Which State Dethroned Florida For The Best State To Retire
We would never think to see the day! According to a recent study by WalletHub, Florida has been dethroned as the best place to retire in the country. For decades Florida has been known as the retirement capital in America. It’s been a common joke for people to save their money and head to the Sunshine State once they reach a certain age. Florida was dethroned as the best place, but they didn’t move far down the list. We now rank second in the best state to retire.
We have a feeling that Florida was knocked off the number one spot because the cost of living has gone way up. Homes that used to sell for $250k are going for double on the market. Groceries and gas are breaking people’s wallets, and Social Security may not be able to cover all that here. Another reason why we think Florida was dethroned is the weather. And no, we don’t mean the year-round warmth. But we have a feeling hurricanes are stopping retiree’s from moving to Florida, not that it’s been confirmed though.
In order to identify the most retirement-friendly states, WalletHub compared the 50 states across three key dimensions: 1) Affordability, 2) Quality of Life and 3) Health Care.
So who dethroned Florida for the #1 state to retire?
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Virginia is know the best state to retire, according to WalletHub. They had a much higher health care ranking, which is what cost Florida the #1 spot. The rankings are just about neck and neck. Florida ranks better for quality of life and slightly better for availability. But seniors need good health care, which is where Florida lost to Virginia. Click here to see the full rankings of the best states to retire.
The 13 Best Florida Neighborhoods To Buy A House
#1. Harbour Island
#1 on Niche’s list is Harbour Island right here in Tampa. This neighborhood had high scores for every factor except cost of living. So if you can afford it, it’s great. Otherwise, you may need to look at other neighborhoods on this list.
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#2. Quail Ridge
This Pasco County neighborhood made it to #2 on Niche’s list. This small suburb is perfect for small families. The only thing is it had a pretty bad rating for nightlife and commute.
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#3. Black Diamond
Don’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of this town before. Black Diamond is a super small town in Citrus County with a population of 1,023 people. If you want to get away from all the traffic and big cities, this might be the neighborhood for you. For nature lovers, it’s pretty close to many of Florida’s natural springs.
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#4. Bel Mar
Another Tampa neighborhood on this list! Bel Mar is located in Hillsborough County not far from Bayshore Blvd. Which means the available houses in this area are going to be in the 7 digits.
Photo: BBGI
#5. Beauclerc
Coming in at #5 is Beauclerc, which is near Jacksonville. This place is centrally located in Jacksonville and has great ratings for public schools, housing, jobs and nightlife.
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#6. Montclair
Another Jacksonville neighborhood to make the list. Jacksonville was also recently named one of the best cities in Florida to work in. This town is actually located right next to Beauclerc.
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#7. East Milton
East Milton is a pretty big suburb in Santa Rosa County, which is near the panhandle and Pensacola. You can find some houses for sale here for $200,000. The only catch is you’re quite a drive away from any major city.
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#9. East Park
If you love theme parks and can tolerate I-4 on a normal basis, then this might be the perfect neighborhood for you. The median home prices in this area are $320K, so it’s totally possible to find a nice, affordable house. This area is located right by the Orlando International Airport, so if you’re a person who travels a lot, this might be a good option for you.
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#12. Audubon Park
This is another suburb close to Orlando. Reviews call it a quite, picturesque neighborhood with lots of trees. It’s also super close to the Leu Botanical Gardens in Orlando!
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#13. Beach Park
The last neighborhood on this list is another suburb of Tampa. This neighborhood is a quick drive to the heart of Downtown Tampa, so you know there will be plenty of things to do. The median home value in this area is about 500K, but at least you’ll be getting your moneys worth
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