Three places in Florida have made Money magazine’s 2024 list of 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
None are in Northeast Florida -- which may be good news for some folks who want to keep our area’s best-kept secrets a secret.
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Money said it took a “holistic approach” in selecting its 50 places but also looked at data such as:
- The health of the local job market
- The average housing costs borne by homeowners and renters
- The percentage of residents in poverty
- The quality of public schools
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The “winners” were then grouped into the following categories:
- Suburbs with a soul
- Best-kept secrets
- New boomtowns
- Not just college towns
- Culture hubs
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Here are the places in the Sunshine State that were recognized:
- Tampa’s Ybor City was named a “culture hub.” Money praised its “boutique shops, award-winning food, lively venues and cozy cafes; many tucked inside old, impeccably-preserved cigar factories.”
- Port St. Lucie on the Treasure Coast is one of Money’s “new boomtowns” as people are drawn to job opportunities and great weather. Money reports that, “Data from Moody’s Analytics shows that job growth in Port. St. Lucie is primed to increase by more than 10% over the next four years.”
- Babcock Ranch in Southwest Florida, is a “best kept secret” which had its resilient homes put to the test during Hurricane Ian in 2022. Action News Jax’s Tenikka Hughes showed the innovations used in these homes that helped them avoid major damage during that storm. Money said, “The town itself is divided into a patchwork of walkable villages ... and schools are within walking distance of all of them.”
To see the full list of Money’s Best Places to Live, click here.
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