[Blairemoore]

So I think I'm going to relocate to Florida because they are in need of nurses and it will be easy for me to find a job there also the cost-of-living is cheaper and I don't mind the humidity and I sure will enjoy the sunshine however I need help choosing a certain city I don't want to be located in a retirement community or strictly a college town only . I want to be able to socialize and meet other young educated professionals ages 25 to 40 . I've been told that Orlando is a good place for me because it is a hub for businessman and transients . How is the dating scene in Orlando ? I can afford about $900 a month for living Costs. I used to live in South Carolina and people really easy-going and friendly I've heard that's not how Miami in certain cities in southern Florida or that they can be rather stuck up ? What about Orlando or any other cities in Florida ?

[Crane's Rooster]

As for Orlando I can say the biggest plus for you should be that two of the biggest employers here are Florida Hospital (Adventist Health) and Orlando Health Systems. Both have huge main campuses in downtown and many satellite hospitals across the region. With such a large influence here both FH and OH employees get lots of perks, like discounted rental rates at many of the area apartments. Overall Orlando is a nice balance of lively city life and a family centered community. Outside of the themeparks, which you may rarely even attend, there is alot going on for young professionals. I am a mid 30's professional myself and never have a shortage of things to do. There's always happy hours, fairs, food festivals, networking events, shows, theaters, on and on. It's not DC, NYC or Boston, but for a city it's size it's a lively place for young professionals. The only thing is traffic and rent here are bad. You'll be lucky since you can get discounted rates but other than that I think you would enjoy it here.

[Sandsam]

Originally Posted by Blairemoore

So I think I'm going to relocate to Florida because they are in need of nurses and it will be easy for me to find a job there also the cost-of-living is cheaper and I don't mind the humidity and I sure will enjoy the sunshine however I need help choosing a certain city I don't want to be located in a retirement community or strictly a college town only .

Punctuation is your friend.

[infinitum3d]

Is that 900 for living costs total (food, utilities, partying) or just rent/housing?

[Blairemoore]

Originally Posted by Sandsam

Punctuation is your friend.

Thanks that was helpful

[Blairemoore]

Originally Posted by infinitum3d

Is that 900 for living costs total (food, utilities, partying) or just rent/housing?

Just rent

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Blairemoore

So I think I'm going to relocate to Florida because they are in need of nurses and it will be easy for me to find a job there also the cost-of-living is cheaper and I don't mind the humidity and I sure will enjoy the sunshine however I need help choosing a certain city I don't want to be located in a retirement community or strictly a college town only . I want to be able to socialize and meet other young educated professionals ages 25 to 40 . I've been told that Orlando is a good place for me because it is a hub for businessman and transients . How is the dating scene in Orlando ? I can afford about $900 a month for living Costs. I used to live in South Carolina and people really easy-going and friendly I've heard that's not how Miami in certain cities in southern Florida or that they can be rather stuck up ? What about Orlando or any other cities in Florida ?

I would encourage some due diligence in terms of investigating other cities. There are in fact a few other large cities to choose from that aren't Miami or Orlando, and each has it's own strengths and negatives like those two. Since you stressed specifically "young, educated professionals" I would caution that isn't one of Orlando's strengths. Are there any in Orlando, yes of course....are there many? Comparatively speaking no....so bear that in mind. Orlando ranks last/near last in terms of percentage of residents with college degrees among all of the major cities in the US. Areas like Tampa-St Petersburg and Miami-Ft Lauderdale don't do a whole lot better but are much more populated so there will be more of a pool of educated professionals to deal with. The Tampa-St Petersburg area is more friendly overall and has had that reputation over other areas in Florida, and in terms of rental housing more affordable than Orlando as well. As a bit of a darkhorse you might also consider Jacksonville too. It's not as large as the other choices in terms of population but has some perks like a more diverse economy in terms of professional jobs with a very sizable healthcare job market, a lower cost of living than the other big cities and a young population (average age of 34). It's also quite friendly and a bit more Southern in feel which you may feel a bit more comfortable with having lived in South Carolina. Lastly there's Tallahassee which is the state capital and home to Florida State University. It's a good sized city of around 200K, is well-educated overall (half of residents have a bachelors degree or higher, twice that of Orlando), a young population in general (average of 26), 35% of the population is single and has a nice vibe with walkable downtown neighborhoods, friendly people generally speaking, and a low cost of living which is a nice perk (a third less than Orlando for example in terms of average rent).

[Bobdreamz]

Originally Posted by Blairemoore

Just rent

$900 for rent a month is doable in Orlando if it's a 1 bed/1 bath place and since you are in the healthcare industry getting a job shouldn't be a issue. Orlando can get quite boring if you aren't into the theme park route and don't have kids.
If you are single & young W/O kids and make a decent salary I would choose S.E. Florida over Orlando since the living costs are close yet the Miami metro offers so many other amenities including the beach & culture not found in Orlando.
Good luck!