities, meaning that if you come from the northeast you might find that homes might seem "cheaper" at first but are actually just as expensive when you factor in the average middle-class income. Just beware where you look, just like any city, there are good and bad areas. Here are the areas I most recommend: - Baldwin Park http://www.baldwinparkfl.com - Winter Park - Lake Nona - Oviedo/Winter Springs - Hunters Creek - Dr. Phillips Area - MetroWest In addition, here is a link to the Orlando Sentinel where you will find lots of helpfull local info including job listings, house listings, etc: http://www.orlandosentinel.com
2. I am originally from Forestville Maryland and I know what you mean about the cold but you will really have to consider long and hard on this move. Florida housing is cheap compared to other areas and we do not pay Federal taxed but that is about where the fun stops. My family in Maryland actually pay less for Florida oranges than we do here. The cost of living does not quite match up with the rate of pay. Most people living in Central Florida can not afford to visit the theme parks outside of Florida residence specials. Most of the job industry in the area is in the tourism area. If you really want to come to Florida then you would be welcomed otherwise, I would suggest you get a wonderful job in Maryland or DC and save your money to visit Florida in the winter.
3. What do you do? The state always needs teachers. The service and medical industries are also big here. Affordable housing here is not. In my county affordable/workforce housing is anything under $250,000 and there's not that much to choose from. The Tampa Bay region was just recognized as a place with some of the lowest salaries, and highest priced housing/rent. Make sure you have a job, and some savings before coming down. Living in paradise is not cheap.
4. Seminole County (Central FL) is a nice area with best school systems but as others have said, the price of living here while technically cheaper if you OWN a home is not really true. Things like groceries, tend to cost more than that of up north, gasoline prices are cheaper too.
5. OK, apartments and housing in Florida are very expensive. Builders are selling houses for $300,000 and saying that they are "very affordable." If you have a trade, figure $15.00 per hour. If you have a college degree, figure $25.00 per hour. If you have a high schoo diploma, figure $5.00-$7.50 per hour. And ALL give drug tests!! We get 6 months of perfect weather, and 6 months of heat and humidity. We have airconditioning, so this is not a problem. Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville has PAGES of Jobs. The smaller cities have 1-5 pages of jobs. You can have the sunday paper mailed to you from any newspaper. Best way to get a job; sign up will all the temp agencies. Get your foot in several doors. Employers hire temp first, then offer you full time later. And have a car. There is NO public transportation down here. PS Check out Port St. Lucie. Near everything and quickly growing.
6. talk about an expensive place to live! the job market isn't that great and the housing market is insane. the weather changes-spring and fall are lovely, winter is mild and summer is hot and humid. there are a lot of things to do. depends on what you want to do.
7. South Florida is like no other! There is always something to do and parts of it are very beautiful. I lived in Sunrise Florida.(Fort Lauderdale) The rent for my one bedroom apartment was $1060 a month. The people aren't that nice, traffic is a pain, and alot of people don't speak english!