The 5 Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida

Why This Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida List is Different

This list is different because it’s not just a simple list of the best school districts. Many websites simply list ratings and rankings of the best school districts in Florida. What makes our list different is that we look at much more than just how the schools are rated. We research the towns within the highest rated school districts in Florida to determine which ones are actually also among the best places to live in Florida.

How We Chose the Best Towns to Raise a Family in Florida

We Started with School District Ratings

School Districts were ranked by taking the scores of all schools in the district to create an overall rank. All of the towns on our list are located in the top 10 school districts out of Florida’s 69, using this formula. We then looked at cities and towns within the districts.

Then We Looked at the Crime Rate

If you’ve looked around this site, you know that Florida has one of the highest crime rates in the country according to FBI statistics. Florida’s overall crime rate is higher than the rate in 44 other US states. So chances are you’ll be moving from a state with less crime to one with more, when you move to Florida.

Here’s why we place such an importance on crime rate in Florida when it comes to our children:

The places named below are also among the safest cities in Florida to raise a family

I look at news and crime reports for all areas of Florida for many years, almost daily. I have been shocked at the brutality some young children in Florida have been the victim of. Rapes, beatings, shootings. Kids setting another student on fire. You may know the high crime areas where you live now, but you probably don’t know the area you’re moving to in Florida that well.

That’s why to make it onto our Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida list, the entire city or town must have a much lower crime rate than Florida. That way you don’t have to worry as much about which are the bad parts of town. Looking at all the cities and towns in highly rated school districts, you would think there are lots of places to choose from. Unfortunately, checking crime rate statistics eliminates most towns from making our lists, especially this one.

Housing Cost, Shops, Restaurants, Parks, Jobs and More

If a town is 1) in a top Florida school district and 2) has a low crime rate, then we look to see if the town is one of the best places in Florida to live. It must be a place that most families would enjoy living in.

A high number of people move to Florida eventually discover they really don’t like it and move out. That’s why we feel it’s critically important to chose the best place possible to live in Florida right from the start, to improve your odds of an improvement in life you’re relocating to find. The last thing you want to do is separate your children from relatives, friends and schools they’re comfortable with now, move to Florida, only to separate them again to move back.

We feel relocating to the best possible place in Florida will give your family a better chance of not joining the millions who have moved to Florida only to discover it was a mistake.

Where in Florida is the best place to raise a family?

Here They Are, the 5 Best Places to Raise Kids in Florida

In no special order…

1) North Port Florida

North Port is located in SW Florida, south of Sarasota and north of Fort Myers. It’s not located directly on the coast but it’s only a short drive to some of the best beaches in Florida. The violent crime rate in North Port is about 50% lower than Florida overall. The schools are part of the highly rated Sarasota County School District.

If you can’t find a job in North Port, commuting to Venice, Sarasota or even south to Cape Coral and Fort Myers is possible. One of the big advantages of North Port is that home prices are about 20% lower than Florida’s median price. The median home price in North Port is about $135,000, which means half the homes sold there, sell for less than that. Unfortunately for renters, the median rental cost of nearly $1000 a month which is about the same as Florida’s. North Port is the best bet for families looking for affordable home prices.

Here’s a Video of North Port Florida

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2) Venice Florida

Venice Florida is just a short ride north from North Port. It’s located right on the coast and has many different and

unique beach areas. It’s also part of the highly ranked Sarasota County School District. The violent crime rate here is over 50% lower than Florida’s overall average. Venice has a beautiful historic downtown area that is within walking and biking distance to the beach.

Venice is also on at least one of our other best places lists for 2015 and has been a top pick of ours for years. Between North Port and Venice, this area of Florida offers families who want to own their own home, the most affordable options. The Median home price in Venice is about the same as Florida’s, around $185,000. Venice’s median rental cost is about $1000 a month. Venice is an excellent overall choice for families that want to be near beaches but want a place that’s still affordable.

See a video about Venice Florida.

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3) Winter Springs Florida

Winter Springs Florida is located north of Orlando in central Florida with a population of about 35,000 people. The schools here are part of the well ranked Seminole School District. It’s located far enough away from Orlando to enjoy a violent crime rate over 50% lower than Florida as a whole. Yet it’s close enough to commute to the Orlando area, so job prospects, especially for higher paying jobs if you have the skills.

Living close to Orlando to be able enjoy it’s shopping, dining and entertainment options is an obvious advantage, but it comes at a price. The median home price in Winter Springs is about $215,000. The median rental rate is nearly $1200. It must be noted that wages for many jobs in Florida is lower than you may earn at the same job in many other states, unless you are skilled in an in-demand occupation. Winter Springs could be a families most affordable  choice if they want to live near Orlando in a safe environment with good schools.

See a video of a Festival in Winter Springs Florida

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4) Gulf Breeze Florida

Gulf Breeze is unlike most of our other picks. It’s a small laid back town of only 6,000 people. The town is at the end

of a peninsula surrounded by water in Florida’s panhandle near Pensacola.  If your family is moving to Florida to enjoy fishing, boating, going to the beach or other water related activities, this may be the place for you. The crime rate is far lower than Florida’s rate. Schools are part of the well regarded Santa Rosa School District.

Almost everyone wants to live near the water when they move to Florida. Because of supply and demand, water dominated areas cost more. Gulf Breeze is no exception, but it’s probably one of the least expensive ways to enjoy a “keys-like” Florida lifestyle. The median home price here is a little over $250,000 and the rental median is a little under $1200. If you’re moving your family to Florida to enjoy the water and want a great safe small town, Gulf Breeze should be on your list.

See a video of Gulf Breeze Florida.

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5) Fernandina Beach Florida

I really like this pick. It may be the best bet for families who are thinking of moving to Florida and will be renting rather than buying, at least at first. Fernandina Beach is a small town of about 11,000 people. It’s located just off of

I-95, just south of the Georgia Florida state line right on the Atlantic Ocean. Living here means shorter rides when going home to visit and for people to visit you. It’s about 5 hours less to reach Fernandina than Venice or North Port.

Fernandina Beach has a great historical downtown that made our most walkable town list for 2015. The schools are part of the small but very highly rated Nassau School District. The violent crime rate is not as low as the other picks on this list, but at 30% lower that Florida’s rate it just made our tough cut. This pick offers the best bet for families who enjoy shops and restaurants because there are plenty of independent family run businesses in Fernandina Beach’s large historic downtown.

This is one the best affordable island lifestyle options available in Florida today. The Median home price here is around $270,000 which is considerably high than Florida’s median, but the median rent is only a little over $900 which is lower than Florida’s median rent. Fernandina Beach may be the least expensive and best place for families to enjoy the island lifestyle in Florida.

See a video of Fernandina Beach Florida.

Is Florida One of the Worst States to Raise Children?

While the Florida towns listed above are among the best places to raise a family in Florida, Florida may be one of the worst states to move your children. That’s according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2016 KIDS COUNT Data Book. This new report says the worst states to raise kids are almost all located in the south, including the state of Florida. While the report is a quite a comprehensive study and comparison of the well-being of children in different states, the map found here will allow you to quickly compare how the state you now live in compares to the state of Florida, as far as your children’s overall well-being is concerned.

Please keep in mind that while it’s a good idea to be aware of a state’ overall rating, what’s most important is how well children are been educated in the city or town you want to relocate to. Higher student test scores, graduation rates and percentage of kids going on to college, are all common factors of schools located in the best places to raise a family in Florida.

florida move guide book cover and discription

Where are the Best School Districts in Florida?

It’s more important than ever to do all the research you can before moving to Florida, if you truly want your children to be in a good school district. Gallup did a national poll of how parents rated the public schools their children attended. Just as in many other national polls, studies and reports from both government and nonprofit agencies on a host of other quality of life factors, Florida parents ranked their kids schools poorly compared to parents in most other states.

In the national poll, only 55% of Florida parents rated their child’s school as excellent, or even good. There were only 11 states where parents rated the schools worse than Florida families. In comparison, 89% of parents in North Dakota rated the schools their children attended as excellent or good. There were 6 states where parents gave a favorable rating of 80% or higher. Rounding out the top 6 spots were Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The News Gets Worse for Prospective New Florida Families in Regards to Schools

In the same national poll, parents were also asked if they felt their state’s public school system prepared their children for success in the workplace. Only 56% of Florida parents felt it did. Only 6 other states scored worse than Florida. The top state again was North Dakota at 89%. Nebraska and South Dakota rounded out the top 3 states, where in both states, 81% of parents said the schools prepared their kids for success.
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Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

  • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.

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30 thoughts on “The 5 Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida”

  1. Hello,

    We are thinking about relocating from MA to FL. I have job opportunities in Saint Petersburg/Tampa area and also in Saint Augustine. We have two elementary school age children. Which one of the two locations would you say offers a better overall quality of life for a family with small children?

    Thanks!

    • Hello Maria,
      I’m sorry Maria, but neither place is on any of our best places to live in Florida because they failed our fist quality of life test, which is crime and safety. All of our choices must have crime rates lower than the national average. It’s a shame, but St Augustine’s property and violent crime rates have risen to twice the national average and it’s a very small town of just 13,500 people. The same is true for St Petersbug, double the national average. Tampa’s crime rate is somewhat lower, but it’s violent crime rate is still far too high for the city to be considered for our lists.

      When it comes to education, research can be confusing. If thoroughly researching, you’ll come across ratings that only compare Florida schools to other Florida schools, so some are rated quite highly. However, there is also data on student test scores in Florida and student’s scores in other states, in the same grade level. When compared, these results are embarrassing for Florida in general, including the 3 towns mentioned above. The data appears to suggest that most students in Florida have test scores far lower than the national average. Of course, the same exact material is not taught in all states to kids in the same grade. We aren’t done investigating this data to determine what role, if any, it will play in our future rankings.

      The sinkhole risk is probably higher in Tampa/St Pete, “sunny day” flooding higher in St Augustine, all are at risk of direct hits from major hurricanes, etc. (and no, recent problems in the northeast from remnants of storms that were no longer of hurricane strength when they made landfall, don’t compare to what an actual cat 3-5 will do). I know, people don’t want to hear of the negatives, but when you move to FL you will have no choice but to live with them. On a lighter note, there are towns close enough to commute to some of the places you mentioned, such as Dunedin that are on our lists, that may be a better choice because of a higher quality of life. Good luck Maria.
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      Ron Stack

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
      • Where is the best place to live best schools district preferably and best physician job( pulmonary and sleep) in Florida.
        Thanks
        Addie

  2. My husbands job just relocated him to Florida, we currently live outside of Buffalo, NY. We’ll be located in Broward County with three kids, ages 1-12. Am I better off going private schools vs. public?

    • Only you can decide what’s right for your children’s education. What I can tell you that is when I moved my kid from the Northeastern US to Florida, he and I both felt the education systems were very “different”. I would not assume that just because a school in Florida is private, that the quality of education is… Good luck.
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      Ron Stack

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
  3. Hi Ron! I know you said that you will be looking more closely at the the Orlando areas such as Dr. Philips. Will Windermere and Lake Nona be on your list as well? We are looking into moving from Ocean County, NJ (not the greatest of schools) and looking at these areas. I really can’t find information comparing the district that we will be leaving to the the areas we are focusing on in FL.

  4. Hello again Deb,
    You wrote: Ron, what are your thoughts on Palm Coast, FL? I’ve heard there are a lot of families moving there.

    Who did you you hear that from? A salesperson who’s selling homes in the area? Moving children to a totally new state is an important decision life changing decision. People who make decisions based on facts can expect to have better outcomes than people who make decisions based on “opinions” not backed by anything, especially when those expressing that opinion want something to happen that it’s in their best financial interest. You can call any sales person in the US and chances are they will tell you that the place they have stuff to sell will be great for your you. But is that really true?

    Palm Coast is not on any of our lists because crime rates in that area, both property and violent crime, are far above the national average according to FBI reporting. All of the towns on our best places lists have crime rates lower (usually far lower) than the national average. That’s the first thing we check. In addition, more people live in poverty in that area than the national average and 19.7% of people under 65 don’t have health insurance, compared to only 10.1% national average. This in a state where the mosquito is (almost) the state bird and viruses like Zika are appearing in Florida.

    I’ve done all the research and have made it easy to pick a “best” place to live in Florida. I’ve seen too many people spend a fortune to move to Florida only to discover it was a mistake. I’ve seen too many people move to Florida only to end up in the wrong home in the wrong town and spend a fortune (again) to move out. There are dozens of places on our lists that all have lower crime rates and higher ratings in most if not all of the other quality of life factors we look at such as better schools, jobs, etc., compared to the rest of Florida. May I suggest you search through those and see if you can find one or more of those that may work for your family? Again, good luck Deb and thanks for the question.
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    Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

    • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
    • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
  5. Hi Ron,
    We have been thinking of moving to Gulf Breeze Fl from Moore OKlahoma. Do you think this would be a better quality of life?
    I have spent many summers in Springhill FL when I was younger with my grandparents. I am not a fan of that area. I know FL can get very humid!

    • Hello Liz,
      You asked: “We have been thinking of moving to Gulf Breeze Fl from Moore OKlahoma. Do you think this would be a better quality of life?”

      Some thoughts…
      While Florida is nowhere near the best state to live in according to our analysis of quality of live factors such as overall crime rate, healthcare quality, etc. we rate it better as a state overall, than Oklahoma.

      Moore OK and Gulf Breeze are both two of the better places to live in the US, but there are many differences between the two towns. Here’s just a few we see as notable:
      1) The cost of housing will be far higher in Gulf Breeze. Currently, the median home price in Gulf Breeze FL is almost $400,000. It’s only about $125,000 in Moore OK for the same (similar) home.
      2) The cost of living in Gulf Breeze will be higher. Other than the higher cost to buy a home and likely far higher taxes on that higher value, homeowners + flood insurance and utilities will also be significantly higher.
      3) Your risk from natural disasters will increase in FL.
      4) Gulf Breeze is a very small town of only 6,000. Moore is 10 times the size. In Gulf Breeze FL you will like likely have to travel to Pensacola (crime rates far higher than the national average and not on any of our best places lists) for almost everything. In Moore OK, many everyday things are right there where the violent crime rate is far lower than the national average, although the property crime rate is just barely below it.

      There’s more but my time is very limited today. Good luck Liz.
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.

      Gulf Breeze Florida

  6. I’m curious on your thoughts of Englewood which shares boards with the number one on the list. We have a 3 year old daughter so we want a nice area for families and good schools. We want to live near the coast and would be open from Clearwater down to Cape Coral.

    • Hello Sarah,
      The Florida Move Guide warns about moving to Florida with children because of living in a neighborhood where the average age of the residents is 180 years old might not ideal for their development. Part of Englewood is in Charlotte County Florida and the northern part is in Sarasota County. Both of those counties are among the oldest age-wise in the US. I’ve heard people call Englewood “Wrinklewood”. Englewood doesn’t qualify for any of our best places lists anymore because crime rates are “estimated” to be higher than the national average. We require property and violent crime rates lower than the national average to be considered for our best places lists. The crime rates for Englewood are estimated because it doesn’t have it’s own police force (Englewood is not an incorporated municipality). Law enforcement in the area is handled buy the county sheriff’s offices, so Englewood’s numbers include other areas the county sheriff covers, which may have higher crime rates than Englewood itself.

      Clearwater is not on any of our lists because crime rates there are far higher than the national average. Cape Coral is on a couple of our best lists. This article on the best places to live in Southwest Florida may be helpful for you since you are looking between Clearwater and Cape Coral.. Good Luck Sarah.
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      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
  7. Hi, I am a single mother of 11 year old special needs. We currently live in Naples. My daughter is in private school but have very few options for her. Also cost of living is very high here. I need to stay in warm climate because I came down with raynaulds. Do you know some places I can start checking in Florida that would have good services for special needs, schools too. She is starting middle school. She gets the McKay so a private school is good. She is close to having autism. Requires OT. Behavioral issues. I currently own my home and would be buying. Thanks

  8. Hello Deb,

    You wrote: “My husband would like to know why Crystal River is not on the list.”

    The main reason Crystal River is not on this or any other best places post on this website, is because it’s located within the 10 mile evacuation zone of a nuclear power plant right on the coast where a major hurricane could hit. Crystal River is listed as having an elevation of only 4′ above sea level. Yes, the Nuclear plant has been shut down, but this article will explain in detail why we still don’t recommend it. This is another article you may want to read before moving your family to Crystal River and living along to coast just 4′ above the water. The part about storm surge is especially important.

    Having said that, the homes in Crystal River have a far lower median sale pricee than Florida or the national sale price, even in 2018.

    I hope that answers your question. Good Luck Deb.
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    Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

    • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
    • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
  9. Hi Ron, we are planning to move from NJ to Florida are have only visited St.Johns County. While we fell in love with several communities there, we dont know much about St. Johns County. We are interested in this area since on online research indicates that St.Johns county is rated as the No. 1 school district in Fl. What are your thoughts? I would greatly appreciate it if you can provide me with some information.
    Trying to find the best school district in Fl. is very stressful. People are also telling me to check out Tampa area. Which area of Tampa has great schools? Thank you.

    • Hello Nancy,

      You wrote: Hi Ron, we are planning to move from NJ to Florida are have only visited St.Johns County. While we fell in love with several communities there, we dont know much about St. Johns County. We are interested in this area since on online research indicates that St.Johns county is rated as the No. 1 school district in Fl. What are your thoughts? I would greatly appreciate it if you can provide me with some information.
      Trying to find the best school district in Fl. is very stressful. People are also telling me to check out Tampa area. Which area of Tampa has great schools? Thank you.

      I understand your frustration. Just checked two of the larger towns in St John’s County and found one with student test scores much higher than the national average and one with lower scores than the national average. One had crime rates higher than the national average, one lower. After researching the best places to live in Florida and across the US (for another website of mine), I can tell you that trying to find an entire school system in Florida (by county, district, etc.) probably isn’t the way to go. Why?

      Because there are higher and lower rated schools in every school district in Florida. It can become less confusing to focus on the city/town level. That’s what we do when choosing our best places. What does it matter if the county overall is “highly rated” if your kids will be going to the mostly lower rated schools there based on what town you chose? Or, if based on where you move, the elementary school is the best in the state, but the middle school they must attend is among the worse? We choose best places by city/town.

      A website’s rating of a particular area is only as good as the data it uses, and our understanding of that data. For instance, will you be sending your children to public schools, but it was the 4 private schools that actually boosted the ratings overall for that school district? You may find it a lot less confusing if you 1) choose a few cities and towns that are best places to live overall first, then 2) make sure that the kids will only be going to schools in that area (but with Florida’s explosive growth that could change) and 3) check the ratings for those specific schools. I know, it’s a lot of work.

      I will be publishing a new best places to live in Florida with children by the end of June 2018. These places will have better quality of life factor ratings across the board than most places in Florida, with an emphasis on better schools. Of course, moving to Florida with children is one group of prospective new residents (along with 1) retirees and 2) people who will be selling a home where they now live and buying in Florida) who we strongly recommend reading the Florida Move Guide. You can learn why here… Good luck Nancy.
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      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
  10. Hello! I’m glad to have found your site, it’s nice to have an informative, unbiased look at areas to live in Florida. I recently moved here, about a month ago now, to St. Petersburg with my Fiance and 9 year old daughter. I hadn’t found your site in time, unfortunately, and i’m pretty sure that we bought a house in a less-than-safe area. If all does not fare well we’re hoping to sell and move to a more suitable area for his work, hopefully better schools, and mostly a sense of safety. Still, my fiance needs to be somewhat close to this area due to the fact that his work requires him to visit multiple locations from Sarasota, through Tampa, and as far north as Dunnellon. He visits once a month, but drives a lot otherwise for meetings and errands. I, on the other hand, don’t drive at all and prefer to live where walkability is higher. With that in mind, do you have any suggestions as to a safer place to purchase our next home? Thank you in advance for your help, and thanks again for providing such a great resource!

    • Hello Janey,
      St Petersburg is not on any of our best places lists because the overall crime rate there is approximately twice the national average. Nearby Dunedin (Link below) is on our best walkable places in Florida and the violent crime rate there is approximately half the national average. Student test scores are also far higher there, than Florida as a whole.

      The Florida Move Guide is even more helpful than this website, especially if read before moving. For instance, it explains Florida’s real estate market and why it may complicate a future move for you if you just bought a home at the top of the market price-wise and will try to sell it and move after the next bust. Good luck and stay safe.
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.

      Dunedin a Best Walkable Place to Live in Florida

  11. Hello! Good site and thanks for the information. We are looking to maybe relocate to Jupiter, Weston or Boca Raton FL from Austin TX. But my main concerned is I have heard the school systems aren’t good and we will have to put our 3 kids (5,10,14) in private schools. What are your thoughts?

    • You wrote: “Hello! Good site and thanks for the information. We are looking to maybe relocate to Jupiter, Weston or Boca Raton FL from Austin TX. But my main concerned is I have heard the school systems aren’t good and we will have to put our 3 kids (5,10,14) in private schools. What are your thoughts?

      How credible is the source that said the schools “aren’t good” and what does that really mean? Good compared to what?
      What I would do is research the facts (not just someone’s opinion) to see how the schools in Florida compare to where your kids go now. Will the education that’s provided be about the same, worse or better? What about your child’s safety while on the school bus or while on school grounds? Doing the research to answer these questions is not an easy task but it is important. Moving young children away from relatives, established friends and schools they’re comfortable in can have consequences. Add in poor or unsafe schools to the mix…

      The Florida Move Guide covers this and more about moving kids to Florida and it also says not to automatically assume you’ll be able to find private schools in Florida like you can find where you now live. Florida can be far different in many ways. We know the climate will be different but too often people move to Florida assuming everything else will be pretty much the same. That can be a big mistake. Good luck with your potential Florida relocation.
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      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.
      • Is there a better state to relocate to or a better retirement lifestyle for you than moving to Florida? You’ll know after reading How to Retire Happier.
      • My children grew up in Clearwater from the ages of being born until 9 and 10 years old, they both went to public school and both were in honors classes and did well. We then moved to St Pete Beach, a lovely island small community and my children were zoned for a public school that I was not happy with. I put them in private Catholic school, they fell behind a little but that was ok. Once in High School, they were zoned for one of the best high schools and were back in honors classes and thriving as usual. My point in all this is you as a parent can make decisions, but it also takes the child’s determination to thrive.

        • True, parental support and a child who wants to succeed in school can make all the difference, whether attending highly rated schools or failing ones. But it is easier when the parent, child and school all truly care. Families would be wise to check the most current school ratings before choosing a place to buy or rent, but must also be aware that the school(s) your child may be assigned to attend may change, as well any particular school’s ratings.

  12. I had been visiting Fernandina Beach for work over a decade and in the last 2 years relocated for here for business (with my husband and 2 young children.). I am finding Fernandina a great place to visit (mainly downtown Fernandina) but necessarily live. It certainly has a small town feeling but also small town mentality. It’s a bit “piece mealed” up. Now they have countless developments and is more and more looking like it will have the Saint Augustine Challenges (traffic). For now, we continue to rent in Amelia National (a great community with excellent neighbors) and will see if we can ever really nest.

  13. Ron:

    I have been reading just about everything you put out on FL, and your insights are much appreciated. We currently live in suburban Columbus, OH in an great school district (top 5-15 in the state each year). We do not have family in the area and are considering moving to Naples, which will put us closer to family as well as place us in our “desired” lifestyle (fishing, boating, walking year around, not having crappy weather 4-6 months every year), or so we think. We have three kids under 5 and want to set down roots in the next two years before 1st grade starts for our oldest. Gulf Coast school district looks to be highly ranked, and there are several communities in the district that appear to be family oriented.

    My hesitation is much of what you mention throughout your research, hurricanes, regret after the honeymoon period, cost of moving, etc. Based on what you know about Midwest transplants and Naples, am I crazy to think we could raise our family there and have the outdoor lifestyle we desire (Home budget would be $550k – $750k)? Or is Naples just too old and am I being shortsighted with vacation lifestyle dreams?

    Thank you in advance,

    Brian

    • Brian,
      Tens of Thousands of people have read the Florida Move Guide and then knew whether Florida would likely be a better situation for them and their family, or not. In the book I tell it like it is, including all the negatives expressed by 1000’s of people I talked to about selling their Florida home, after they moved to the state for a better life but learned the state was a mistake for them. The vast majority of what is in the book is not on this website. When we are unsure, we hesitate making decisions. The book will provide the certainty you need.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.
  14. Hi Ron. We currently live in Toronto Canada and my two boys (14,15) go to an excellent private school where academics and sports are paramount. We are thinking about moving permanently to FL to get away from winters and stay active all year. We are a very healthy and active family. I have heard people mention Naples but it seems very expensive. If you were in my situation, where would you pick to settle down in Florida? Great private school education (we can’t go to public school without a green card) is the most important. Proximity to the beach, outdoor activities and a great community is very important.

    Looking forward to reading your perspective.
    Daniel

    • Hello Daniel,
      The main reason so many people move to Florida, only to learn it was a mistake that needs to be corrected by moving out, is that living in Florida turns out to be far different than what they perceive it will be like.

      1) You wrote: “my two boys (14,15) go to an excellent private school where academics and sports are paramount” and “Great private school education (we can’t go to public school without a green card) is the most important”

      Great private k-12 schools known for education and sports? Good luck finding that in Florida. Excellent private k-12 private schools usually take a long time to become that way. Half of Florida today was just recently built, and for retirees. The first thing you should do is try to identify any such schools in Florida. I talk about the trouble I had with this when I first moved to Florida, in my Florida Move Guide.

      You also wrote: “We are thinking about moving permanently to FL to get away from winters and stay active all year”

      This is a very common dream that rarely turns into reality. Oh you will get away from winters, but will the man who moves from the North Pole to the Sahara Desert really spend more time outdoors? He thought he would, based on 52 1-week vacations. Again, the book explains the reality based upon dealing with 1000’s of people moving into, and out of Florida. Move in for the dream, move oot because of the reality.

      Naples? The book talks about this in detail, but Florida is still the #1 retirement destination in the US and has been for a century. That means more households with senior citizens with no children. Naples is crowded during the winter with senior snowbirds, and half of the houses are empty the rest of the year.

      Some days I feel old and cranky and today is one of those days, but you asked for my perspective.
      If you wrote saying that your kids were in a failing school, all of their “friends” were trouble makers, you couldn’t stand your job and crime was worsening where you lived, my response would be different. Why? Because the small risk of even further downside (your already at the bottom) by moving somewhere new would be small, compared to the large possible gain in upside. This does not seem to be your situation.

      Here’s my opinion: There’s an old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

      1) If my children were in a great all around situation and only had a few years left before they leave for college, I wouldn’t screw it up by moving them away from all of that (school, sports, friends, etc.) to move somewhere I really know nothing about, and make them start all over somewhere else in the hope that it might be an improvement. The risk is it could be disaster that may scar them for life.
      2) I would use the $50,000+ I would have lost by moving to Florida (in real estate commissions, moving expenses) and buy new snowboards, skis, skates, toboggans, top notch winter clothing, hot tub, sauna, etc. to embrace and enjoy all that winter has to offer.
      3) Use Florida for its best purpose, vacations. Or when you get old and cranky like me, spending the winter where the weather is about the best in the world.

      I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear. If you don’t like my perspective, the good news is you can call any agent or broker anywhere Florida and they will tell you exactly what you want to hear, plus they’ll explain why the city or town they’re located in, is just perfect for your needs.

      Have a great day Daniel and thank you for commenting.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.
      _____

      • Thanks Ron for your honesty, you made me laugh! This definitely gives me lots to think about and discuss with my family. Have a great day.

  15. Ron, I’m looking very closely at relocating from San Diego to Florida with two kids ages 4 & 7. Work is highly skilled/specialized. Would you consider Oviedo or Chuluota a “best place” for families in addition to Winter Springs? We are used to having to drive everywhere currently living in a “dark sky” equestrian town, but really need good public schools for the kids too so some acreage in Chuluota seems to fit the bill. Any insight to buying lots and building in Florida (pitfalls, etc.)? I’m thinking proximity to Disney and Legoland would be a smooth transition for the family as well. Want to avoid flood and hurricane insurance too. Just trying to sharpen the pencil and not make mistakes! Thanks.

    • Hello Ken,
      All of the best places, on all of my lists, offered better schools than the average for Florida at the time the post was written, but that doesn’t mean that every school in that district was ideal or they would be a best place to raise children. A very high number of people who move to Florida for improvement eventually discover it wasn’t. In my book I detail the issues of moving my kid to the #1 retirement relocation destination in the US (what will the ratio of (crabby?) “old” people with no kids to families be? Extra care should be exercised if kids are doing good all around where there are now, before moving a couple time zones away, because if it goes wrong there could be lasting consequences.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

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