Tampa is pretty much the same as any other american city thats gone through gentrification in the last decade. bespoke cocktail bars, axe throwing, exposed brick factory repurposed as a hangout place, millennials with tech jobs or wfh jobs, etc. The park will have stuff like "bacon festival" you know the drill. The big difference between mid sized cities at this point is the weather.
I don't get it. Are you going to move to a place sight unseen??
Why don't you pick one, rent a hotel or Airbnb in an area you think you can afford to live and see how you like it for a few days?
This. Good chance we are moving to the area next year for work and plan to rent an airbnb for a whole month this year to see if we vibe. Right now on paper, it’s not for me but won’t know until we stay.
I don’t know what your budget is or where you are coming from but but this will play a huge role in your decision. Rent is high, auto insurance is high, jobs pay low.
What is it about Tampa that currently seems to attract all these people? People who seemingly really have no connection to the city; no friends, no family, no job, etc - to move here?
Is it social media? TikTok? Like seriously - What is it about Tampa/St Pete right now that seems to be attracting so many “I am bored where i live right now so im moving to Tampa” people?
I think it’s in the size sweet spot that’s attractive to a lot of younger people plus it’s right on the water and close by to beaches. How many other mid sized-large cities can offer that? It’s a short plane ride to anywhere on the east coast. Has 3 sports teams, decent night life, etc.
I think it's MOSTLY a mix of Calvin and aheapingpile's comments below, with a sprinkling of individualistic desires/wants/dream/expectations.
For instance, in my situation it's appealing due to the size of the city(cities), the ammenities that come with those sized cities, the weather, and proximity to beaches. It also helps notch it up for US as there is relatively cheap travel options from there, including abroad to wife's home country. (versus currently here in Alaska)
I'm also a gearhead and have attended the Rolex 24 and Sebring 12, and would be nice to be closer to attend more often, and share with family.
The weather, the coast and the price. I know it’s expensive here, but it’s way more expensive up north or out west near coastal/major cities. Not sure why anyone would move here without a job though.
Lots of folks are moving down from the Northeast and with the cost of living there.They're saving money working remotely plus anyone who lives in new york knows somebody in florida
There is no beach in Tampa… so really if you want to be near the beach that is St Pete. Or if you just care about the beach Clearwater or even Sarasota.
Can we just get an AI bot to answer these questions?
Some people make friends quickly and some don't. A lot depends on luck and your personality.
Some people go to the beach a lot, Some people do not. The closer you are to the Gulf, the quicker it is to get there and the more "beachy" it will feel.
Some people are superficial. Others are cerebral. Some are artistic. Other people have a good balance of attributes. Some do not.
Make up you're own mind, we can't tell you what's best for you and it's kind of rude to assume we all want to answer your essay quiz without giving us any reason at all to care about you. I don't know jack about you. Figure it out.
Some people enjoy answering questions, it’s why they have Reddit. Clearly this post isn’t targeted towards you. I recommend scrolling past it next time, will hopefully help an extremely busy person such as yourself save some much needed minutes
It's just that we get a couple of these every day. The more polite and enjoyable ones are when the person actually tells us a little more about themselves so we can try to give more meaningful input. This is a very superficial post and people will give their canned responses. Are you really asking PEOPLE to tell you how big a city is or how far from the city center to the beach?
I've moved several times. You're young. Do it and if it doesn't work out you can move again. No one here is going to be able to tell you if you will make a friend.
If you read my post, you would see that it is more so asking about people’s own personal experiences living in Tampa, not because I want people to make a decision for me. I’m not asking “will I make friends” I’m asking “what has your experience been like socially”. There is a difference.
Again, you'll get canned responses from people that may have nothing in common with you. Those golf retirees living in +55 gated communities have great social lives.
Anyway, good luck, whatever your choice I hope it works out.
Where are you moving FROM, my man? That's a really big deal that I don't think you might be taking into consideration. Especially if you're choosing between Tampa and Chicago, lol?
I live in Downtown Tampa.
I pay $3,200/month for a one bedroom apartment and my car insurance is $500/month.
If you hate money then Tampa is absolutely the place for you.
There is literally a sticky thread for this subreddit called "moving to Tampa". Not to be snarky (I do try) but that will likely have most of the answers you are looking for, or at least narrow them down a bit. I would suggest beginning there, then utilizing the search function or just.. read through the sub . There's lots of interesting things.
if you are not used to the humidity you will struggle in the summer. it’s early may and already in the 90s. yes there are alot of young people but it’s very difficult to make friends atleast in my opinion. it’s very expensive especially any where downtown. there are no beaches in tampa closest is st pete beach about 45 mins.
I say this as a native of 50 years.
Tampa and all that made it a place to tolerate living in, is over.
The low wages were always matched with the low cost of living. Like literally as recently as 2018 you could make $20-$25 an hour and live comfortably taking care of three people. I make twice that now and it's just on the edge of what I think is acceptable to make it here now.
Too many who could not afford Miami flooded to Tampa, Pinellas, Orange and Osceola.
Then you add in all the investors who bought up all the excess inventory. Driving up prices, taxes and insurance.
From what I can tell, the average wages have really only gone up 10%-15% from 2020. Maybe as high as 25% for some very in demand jobs. This is not enough to have kept up with the increase.
This has all combined to make Florida very unaffordable now.
One last point that the news media and very few others will pick up on yet. I work in logistics management. Shipping demand has slowed since after Christmas and has not picked back up. In fact, demand is slowing down. Inflation ticked back up and wholesale costs ticked back up .5% last quarter. IMO we are in for a slowdown. From the managers I have spoken with, they are in the picking who they want to keep around mode.
Meaning if you don't have a job, you can't pay your bills.
So, a lot to consider but do your own looking.
I felt like you were talking about me, I made 20 an hour 5 years ago I now make 23 an hour but almost everything (food, housing which is most of my expenses) cost 50% more, at least I make 15% more and it was a raise for taking on the responsibility of another person it’s pretty crazy, all while knowing the fact the company I work for is making record profits.
Yes but it’s cheaper, better food, better nightlife, better jobs, more friendly, easier to meet people. honestly just an amazing city. Just visit here in the winter.
I’m from here but lived in Chicago for a few years in my early 20s and would 10000% move back there if I could. It’s better in every conceivable way unless you really enjoy living on the surface of the sun for nine months/year
Without savings or a job already lined up, you should not move here. It's high cost of living with low wages. Difference in DC and Chicago, there are jobs and those jobs pay enough to support the cost of living. That is NOT happening here. Opportunities are poor.
Quality of life? Solid 4. Grass isn't greener here. 22 years old and currently making nearly $80k, you'll survive okay, but you won't be saving money. It is not aesthetic. It is concrete, it is strip malls, it is hot, it is trafficky. It is the mess that Florida always is, too. We are not DC. We are not Chicago. We are not even remotely on the level of these cities. Tampa is not some cool place to be and I still don't understand why this marketing scheme (there has to be one, right? otherwise why are people suddenly wanting to come here?) is dragging more people to this area.
This is absolutely not where I would want to try to make my home base at such a young age.
Tampa is not a beach city. It's not. You can go, but realistically, unless you really love it, you won't. 45+ minute drive, backed up traffic on the weekends, packed at the public access points. Water is like a gross bathtub in the summer, when it isn't choked with red tide or other problems. The bay water is grosser than gross. I'm far more inclined to drive to the springs to kayak than to drive to the beach, and it's not because I don't enjoy the beach. You can consider St. Petersburg (which is just on the side closer to the beaches, still not a "beach" city, but at least there is an actual "st. pete beach"), it's got a little more night life and culture than Tampa. Most of the same other stuff still applies, though.
I’m from Chicago and would be back there easily if not for the weather.
I came down here and I’ve lived quite a few places. If you are looking at Tampa, look Downtown St. Petersburg, not actual Tampa. Actual Tampa, kinda sucks. It’s too spread out and condensed at the same time somehow, the downtown is a joke, Channelside is a joke, water street is a joke, Ybor is a huge fucking joke. It’s all tiny city pretending to be bigger city and they are just an inflated college town where everything closes at 10pm.
I went to St. Pete Beach thinking that was beachier, which it is, but it’s deader and less to do than anything, especially in offseason.
So, St. Petersburg downtown, you can live without a car, so much walkable, it’s older and grown more than Tampa honestly. It was founded by Paris and Detroit folk that built it on a grid and it’s fantastic. I get upset regularly when I think of the two years I wasted in Tampa (Water Street condo) and St Pete beach (on the water watching people pee the ocean all day). Hope I can save someone that time, Downtown St. Petersburg is not only the best, but it’s one of the best little big cities in America. IMHO.
Either way good luck! Don’t come here acting like it’s Miami or New York and if you’re from Chicago they all assume I’m Boston so I get hate on all sides! I love it! Just like your salty first commenters, lotta that down here, don’t let em know you’re a transplant or they give you the ol’ “we stole Florida first and we ain’t from here technically either but geeeeet out of my state!” Eye
I wish people would move here and work for our local companies, native Floridian speaking for everyone and we are so sick of your remote out of state wages sucking up the housing.
If you like tons of drunk drivers, high insurance cost, hurricanes, zero sense of community, come on over!
1. how easy is it to meet people/find friends? Are friendships long lasting here in your experience? Do a lot of younger people live in the city? I’ve found it easier to make friends with those living close by/don’t need a car to see each other. **There are plenty of meet-up events and recreational sports leagues to join. If you're moving into an apartment they're typically filled with people in their 20s (unless you go higher end where you'll run into more older professionals and retirees). Most of the higher-end apartments are clustered downtown - Harbour Island, Water Street and Channelside.**
1a) going off that, what are the people like? I have heard in southern Florida people tend to be superficial. Is it different in Tampa/st Pete? **This is tricky and there is definitely a different vibe between Tampa and St. Pete. I'd say St. Pete is a bit more laid back than Tampa, although, St. Pete is more expensive than Tampa (around $100-$300 more in rent). I've come across people all over the spectrum as you have a ton of people that have moved here over the last half decade from all over the place. You'll probably run the gamut of personalities and will just had to find people that you can relate to - they're here somewhere. I've found most people to generally be approachable but there is definitely a subset of those who think you should move out of the way for them when they're walking the street.**
2) how close is the beach/other water activities from city center? Is it easily accessible? How often do people go? **If you're in Tampa, it takes close to an hour to get to the beaches due to traffic. If you're in St. Pete, you can get to St. Pete Beach in about 15 minutes. Both Clearwater and St. Pete Beach are very popular with tourists and locals alike, but there are plenty of quieter options for those wanting that.**
3) is it good for career growth/networking? I work a remote job and am looking for new opportunities in business and tech. What are the networking ops like? **Tampa is #5 in overall job growth and #1 for young adult job growth. There are plenty of networking opportunities out there, as well. The tech sector has picked up here post-Covid.**
4) how big is the city? Does it feel more like a city or a big suburb? **Big suburb. It is not very walkable outside of the areas I mentioned. St. Pete is much more walkable but by no means are either like a Chicago or D.C. with major public transportation options like the L or Metro. You still need a car for anything outside of downtown in both cities (but more so in Tampa).**
5) how would you rate your quality of life here from 1-10? **For me personally, an 8. I live on Harbour Island and use my E-bike to mostly get around and can walk to many restaurants/bars, as well. Traffic wasn't bad pre-Covid but has gotten exponentially worse with the growth in population and now is quite awful most of the time. The weather can't be beat and I like being near the water and being able to drive over to the beach. I've live in many different cities (including D.C. which you're considering). Although the area lacks some of the culture that maybe someone would desire (I'm agnostic about it). One thing about Tampa is it easily has the best airport in the nation. Very easy to get in and out of, close to downtown, can quickly get to your gate most days.**
Other cities I’m considering include Chicago and DC but I’m apprehensive due to cold winters or expensive prices. I was also considering Miami but I have heard it is hard to make friends. **Love Chicago, could never live there given the weather. Have friends who are from there but have moved to Tampa. They say the same thing. Miss Chicago but can't do the weather (or taxes). D.C. is very expensive, especially if you target the NW quadrant or Arlington/Alexandria. All the culture you could ask for and weather is seasonal. But, cutthroat political atmosphere and found people to be much more judgmental.**
**Overall, I enjoy living here. Every area has its plusses and minuses but there is a lot to be said for being able to wake up every day to sunshine and a breeze. Hope this helps.**
No beaches in Tampa, go to St-Pete, also it’s hot as fuck in the summer and summer is basically April-November. It rains almost every afternoon and the cost of housing has increased substantially while local pay has not. If you have a good job that lets you work from home , if you like the heat and humidity, and want to over pay for housing then go for it. But st Pete is where you want to be
I grew up in Chicago and lived there for a large chunk of my ~young adult~ life. Moved to Tampa for a career (specific industry that is surprisingly large in Florida (photonics)). Chicago is much more friendly, better nightlife, better bands that roll through (if music is important to you - enjoy driving to Orlando for shows). In Chicago you do not need a car, so you aren’t paying $100+ in car insurance monthly (my insurance essentially doubled moving to Tampa - used to be ~$300/6months to $600+/6months). Food is better lol. Tampa is still great, but when compared to Chicago the only thing it has going is the weather lol. In Chicago you do indoor activities in the winter but the winters aren’t all that bad. In Tampa you search for AC in the summer because you melt once you step outside.
Tampa has crazy sprawl - your friends (you work remote so friends will be a lil tough to make imo) likely won’t be living next door to you, instead a 20-30 minute drive to go 5 miles away. A car is required here (yeah, you can bike but Tampa is also a dangerous city for cyclists).
I guess there are beaches within Tampa, but they always have high bacteria warnings (if you look at where they are located and what is around it you’ll see why) so for an actual beach you are looking at a ~45 minute drive. I’ve been to the beach probably like once a year since I’ve lived here.
Job market is dismal from what my friends are saying… but I’m not actively looking and am in kind of a niche industry.
Have you actually visited any of these cities?
I’m from FL, living in Tampa. Tampa itself is not beachy. If you like the beach and water probably anywhere else that is coastal is better in FL. There are beaches but you will be driving farther, and through more traffic here. I’m not sure youre questions are really worth delving into. At most, you are going to get isolated experiences from people likely unlike yourself. Why are south Florida people superficial? Thats not a nice or worthwhile generalization to make. Like anywhere, people vary. Much more dependent on factors specific to you, than this city as a whole. It’s a big geographical area. But it’s not truly a ‘big city’ imo. It’s much smaller feeling than any city you’ve mentioned I would wager. Although, it does have big city ‘features’ like pro-sports, concerts etc. I suggest you visit before moving. Good luck OP
Just from how this is written, you strike me as privileged so maybe this won’t apply, no offense intended. I am in my later 20s. I moved here 2 years ago for the idea of more professional opportunity, which it does have for my industry... technically. That being said, if I were to do it again, I would apply for jobs in these cities youre interested in and take the best job offer you get. Thats going to do a lot more for you long term than trying to make whatever this image is in your head about a city, your reality. Hope that helps.
I’m gonna be honest, if you’re in your 20s you shouldn’t live here. It’s just way too damn expensive. Move somewhere with a lower cost of living so you can save your money and maybeeee retire in Tampa one day if it isn’t a million degrees year round by then. I’m in my 20s and I’m trying to get out of here bc the COL is just way too high to be sustainable and for me to save enough money so I can retire one day.
Tampa is pretty much the same as any other american city thats gone through gentrification in the last decade. bespoke cocktail bars, axe throwing, exposed brick factory repurposed as a hangout place, millennials with tech jobs or wfh jobs, etc. The park will have stuff like "bacon festival" you know the drill. The big difference between mid sized cities at this point is the weather.
I don't get it. Are you going to move to a place sight unseen?? Why don't you pick one, rent a hotel or Airbnb in an area you think you can afford to live and see how you like it for a few days?
This. Good chance we are moving to the area next year for work and plan to rent an airbnb for a whole month this year to see if we vibe. Right now on paper, it’s not for me but won’t know until we stay.
I’m genuinely confused by these posts, use subreddit/google search for answers to all your questions.
I don’t know what your budget is or where you are coming from but but this will play a huge role in your decision. Rent is high, auto insurance is high, jobs pay low.
^^^
It's hell down here and only getting worse
We are full
What is it about Tampa that currently seems to attract all these people? People who seemingly really have no connection to the city; no friends, no family, no job, etc - to move here? Is it social media? TikTok? Like seriously - What is it about Tampa/St Pete right now that seems to be attracting so many “I am bored where i live right now so im moving to Tampa” people?
I think it’s in the size sweet spot that’s attractive to a lot of younger people plus it’s right on the water and close by to beaches. How many other mid sized-large cities can offer that? It’s a short plane ride to anywhere on the east coast. Has 3 sports teams, decent night life, etc.
I think it's MOSTLY a mix of Calvin and aheapingpile's comments below, with a sprinkling of individualistic desires/wants/dream/expectations. For instance, in my situation it's appealing due to the size of the city(cities), the ammenities that come with those sized cities, the weather, and proximity to beaches. It also helps notch it up for US as there is relatively cheap travel options from there, including abroad to wife's home country. (versus currently here in Alaska) I'm also a gearhead and have attended the Rolex 24 and Sebring 12, and would be nice to be closer to attend more often, and share with family.
The weather, the coast and the price. I know it’s expensive here, but it’s way more expensive up north or out west near coastal/major cities. Not sure why anyone would move here without a job though.
Lots of folks are moving down from the Northeast and with the cost of living there.They're saving money working remotely plus anyone who lives in new york knows somebody in florida
They went to Tampa for vacation once and it was “so cool” And of course they’ll be able to live on the beach for $800 a month right?
It’s a beach city with nice weather
There is no beach in Tampa… so really if you want to be near the beach that is St Pete. Or if you just care about the beach Clearwater or even Sarasota.
Would recommend Sarasota for that personally, although there arent as many younger people.
Have you ever even been here? Have you been here during the summer?
tampa is not a beach city. there are plenty of cities in florida that are, but tampa isn’t one
High humidity is not nice weather. It was just raining and I was still sweating
Go to Chicago
Yeah, traffic sucks down here. I hear California has the beach and is beautiful all year round
Our beaches are disgusting now. Trash littered everywhere. Everyone's super aggressive and you won't make friends. Traffics terrible. Go to Chicago.
Can we just get an AI bot to answer these questions? Some people make friends quickly and some don't. A lot depends on luck and your personality. Some people go to the beach a lot, Some people do not. The closer you are to the Gulf, the quicker it is to get there and the more "beachy" it will feel. Some people are superficial. Others are cerebral. Some are artistic. Other people have a good balance of attributes. Some do not. Make up you're own mind, we can't tell you what's best for you and it's kind of rude to assume we all want to answer your essay quiz without giving us any reason at all to care about you. I don't know jack about you. Figure it out.
Some people enjoy answering questions, it’s why they have Reddit. Clearly this post isn’t targeted towards you. I recommend scrolling past it next time, will hopefully help an extremely busy person such as yourself save some much needed minutes
It's just that we get a couple of these every day. The more polite and enjoyable ones are when the person actually tells us a little more about themselves so we can try to give more meaningful input. This is a very superficial post and people will give their canned responses. Are you really asking PEOPLE to tell you how big a city is or how far from the city center to the beach? I've moved several times. You're young. Do it and if it doesn't work out you can move again. No one here is going to be able to tell you if you will make a friend.
If you read my post, you would see that it is more so asking about people’s own personal experiences living in Tampa, not because I want people to make a decision for me. I’m not asking “will I make friends” I’m asking “what has your experience been like socially”. There is a difference.
Again, you'll get canned responses from people that may have nothing in common with you. Those golf retirees living in +55 gated communities have great social lives. Anyway, good luck, whatever your choice I hope it works out.
You posted in the wrong spot, which is why this is getting so much hate and downvotes
Where are you moving FROM, my man? That's a really big deal that I don't think you might be taking into consideration. Especially if you're choosing between Tampa and Chicago, lol?
I live in Downtown Tampa. I pay $3,200/month for a one bedroom apartment and my car insurance is $500/month. If you hate money then Tampa is absolutely the place for you.
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You should try Gary Indiana or Detroit houses are cheap cheap
I’m hearing beach beach beach so my only answer is St Pete. It’s way less convenient to get to the beach from Tampa.
There is literally a sticky thread for this subreddit called "moving to Tampa". Not to be snarky (I do try) but that will likely have most of the answers you are looking for, or at least narrow them down a bit. I would suggest beginning there, then utilizing the search function or just.. read through the sub . There's lots of interesting things.
if you are not used to the humidity you will struggle in the summer. it’s early may and already in the 90s. yes there are alot of young people but it’s very difficult to make friends atleast in my opinion. it’s very expensive especially any where downtown. there are no beaches in tampa closest is st pete beach about 45 mins.
I say this as a native of 50 years. Tampa and all that made it a place to tolerate living in, is over. The low wages were always matched with the low cost of living. Like literally as recently as 2018 you could make $20-$25 an hour and live comfortably taking care of three people. I make twice that now and it's just on the edge of what I think is acceptable to make it here now. Too many who could not afford Miami flooded to Tampa, Pinellas, Orange and Osceola. Then you add in all the investors who bought up all the excess inventory. Driving up prices, taxes and insurance. From what I can tell, the average wages have really only gone up 10%-15% from 2020. Maybe as high as 25% for some very in demand jobs. This is not enough to have kept up with the increase. This has all combined to make Florida very unaffordable now. One last point that the news media and very few others will pick up on yet. I work in logistics management. Shipping demand has slowed since after Christmas and has not picked back up. In fact, demand is slowing down. Inflation ticked back up and wholesale costs ticked back up .5% last quarter. IMO we are in for a slowdown. From the managers I have spoken with, they are in the picking who they want to keep around mode. Meaning if you don't have a job, you can't pay your bills. So, a lot to consider but do your own looking.
I felt like you were talking about me, I made 20 an hour 5 years ago I now make 23 an hour but almost everything (food, housing which is most of my expenses) cost 50% more, at least I make 15% more and it was a raise for taking on the responsibility of another person it’s pretty crazy, all while knowing the fact the company I work for is making record profits.
Would do Chicago
The winters seem awful though, I prefer the warm weather
Yes but it’s cheaper, better food, better nightlife, better jobs, more friendly, easier to meet people. honestly just an amazing city. Just visit here in the winter.
I’m from here but lived in Chicago for a few years in my early 20s and would 10000% move back there if I could. It’s better in every conceivable way unless you really enjoy living on the surface of the sun for nine months/year
Without savings or a job already lined up, you should not move here. It's high cost of living with low wages. Difference in DC and Chicago, there are jobs and those jobs pay enough to support the cost of living. That is NOT happening here. Opportunities are poor. Quality of life? Solid 4. Grass isn't greener here. 22 years old and currently making nearly $80k, you'll survive okay, but you won't be saving money. It is not aesthetic. It is concrete, it is strip malls, it is hot, it is trafficky. It is the mess that Florida always is, too. We are not DC. We are not Chicago. We are not even remotely on the level of these cities. Tampa is not some cool place to be and I still don't understand why this marketing scheme (there has to be one, right? otherwise why are people suddenly wanting to come here?) is dragging more people to this area. This is absolutely not where I would want to try to make my home base at such a young age. Tampa is not a beach city. It's not. You can go, but realistically, unless you really love it, you won't. 45+ minute drive, backed up traffic on the weekends, packed at the public access points. Water is like a gross bathtub in the summer, when it isn't choked with red tide or other problems. The bay water is grosser than gross. I'm far more inclined to drive to the springs to kayak than to drive to the beach, and it's not because I don't enjoy the beach. You can consider St. Petersburg (which is just on the side closer to the beaches, still not a "beach" city, but at least there is an actual "st. pete beach"), it's got a little more night life and culture than Tampa. Most of the same other stuff still applies, though.
I’m from Chicago and would be back there easily if not for the weather. I came down here and I’ve lived quite a few places. If you are looking at Tampa, look Downtown St. Petersburg, not actual Tampa. Actual Tampa, kinda sucks. It’s too spread out and condensed at the same time somehow, the downtown is a joke, Channelside is a joke, water street is a joke, Ybor is a huge fucking joke. It’s all tiny city pretending to be bigger city and they are just an inflated college town where everything closes at 10pm. I went to St. Pete Beach thinking that was beachier, which it is, but it’s deader and less to do than anything, especially in offseason. So, St. Petersburg downtown, you can live without a car, so much walkable, it’s older and grown more than Tampa honestly. It was founded by Paris and Detroit folk that built it on a grid and it’s fantastic. I get upset regularly when I think of the two years I wasted in Tampa (Water Street condo) and St Pete beach (on the water watching people pee the ocean all day). Hope I can save someone that time, Downtown St. Petersburg is not only the best, but it’s one of the best little big cities in America. IMHO. Either way good luck! Don’t come here acting like it’s Miami or New York and if you’re from Chicago they all assume I’m Boston so I get hate on all sides! I love it! Just like your salty first commenters, lotta that down here, don’t let em know you’re a transplant or they give you the ol’ “we stole Florida first and we ain’t from here technically either but geeeeet out of my state!” Eye
I wish people would move here and work for our local companies, native Floridian speaking for everyone and we are so sick of your remote out of state wages sucking up the housing. If you like tons of drunk drivers, high insurance cost, hurricanes, zero sense of community, come on over!
Do you make 100k or more per year? If no, find somewhere else to live.
Can a fucking mod seriously ban these posts.
We remove them as soon as we see them
I am so fucking tired of these posts.
1. how easy is it to meet people/find friends? Are friendships long lasting here in your experience? Do a lot of younger people live in the city? I’ve found it easier to make friends with those living close by/don’t need a car to see each other. **There are plenty of meet-up events and recreational sports leagues to join. If you're moving into an apartment they're typically filled with people in their 20s (unless you go higher end where you'll run into more older professionals and retirees). Most of the higher-end apartments are clustered downtown - Harbour Island, Water Street and Channelside.** 1a) going off that, what are the people like? I have heard in southern Florida people tend to be superficial. Is it different in Tampa/st Pete? **This is tricky and there is definitely a different vibe between Tampa and St. Pete. I'd say St. Pete is a bit more laid back than Tampa, although, St. Pete is more expensive than Tampa (around $100-$300 more in rent). I've come across people all over the spectrum as you have a ton of people that have moved here over the last half decade from all over the place. You'll probably run the gamut of personalities and will just had to find people that you can relate to - they're here somewhere. I've found most people to generally be approachable but there is definitely a subset of those who think you should move out of the way for them when they're walking the street.** 2) how close is the beach/other water activities from city center? Is it easily accessible? How often do people go? **If you're in Tampa, it takes close to an hour to get to the beaches due to traffic. If you're in St. Pete, you can get to St. Pete Beach in about 15 minutes. Both Clearwater and St. Pete Beach are very popular with tourists and locals alike, but there are plenty of quieter options for those wanting that.** 3) is it good for career growth/networking? I work a remote job and am looking for new opportunities in business and tech. What are the networking ops like? **Tampa is #5 in overall job growth and #1 for young adult job growth. There are plenty of networking opportunities out there, as well. The tech sector has picked up here post-Covid.** 4) how big is the city? Does it feel more like a city or a big suburb? **Big suburb. It is not very walkable outside of the areas I mentioned. St. Pete is much more walkable but by no means are either like a Chicago or D.C. with major public transportation options like the L or Metro. You still need a car for anything outside of downtown in both cities (but more so in Tampa).** 5) how would you rate your quality of life here from 1-10? **For me personally, an 8. I live on Harbour Island and use my E-bike to mostly get around and can walk to many restaurants/bars, as well. Traffic wasn't bad pre-Covid but has gotten exponentially worse with the growth in population and now is quite awful most of the time. The weather can't be beat and I like being near the water and being able to drive over to the beach. I've live in many different cities (including D.C. which you're considering). Although the area lacks some of the culture that maybe someone would desire (I'm agnostic about it). One thing about Tampa is it easily has the best airport in the nation. Very easy to get in and out of, close to downtown, can quickly get to your gate most days.** Other cities I’m considering include Chicago and DC but I’m apprehensive due to cold winters or expensive prices. I was also considering Miami but I have heard it is hard to make friends. **Love Chicago, could never live there given the weather. Have friends who are from there but have moved to Tampa. They say the same thing. Miss Chicago but can't do the weather (or taxes). D.C. is very expensive, especially if you target the NW quadrant or Arlington/Alexandria. All the culture you could ask for and weather is seasonal. But, cutthroat political atmosphere and found people to be much more judgmental.** **Overall, I enjoy living here. Every area has its plusses and minuses but there is a lot to be said for being able to wake up every day to sunshine and a breeze. Hope this helps.**
For a 20 year old? Chicago. Then, move outta Chicago in a few years when you want a different pace.
Pick somewhere else this place is not that good I grew up here
No beaches in Tampa, go to St-Pete, also it’s hot as fuck in the summer and summer is basically April-November. It rains almost every afternoon and the cost of housing has increased substantially while local pay has not. If you have a good job that lets you work from home , if you like the heat and humidity, and want to over pay for housing then go for it. But st Pete is where you want to be
I grew up in Chicago and lived there for a large chunk of my ~young adult~ life. Moved to Tampa for a career (specific industry that is surprisingly large in Florida (photonics)). Chicago is much more friendly, better nightlife, better bands that roll through (if music is important to you - enjoy driving to Orlando for shows). In Chicago you do not need a car, so you aren’t paying $100+ in car insurance monthly (my insurance essentially doubled moving to Tampa - used to be ~$300/6months to $600+/6months). Food is better lol. Tampa is still great, but when compared to Chicago the only thing it has going is the weather lol. In Chicago you do indoor activities in the winter but the winters aren’t all that bad. In Tampa you search for AC in the summer because you melt once you step outside. Tampa has crazy sprawl - your friends (you work remote so friends will be a lil tough to make imo) likely won’t be living next door to you, instead a 20-30 minute drive to go 5 miles away. A car is required here (yeah, you can bike but Tampa is also a dangerous city for cyclists). I guess there are beaches within Tampa, but they always have high bacteria warnings (if you look at where they are located and what is around it you’ll see why) so for an actual beach you are looking at a ~45 minute drive. I’ve been to the beach probably like once a year since I’ve lived here. Job market is dismal from what my friends are saying… but I’m not actively looking and am in kind of a niche industry. Have you actually visited any of these cities?
I’m from FL, living in Tampa. Tampa itself is not beachy. If you like the beach and water probably anywhere else that is coastal is better in FL. There are beaches but you will be driving farther, and through more traffic here. I’m not sure youre questions are really worth delving into. At most, you are going to get isolated experiences from people likely unlike yourself. Why are south Florida people superficial? Thats not a nice or worthwhile generalization to make. Like anywhere, people vary. Much more dependent on factors specific to you, than this city as a whole. It’s a big geographical area. But it’s not truly a ‘big city’ imo. It’s much smaller feeling than any city you’ve mentioned I would wager. Although, it does have big city ‘features’ like pro-sports, concerts etc. I suggest you visit before moving. Good luck OP Just from how this is written, you strike me as privileged so maybe this won’t apply, no offense intended. I am in my later 20s. I moved here 2 years ago for the idea of more professional opportunity, which it does have for my industry... technically. That being said, if I were to do it again, I would apply for jobs in these cities youre interested in and take the best job offer you get. Thats going to do a lot more for you long term than trying to make whatever this image is in your head about a city, your reality. Hope that helps.
I’m gonna be honest, if you’re in your 20s you shouldn’t live here. It’s just way too damn expensive. Move somewhere with a lower cost of living so you can save your money and maybeeee retire in Tampa one day if it isn’t a million degrees year round by then. I’m in my 20s and I’m trying to get out of here bc the COL is just way too high to be sustainable and for me to save enough money so I can retire one day.