[changing_intensity]

Hi all,
I am brand new to this forum. I have already learned a great deal from this site.
I am not happy with where I am living. A little about me: I am in my 20's living in western North Carolina. I have lived here for the past 16 years. I teach Electronics classes at a community college. I am sick and tired of the environment here. I do not like the mountains, I hate seasons...I am ready for a change.

I am considering moving to Florida. When I was a child, my family and I lived in Pensacola for a few years. I remember loving it. The beach was near, weather nice...it just had a great vibe to it. Since then, I have always longed to live at or near a beach again.

A recent vacation to Myrtle Beach has only intensified this. I NEED to move.

I am now at a point in my life where a change like this is feasible. This could be a new beginning from a career standpoint and also a social standpoint. I am consider Florida, but I am open to any and all suggestions.

Topics I have been considering:
-Technical Job Market-I have Associates degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology, and experience in IT and teaching.
-Cost of living
-Social life-This is an area that I plan to improve on.
-Taxes-income, property ect...
-Crime rate

Basically I am open to any suggestions on cities, in or outside of Florida, that may be a good match. My research shows that Pensacola would NOT be a good fit due to its lack of industry. Jacksonville appears to be better along with some cities in southern Georgia.

I greatly appreciate your time and input.

Thanks
changing_intensity

[Fl1150]

Jacksonville, Tampa(drive to beach tho), Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Cape Coral , St. Petersburg

[LordyLordy]

Originally Posted by changing_intensity

Hi all,
I am brand new to this forum. I have already learned a great deal from this site.
I am not happy with where I am living. A little about me: I am in my 20's living in western North Carolina. I have lived here for the past 16 years. I teach Electronics classes at a community college. I am sick and tired of the environment here. I do not like the mountains, I hate seasons...I am ready for a change.

I am considering moving to Florida. When I was a child, my family and I lived in Pensacola for a few years. I remember loving it. The beach was near, weather nice...it just had a great vibe to it. Since then, I have always longed to live at or near a beach again.

A recent vacation to Myrtle Beach has only intensified this. I NEED to move.

I am now at a point in my life where a change like this is feasible. This could be a new beginning from a career standpoint and also a social standpoint. I am consider Florida, but I am open to any and all suggestions.

Topics I have been considering:
-Technical Job Market-I have Associates degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology, and experience in IT and teaching.
-Cost of living
-Social life-This is an area that I plan to improve on.
-Taxes-income, property ect...
-Crime rate

Basically I am open to any suggestions on cities, in or outside of Florida, that may be a good match. My research shows that Pensacola would NOT be a good fit due to its lack of industry. Jacksonville appears to be better along with some cities in southern Georgia.

I greatly appreciate your time and input.

Thanks
changing_intensity

Florida is not exactly a booming tech hub . However, places like Tampa, for example, have jobs in the tech/IT sector. Jacksonville has some. A few in Palm Beach county (Boca, some in West Palm and a few in Palm Beach Gardens/Jupiter but nothing to brag about). I would not live in Miami if you paid me but that's me, some folks love the scene, too crowded for me. You may like Tallahassee but there are rarely any tech jobs there and I get the distinct feeling (no proof) that when there are jobs - they usually go to someone who knows someone...

Anyway my $.02

The best thing to do is to go and see a few cities and see what suits you.

Edit: Oh yeah, Orlando. Although I don't see the point of Orlando.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by changing_intensity

Hi all,

I am now at a point in my life where a change like this is feasible. This could be a new beginning from a career standpoint and also a social standpoint. I am consider Florida, but I am open to any and all suggestions.

Topics I have been considering:
-Technical Job Market-I have Associates degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology, and experience in IT and teaching.
-Cost of living
-Social life-This is an area that I plan to improve on.
-Taxes-income, property ect...
-Crime rate

Basically I am open to any suggestions on cities, in or outside of Florida, that may be a good match. My research shows that Pensacola would NOT be a good fit due to its lack of industry. Jacksonville appears to be better along with some cities in southern Georgia.

Given your criteria the only areas in Florida that fit would be the Jacksonville or Tampa Bay area. As much as I am not a fan of Texas, I do believe the Houston area would probably the best fit for you overall however.

[Restrain]

While job growth has been good over the last few years in FL, the opening of a 7-11 and the adding of 20 jobs still counts as a lead in the local newscast. Consider that the economists have trumpeted the adding of some 600,000 jobs in the last several years, whereas Texas added over 400,000 jobs in the last year.

I would agree that you should look at Houston. Economy is booming and there are beaches, although not as nice as Florida beaches.

[gypsychic]

OP, it would help to know what else you are looking for besides beaches. People recommending Houston are off-base, IMO. That is not a beach city and it is in the top 10 most polluted cities in the US (#6) - weather in Texas also sucks compared to Florida.

If I were you, check out Jacksonville, or the Tampa Bay Area. Those two metros would have the most job opportunities, and despite the naysayers jobs DO exist here - Florida is actually doing pretty well in that department and has been making some lists lately. Be sure to do more research than just on this forum, as many here have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Florida. (Talking about the WHOLE forum not any thread in particular).

Anyway if you like the more southern vibe go with Jax, if you want a laid-back beautiful beach city, St. Pete, a bit more urban vibe can be found in Tampa.

Good luck and hope this helps!

[LordyLordy]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

OP, it would help to know what else you are looking for besides beaches. People recommending Houston are off-base, IMO. That is not a beach city and it is in the top 10 most polluted cities in the US (#6) - weather in Texas also sucks compared to Florida.

If I were you, check out Jacksonville, or the Tampa Bay Area. Those two metros would have the most job opportunities, and despite the naysayers jobs DO exist here - Florida is actually doing pretty well in that department and has been making some lists lately. Be sure to do more research than just on this forum, as many here have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Florida. (Talking about the WHOLE forum not any thread in particular).

Anyway if you like the more southern vibe go with Jax, if you want a laid-back beautiful beach city, St. Pete, a bit more urban vibe can be found in Tampa.

Good luck and hope this helps!

I think a town like Austin, TX has more IT/software eng. jobs than whole of Florida . Same goes for both Houston and Dallas. Houston is in the vicinity of Galveston (not a great beach), Corpus (a bit better) and Padre (much better). Granted, it is not FL beaches but it could do for someone who wants choice in jobs AND beach proximity.

Weather sucks in TX? How so? Houston is pretty much like most of FL, humid and hot in summer and not much of a winter. Other parts of TX and TOTALLY different, its a huge state.

[sware2cod]

Ditto what others said.

Jacksonville is a smaller city than Tampa. This means the burbs start spreading out sooner versus Tampa area, which is wall-to-wall crowded for many miles in each direction. Just a bit more breathing room in metro Jacksonville.

I would choose Jacksonville over Tampa because of this. But metro Tampa is nice too. Tampa has more of a big city feel as far as bumper-to-bumper traffic and houses on small lots.

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by changing_intensity

Hi all,
I am brand new to this forum. I have already learned a great deal from this site.
I am not happy with where I am living. A little about me: I am in my 20's living in western North Carolina. I have lived here for the past 16 years. I teach Electronics classes at a community college. I am sick and tired of the environment here. I do not like the mountains, I hate seasons...I am ready for a change.

I am considering moving to Florida. When I was a child, my family and I lived in Pensacola for a few years. I remember loving it. The beach was near, weather nice...it just had a great vibe to it. Since then, I have always longed to live at or near a beach again.

A recent vacation to Myrtle Beach has only intensified this. I NEED to move.

I am now at a point in my life where a change like this is feasible. This could be a new beginning from a career standpoint and also a social standpoint. I am consider Florida, but I am open to any and all suggestions.

Topics I have been considering:
-Technical Job Market-I have Associates degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology, and experience in IT and teaching.
-Cost of living
-Social life-This is an area that I plan to improve on.
-Taxes-income, property ect...
-Crime rate

Basically I am open to any suggestions on cities, in or outside of Florida, that may be a good match. My research shows that Pensacola would NOT be a good fit due to its lack of industry. Jacksonville appears to be better along with some cities in southern Georgia.

I greatly appreciate your time and input.

Thanks
changing_intensity

Probably won't like South Florida that much outside of the weather in January....the people are brutal, they don't like to pay their bills and the housing is as fickle as a prom date. Try Tampa, Sarasota for an easier pace, Orlando is booming but, slave plantation hot in the Summer....like melt you hot.....Pensacola??? Not so much...few jobs...Jacksonville? An acquired taste....well, at least you have credential and you might even want to check out the Gainesville/Ocala area.....small enough to be easy, large enough to find employment....winters will be nicer but, I promise you, you will miss the trees....one of the oddest things I felt when I move to Broward way back when....just too cookie-cutter and CROWDED for me......to each his own.....I would say that if by chance you end up near the water way down South, learn to take up ocean sports (scuba, snorkeling, etc)....great cheap fun for the most part and definitely gives you a different perspective of Miami....

Good luck with the decision.

[changing_intensity]

All,
Many thanks for the suggestions! All great ideas.
St. Pete looks great. I am still researching the technical job market and exploring the city on Google Earth. I have a lot of research to do

Austin Texas is an option, but I think I would rather be closer to a beach.

I am used to living in a small town. My current town only has ~17,000 people so that will be an adjustment... I am possibly considering parts of South Carolina. There appears to be lots of nice beaches. Charleston may be an option.

Thanks for all the help.