Where to live in FL for a single 36 male (Miami: condos, home)

[Farmcharm]

My first post, looking for guidance because Florida has a lot of different vibes going on! I’m 36m and I work from home so I can live anywhere I want. I choose Florida because no income tax and sunshine. Cool, so now where to live!

Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Jupiter, West Palm, or maybe over in St. Pete’s / Tampa? (I hated Miami from the first minute to the last. I’m a farmboy from MN so that’s how I was raised, though I later traveled the world a good deal). I don’t even know where to start and I feel like some locals might be able to tel me , “just go to St Pete’s and don’t think twice.” I’m trying to explore as fast as I can but it’s a lot of ground to cover.

I earn well and while I date Latinas, I am not really looking for diversity. I’m also looking to avoid having my car stolen.

Advice please? Thank you in advance! Tell me how it is!

[wizrap]

We vacation in St. Pete and love it. Downtown area is young and vibrant. I would cross Jupiter off your list, IMO. Mostly families and retirees.

Lots going on in downtown Ft. Lauderdale too. But I love St. Pete.

[FL_Expert]

I’d need a little more info. How big of city do you want? Walkable? Upscale? Lively or quiet? Urban or suburban? Etc.

[kidyankee764]

You say you’re a farm boy but do realize almost nowhere on either southern FL coasts will have that lifestyle. It’s mostly built up and urban to suburban. We need to know a bit more of the kind of lifestyle you seek. Typically, the east coast of FL attracts those from the Northeast (primarily New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). The west coast of FL attracts midwesterners. There are very different vibes, for sure.

If urban to suburban is your thing and you want very little crime, you may want to look into Boca. It’s a nice community, albeit expensive, with plenty going on for a dating scene. Nice restaurants, a small nightlife, etc. For bigger nightlife, you can travel 10 mins north to Delray or 25 mins south to Fort Lauderdale. Boca can be a bit bougie and somewhat “see and be seen” as it’s a very affluent community, so just know that’s a thing.

Aside from that, maybe Tampa would be to your liking.

[LHPFL23]

I looked all over FL for 10 years for the "right" place for me. I'm grew up a midwest farm boy too, but spent most of my adult life in the mid Atlantic region. Like you I ruled out Miami-Dade. I've always loved the Broward County/Fort Lauderdale area and there are some great neighborhoods that are close to the beach -- some walking or biking distance. These areas still have some the old Florida feel.

The areas I like are mostly east or around Federal Highway -- ranked my top choices: Lighthouse Point, Coral Ridge Isles, Harbor Village, Garden Isles, Lauderdale by the Sea, The Cove, Bayview, Imperial Point. These are all north of downtown Fort Lauderdale. They are fairly densely populated residential neighborhoods but still have a comfortable feel to them. They are not cookie cutter suburban like in the new parts of Broward. A mix of housing from older $150K condos to mega million waterfront mansions. Just north in Palm Beach County there are similar neighborhoods along Federal.

Another big plus for Broward County is the airport (FLL) has cheap direct flights to just about everywhere in the country.

Just north in Palm Beach County there are similar neighborhoods along Federal -- parts of Boca Raton, Delray, West Palm, but I'm not as familiar with them.

On the west coast Sarasota is a waterfront gem -- the right size city to have amenities, but not be overwhelming. Marco Island is a tropical paradise, but isolated. Naples is very nice, but retirees dominate. Punta Gorda is a small town that is probably the best priced waterfront housing in South Florida -- too many old people for me but a charming place.

If you're like me you will love living in Florida.

[blueherons]

For a single 36 year old Flagler Village for sure.

[kyle19125]

It kind of flies under the radar but check out Hollywood, which is ideally nestled in between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The Downtown Hollywood/Young Circle area is a buzzing, vibrant area for singles and fairly safe.

https://handluggageonly.co.uk/2021/0...ywood-florida/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43enxcRqBlc

[Farmcharm]

Thank you everyone for the input! It is greatly appreciated! I’m looking for mid-sized since Boston/NYC is too much for me by a long shot. I’ve tried to like them for years but am finally admitting I don’t. I think the best way to put it is that I want to go out for a drink on a Saturday and not see the same faces every time. To me that feels like “mid-sized” . SOME young professional crowd.

I think I am going to zero in on these pockets to the north of FTL.

@LHPFL23 your input was super helpful. Proximity to FLL airport is a solid point. The same could be said for catching a game in Miami too. I am going to checkout those communities you mentioned (Lighthouse, etc.) and hopefully find a spot on the waterway because I’m also getting a jetski

[chefcurry91210]

I lived down in South FL for a while and can tell you this. Anywhere you live, be east of i-95. Traffic and weather are terrible out west. And out west sides shopping, there isnt a whole lot to do. There are some cool parks out west but thats really it. But here are my opinions about where you want to live:

Fort Lauderdale: Kind of hectic now a days and kinda feels like a big city. Its been insanely built up and the cost of living is kind of crazy. Some parts are decent but alot of parts are super crappy. Its better than Miami I guess.

Delray Beach: Has been gentrified quite a bit over the years. Used to be kind of crappy and now its super expensive and fancy. Not a terrible place but Boca Raton is alot more interesting.

Jupiter: Mostly older rich people. Not really that great at your age.

West Palm: Mix of older rich people and a few young people. Its kinda meh. Not terrible but kind of the same thing as Delray but further north.

Im done with the area for personal reasons but if you find the right place, South FL isnt too bad. If I had to live there today, it would either be Boca Raton or Hollywood. Anything west of i-95 is too boring and people on the east side seem a lil less stressed out.