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Tampa named the best place to live in Florida by Forbes

Skyline view of downtown Tampa on the waterfront. A dock for a large ferry is visible in front of a large convention center
Approaching the improved Tampa Convention Center along the Tampa waterfront

Florida is blowing up as a destination to live. While there are so many gorgeous spots to visit in the Sunshine State, it seems Tampa continues to outpace them all. Forbes recently listed the 10 best places to live in Florida, and Tampa came in at number one.

“In the past few years, working households have been flocking to the state for promising career opportunities, a relatively low cost of living and no state income tax,” writes Josh Patoka for Forbes. “Not to mention the mild winters and approximate 825 miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico that sprawl across the peninsula and panhandle.”

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To create their list, Patoka and Editor Jamie Young analyzed cities by pulling recent data on key lifestyle factors such as the area’s median home price, personal income per capita, and the unemployment and crime rate.

Tampa, and the greater Tampa Bay Area has many positive aspects for young adults and families. Forbes notes that there are several pristine beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. “The area is also home to several major sports teams, history museums, platforms promoting the arts and impressive public transportation options,” writes Patoka.

Tampa has also experienced an influx of employers across several industries ranging from advanced manufacturing to financial services and life sciences. Tourism and MacDill Air Force Base also play a pivotal role.

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The city offers just about everything you want, and is just a 2 hour drive to Orlando, and 4 hour drive to Miami. Tampa International Airport, named the best airport of its size in North America, also elevates Tampa over other major Florida cities.

In case you didn’t know, Tampa was also named as one of the top foodie cities in America.

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