Welcome to Florida

Your life in the Sunshine State begins

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Florida Self-StorageReasons to Move to FloridaMoving to FloridaEconomic OutlookPlaces to LiveResources

Welcome to Florida

Known for its beaches, theme parks, and plant and animal wildlife, Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. With a population of more than 21 million people, Florida is the third most populous state in the country.

The Sunshine State's major industries are tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, and aerospace. Florida is mostly a flat plane and doesn't reach more than 100 feet above sea level. The state has about 1,300 miles of coastline and near-perfect weather year-round. With top attractions like Busch Gardens, LEGOLAND, Disneyland, and Sea World, Florida attracts millions of visitors each year. And as of late, more and more people are flocking to the state for several reasons—one is warmer weather.

If you're considering moving to Florida, below you will find a few things to consider before making the move.

Florida Self-Storage Facts

Over the last few years Florida has seen a surge in new self-storage construction as developers rushed to meet the storage demands of a growing population. A temporary pause in activity took place after the Great Recession, creating pent up demand for self-storage space. That has led to the current building boom in storage. The trend has taken place nationwide, but Florida is among the states that has experienced the biggest uptick in new self-storage projects.

Below are some statistics that provide an overview of the self-storage industry in Florida:

Below are some statistics that provide an overview of the self-storage industry in Florida:

2,602

Florida is home to an estimated 2,602 self-storage facilities.

124,569,554

Florida self-storage facilities cover 124,569,554 square feet of storage space.

6.29

Florida storage facilities offer 6.29 square feet of storage per person, which is higher than the national average of 5.4 square feet per person.

Reasons to Move to Florida

As one of the top travel destinations in the world, Florida receives more than 90 million visitors each year. But here are a few reasons you should consider staying for good.

1

Walt Disney World. Florida is probably best known for one of its greatest attractions -- Walt Disney World, the happiest place on earth. Walt Disney World gets more than 45,000 visitors a day - and up to 100,000 on its busiest days.

2

Outdoor events and festivals. Because Florida has such great weather all the time, there are always outdoor events and festivals happening. From arts and craft shows and music concerts to car shows and polo matches, there's a little something for everyone. They've also got farmers' markets, sand-sculpting contests, chalk festivals, and more.

3

Seemingly endless beaches. In Florida, you're never too far from the ocean no matter where you are. With 1,300 miles of coastline, you can hit the beach almost any time you want to. Because who doesn't love the beach?

4

The golf courses. If you're a golf enthusiast and you just can't get enough green, you'll love Florida because it has more golf courses than any other state in the country and it's also home to the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Augustine. Not to mention the dozens of golf tournaments going on all the time.

5

Gators and crocs. Florida is the only place you can go and see both crocodiles and alligators living together in the Florida Everglades.

6

The Daytona 500 International Speedway. If you're a fan of car racing, you'll love Florida because The Daytona 500, also known as The Great American Race, is located in Daytona Beach. Move there and you'll have the chance to see the action up close and personal.

7

No state income tax. One great thing about living in Florida is that there's no state income tax, meaning you get to keep more of your money in your pocket. Instead of collecting income tax, the state gets revenue from the millions of tourists that visit the state each year.

8

Great weather all year round. If you're running from your last cold winter and never looking back, you'll appreciate Florida for its warm temperatures. The average high is 79.5 degrees and the average low for the state is 55.7 degrees. The average temperature is about 67.6 degrees year-round.

9

Sports. If you're a sports fan, you'll do well in Florida because it's home to several sports teams, including basketball, football, baseball, and hockey teams. The following teams call Florida home: Miami Heat, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Florida Panthers, Tampa Rays, Orlando Magic, and the Miami Dolphins.

10

Endless entertainment options. Florida has plenty to offer even the pickiest of travelers. From amusement parks, nature trails, and state parks to theme parks, beaches and bars, you'll never run out of things to do. Not to mention the nearly perfect year-round weather makes it easy to enjoy outdoor activities like kayaking, surfing, jet skiing, boating, biking, and paddle boarding.

Moving to Florida

Florida is the third-largest state in the country with more than 21.6 million people. Its major cities include Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Miami, and Hialeah. Florida has more than 1,300 miles of coastline that includes mangrove swamps, seagrass beds, estuaries, and coral reefs. It's also got plenty of freshwater lakes, streams, rivers, and springs that house a range of aquatic life.

These and the previously mentioned reasons are probably why more than 300,000 people are moving to Florida every year. The state is expected to reach more than 22 million residents by 2022. On April 1, 2018, Florida had a population of 20.84 million and on April 1, 2019, that number had increased to 21.2 million people. In most cases, people were moving to Florida for lower taxes and better weather.

Florida Economic Outlook

If Florida were a country, it would have the 17th largest GDP in the world with an economic output of more than $1 trillion in 2018, according to Biz Journals. After the most recent recession, Florida's job market recovered and the state expects to see continued salary growth and increased retail spending. Florida's economy is also expected to outperform the national forecast for four straight years, according to economist Sean Snaith in the latest Florida & Metro Forecast from the UCF Institute for Economic Competitiveness.

The economic outlook for Florida is positive for the next few years. Florida is expected to see tremendous growth and a boost in the state's revenue. The state saw a 2.5 percent growth -- or 221,200 jobs since August 2018. Florida has a cost of living index of 110.9, which is higher than the national average. However, with no state income tax, you'll keep more of your hard-earned money. Florida has a recent unemployment rate of 3.2 percent as of September 2019, which is somewhat lower than the national average of 3.5 percent (as of September 2019)

Below you'll find a breakdown of Florida's largest sectors by real value added of GDP in billions:

$195.25 billion
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing
$124.2 billion
Professional and business services
$97.3 billion
Government and government enterprises
$90.24 billion
Educational services, health care, and social assistance
$72.58 billion
Retail trade

Who are Florida's Largest Employers?

EMPLOYER
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Walt Disney World Resort
74,200
AdventHealth
28,959
Universal Orlando Resort
25,000
Orange County Public Schools
24,629
University of Central Florida
9,476

Places to live in Florida

Florida is 65,755 square miles with 663 miles of beaches. It is home to an amazing array of wildlife including black bears, sea turtles, dolphins, armadillos, snakes, and the Florida panther. It's also home to famous attractions like The Kennedy Space Center, the Everglades National Park, the Daytona 500 International Speedway, and Duval Street in Key West. If you're looking to head to Florida, check out a run down of the major cities below.

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and in the continental US. The city offers plenty to do including two national parks, 400 city parks, several beaches & waterways, animal attractions, museums, gardens, and arboretums. Some of the most popular activities include swimming, kayaking, sunbathing, surfing, fishing, and boating.

Cost of living
5 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$179,300
Average rent
$1,095 per month
Average apartment size
969 square feet

Miami

With a population of more than 490,000 people, Miami is the second-largest city in Florida and has plenty of beaches, parks, resorts, and museums. The city is not only a vital seaport city for trade both nationally and internationally, but it's also a tourism center.

Cost of living
14 percent higher than the national average
Median home price
$326,200
Average rent
$2,017 per month
Average apartment size
835 square feet

Tampa

Tampa is the third-largest city in Florida with a population of more than 400,000 people. Some of the top companies in the area include food processing and packaging, medical and health technologies, aerospace and aviation, agriculture, tourism, financial firms, technology, and electronics manufacturing companies.

Cost of living
5 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$200,100
Average rent
$1,321 per month
Average apartment size
924 square feet

Moving to Florida Resources

All Florida Cities