If you’re planning to move to the East Coast of Florida, the question of which city to settle down in should be a major consideration. After all, you want to live in an area with good schools, safe neighborhoods, and plenty of job opportunities nearby.
Luckily, many different places along the coast can offer you all of these things and more! Before you move, it’s always a good idea to find out what kinds of employment opportunities are available in your new city.
Additionally, you might be interested in finding out how much more expensive it is in that city compared with your old one, and how much crime rates are typically higher.
This isn’t a complete list by any means—it just includes some major cities that have different characteristics. If you’re searching for a great place to live, here are 10 of the best places to settle on the East Coast of Florida.
10. Delray Beach
In many ways, Delray Beach epitomizes what a modern American city should be. It offers diverse neighborhoods, activities, and work opportunities.
Located just south of Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens, Delray is one of East Coast Florida’s most notable cities in terms of population density, infrastructure development, business planning/development, and commercial real estate development.
Whether you want to rent or buy a home for a reasonable price or if you want your company to experience growth in an ideal place for startups—Delray is for you.
The Del Ray lifestyle has been ranked among some of America’s best cities for families by Business Insider Magazine.
9. Daytona Beach
One reason why Daytona Beach is a great place to live is that it’s an excellent city for jobs and careers. The unemployment rate here hovers around 5.2%, which is much lower than in most cities across America.
Another important factor in choosing a city to live in is crime rates, and here you’ll find that residents experience property crime at a rate that’s about half as often as others nationwide.
It costs an average of $68,100 per year to live in Daytona Beach, so the cost of living shouldn’t be an issue if you’re looking for affordable housing options.
Related: The 12 Wealthiest Cities in Florida
8. Miami
It’s expensive, but also diverse, clean, and filled with employment opportunities. The city has a little bit of everything—including great food.
With its warm weather and proximity to water, Miami is perfect for anyone looking for beach activities or an escape from cold winters in other parts of the country.
The cost of living is higher than most other places on our list but that might not be a deal-breaker for you if you love living near water—and taking lots of pictures. Oh yeah, people like boats here too.
It’s common knowledge that Florida has one of the lowest cost of living rates in America and Miami exemplifies that statistic perfectly.
For example, a bottle of good wine can cost as much as $5 in New York City but only $2 down south!
7. Sebastian
Staying in Miami is an option, but for those who are looking for less crowded surroundings, you can’t beat Sebastian. The city has an excellent combination of entertainment and employment, with plenty of both in each corner.
The only downside is that it tends to be expensive compared to other parts of Florida; if you’re willing to sacrifice some comfort, it might be worth it.
Close by are several affordable communities including Winter Garden and Windermere; they offer much more peace without sacrificing any amenities or employment opportunities.
6. Fort Pierce
Located in St. Lucie County, Fort Pierce is a relatively new city and one of several municipalities that are outside city limits in Port St.
Lucie; has a population of nearly 46,604 people and a crime rate that hovers around 20 per 1,000 residents. This cost-of-living index for Fort Pierce is 87.6 out of 100, which means everything here is about 12 percent cheaper than average.
The national average for cost of living, as you know if you’ve read any magazine or newspaper in the last few years, continues to increase at a steady clip each year.
Related: The 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in Florida
5. Port St. Lucie
St. Lucie County is a small, relatively remote county along Florida’s east coast.
It’s known for its beautiful beaches and sunsets, but those are hard enough to lure people away from bigger cities like Orlando and Miami—and yet they do.
Port St. Lucie boasts a strong employment rate, a low crime rate, and, according to one cost-of-living calculation, a higher standard of living than anywhere else in central or south Florida.
4. Boca Raton
Whether you’re looking for work or just a place to relax, Boca Raton is one of the most cost-effective places in Florida.
Based on its crime rate, employment opportunities, and cost of living, it’s not hard to see why Boca Raton tops our list as one of the best places to live in Florida.
The median home value is $484,813 and there are many jobs within multiple industries such as finance, retail, and health care. As far as safety goes, Boca Raton has a low crime rate (just about 10 crimes per 1,000 people) – especially for such a bustling city.
It was rated one of America’s safest cities based on its low crime index by Neighborhood Scout.
3. Melbourne
According to a study conducted by WalletHub, Melbourne is among the best places in Florida for quality of life. The report found that Melbourne residents enjoy low crime rates, healthy lifestyles, and affordable living costs.
Additionally, City-Data reports that 3.5 percent of residents have experience working in public administration or government positions, which may be beneficial when looking for employment opportunities within local government or community organizations.
In 2015, Business Insider ranked Melbourne as one of America’s Most Educated Cities.
Related: Why Is Florida so Expensive to Live In?
2. Palm Beach
When residents think about Palm Beach, they picture a tropical paradise. Located along Lake Worth Lagoon between two rivers and only seven miles from the famous Boca Raton, Palm Beach has become known as an ideal place for retirees.
But families and singles looking for employment should also consider taking a look at what Palm Beach has to offer. As you might expect from a city in Palm Beach County, Palm Beach is filled with several well-known professional sports teams including:
The Miami Dolphins football team, The Florida Panthers hockey team, and The Miami Marlins baseball team.
1. St. Augustine
Located in northeastern Florida, St. Augustine is a culturally rich city that was founded by Spanish explorers in 1565. Not only do its historic sites bring some culture to its community, but it also has more than 100 art galleries and museums for local artists.
With attractions like The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park and Fort Matanzas National Monument, it’s no wonder why we ranked it as our number one place to live on the east coast of Florida.
What’s more, with an average population growth rate that’s higher than other nearby cities like Jacksonville and Daytona Beach (but lower than Orlando), it remains one of our favorite places in Eastern Florida despite its slow growth rate over time.