Where are the best places to live? Four Florida spots make the list, and here’s why

Emma Janssen
·2 min read
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Livability released its list of the 100 best places to live in the U.S. in 2023, and four Florida spots made the cut.

Three locales made the Top 50: St. Petersburg, Alafaya in Central Florida, and Fort Lauderdale. Orlando landed at No. 92.

To create the list, the rankers at Livability took factors like cost of living, walkability and school quality into account. In total, the company looks at about 100 data points across eight categories to come up with its top cities.

Liveability only considers cities with a population between 75,000 and 500,000, excluding those with a median home value over $500,000 — no matter how vibrant and safe they are. With a median home value of around $588,000 according to Redfin, Miami didn’t qualify for the list.

Earlier this year, business magazine Forbes ranked Miami as the sixth-best place to live in Florida in 2023.

READ MORE: How walkable is Miami? These are the top 10 neighborhoods to travel on foot

Fort Lauderdale’s sunny seaside environment and strong economy contributed to its No. 47 spot on the list. Livability noted the city’s high salaries and low tax rates as a major perk. The average household income is $70,948, and Florida doesn’t have an income tax, allowing residents to stretch their dollars further.

Livability lauded St. Petersburg’s sunny weather, artsy culture, and inclusivity, which helped the city secure the No. 44 spot. The city scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Municipality Equality Index, which evaluates how inclusive cities are for their LGBTQ+ residents.

Alfaya, an unicorporated community of 90,000 residents in Orange County, earned its No. 46 spot for excellent public schools and proximity to Orlando. Meanwhile, Orlando’s theme parks and diverse population put the city on Livability’s radar.

Here are the Top 10 cities on the national list:

1. John’s Creek, Georgia

2. Flower Mound, Texas

3. Carmel, Indiana

4. Broomfield, Colorado

5. Sugar Land, Texas

6. Cary, North Carolina

7. Overland Park, Kansas

8. Fishers, Indiana

9. Naperville, Illinois

10. Troy, Michigan