If you’re considering a move to Florida and living in Tampa is first on your list, that means you have already been enticed by this lavish Florida city that’s full of fun events, beaches, and attractions in every direction. Tampa has been rated as the top city to move to and offers you some of the best Florida living imaginable. The Sunshine State has many areas that people flock to arguably, but the people living in Tampa Bay have their own little slice of paradise. As with any city, you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of living in Tampa before making your final decision.
Amazing Weather
The subtropical climate of Tampa Bay offers an average temperature of 73 degrees, with highs of 90 degrees and lows of 52 degrees. Imagine being able to enjoy the great outdoors 12 months out of the year? If you decide living in Tampa is for you – this would certainly be a plus!
Cost of Living
Living in Florida has some pretty amazing tax benefits. When you move to Tampa and become a resident, you won’t have to pay income tax, inheritance tax or estate tax. Best of all, when you retire you get an exemption from paying taxes on pension income, Social Security retirement benefits and income from most other retirement plans.
And amongst urban areas of Florida, Tampa has the lowest overall cost of living, as well as the lowest cost of housing and utilities, according to the Tampa Bay Times. And Tampa’s cost of living is going down, making it even more affordable for you to plant your roots here.
Many Housing Options
The home value average in Tampa is $187,400. If you’re thinking about moving to Tampa, you’ll enjoy the fact that this city is ranked one of the top three buyer’s markets in the nation according to Zillow. Whether you enjoy bungalows, ranches, or apartments and duplexes, there are many housing options available at a reasonable price in Tampa. While it is considered an urban location, there are a variety of areas outside the main city hub where you can find both suburban and rural communities, still within Tampa, so you won’t have to travel far to find the type of community you seek.
Major Travel Hub
Whether you need to travel for business or pleasure, Tampa is a great location to move. It’s a major Gulf-area travel hub that allows people to travel around the world via both planes and cruise ships. When you move to Tampa, FL, you’ll find the Tampa International Airport is just under an hour away offering flights from a variety of airlines to a variety of destinations. Never mind flights, cruises are just within a half an hour away for the ultimate cruise vacation.
Lots of Recreational Opportunities
Living in Tampa provides you with ample ways to enjoy recreational activities. You’ll find you can enjoy theme parks like Adventure Island and Busch Gardens within just a half an hour drive.
Other area attractions include places like The Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), the Glazer Children’s Museum, Water Works Park, Dinosaur World, the Tampa Bay Grand Prix, and tons more! Tampa Riverwalk gives you many chances to explore and enjoy the local community offerings.
You may even find that living in Tampa provides you with some hefty discounts when you visit some of the local Florida theme parks too!
Sports Teams
If Sports is your thing, then you’ll be happy to learn that Tampa has three professional league teams: the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays, and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. There are minor league and college teams that also call Tampa Bay their home. Plus, six MLB teams host their spring training camps in the area, so there are plenty of opportunities to take in some great sporting events. Baseball fans would also like to know they can pay a visit to the Tampa Baseball Museum in the childhood home of Hall of Famer Al Lopez.
Arts & Culture
Tampa is rich in arts and culture. Built in 1926, the Tampa Theatre is considered a community landmark, offering showings of independent & foreign films, as well as documentaries. The Tampa Museum of Art, The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum), the Hindu Temple of Florida, Wat Mongkolratanaram, the Stanleyville Theater, The Cuban Club, and Sacred Heart of the Catholic Church; all offer you the chance to experience and learn about a variety of cultures. Both Centennial Park and Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park provide free concerts and other activities for the community.
Beautiful Beaches
There’s nothing more relaxing than setting up a chair with an umbrella at the beach and soaking in the warmth of the sun. Being near Tampa Bay, there are tons of beaches all within a short driving distance. Moving to Tampa allows you to experience many of these beautiful beaches regularly. Some of them include Ben T Davis Beach, Davis Islands Beach, Cypress, Apollo Beach Park, Ballast Point Park, and Gardenville Beach.
Connection to Nature
While Tampa is an urban city, it has a strong connection to nature. The Tampa Bay area has numerous parks to explore like Hillsborough River State Park, Lettuce Lake Park, and Philippe Park.
Nature lovers can get up close and personal with manatees at the TECO Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach. They can also get face-to-face with giraffes and rhinoceros while feeding them by hand at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. Stop by the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, the Big Cat Rescue, or the HorsePower for Kids & Animal Sanctuary to learn how to help protect animals and nurture a deeper understanding of nature.
Food and Drinks
There is a wide range of culinary options in Tampa to experience, including Cuban, Spanish, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese, New American, and gourmet. You may have heard of some of the best places to eat in Tampa like The Refinery and Bern’s Steak House (home to the world’s largest wine cellar). That’s not all though. There are so many places to dine out with family or friends when you move to Tampa. Locals swear by places like the Columbia Restaurant, a family-owned and operated historical landmark restaurant that has been in business since 1905.
Plenty of Celebrations
Living in Tampa provides you with a chance to enjoy plenty of celebrations that include family-friendly events, art and music festivals as well as wine festivals and plenty of others. The Sunset Music Festival draws over 50,000 people, bringing in people from all over the globe. Tampa residents love to celebrate, and you’ll quickly find that out when you move to Tampa.
Plenty of Diversity
Moving to Tampa from a smaller neighborhood in another state, you may find there’s more diversity in Tampa than your previous neighborhood. There’s a variety of cultures packed into one city with different beliefs and interests to experience. The Sunshine State often attracts a wide range of people from all walks of life and stages in life.
Opportunities to Shop
Tampa has great shopping opportunities. The Tampa Premium Outlets and The International Plaza and Bay Street both offer the chance to purchase luxury and name brand items at discounted prices. Other notable shopping locations include Ybor City, Hyde Park Village, The Shops at Wiregrass, Westshore Plaza, Oxford Exchange, and Davidoff of Geneva, the largest Davidoff store in the world.
Another local favorite pastime is shopping the weekend markets. The Ybor City Saturday Market, The Tampa Indie Flea, and Big Top Flea Market all offer a chance to shop local and support small business entrepreneurs. You can pick up fresh produce, handcrafted art pieces, antiques, and so much more.
Job Availability
If you need to find a job when you move to Tampa, you won’t have to worry too much. There’s been a recent increase in jobs, and a decrease in unemployment in The Sunshine State, providing you with ample opportunities to find employment. WalletHub named Tampa one of the great places to find a job in 2019. With Publix Super Markets, MacDill Air Force Base, and local healthcare and educational institutions in the area, as well as the booming tourism and hospitality industries; there are plenty of options for you to seek a new job once you’re here.
“Tampa is the perfect place to raise a family! Year-round sunshine, beautiful places to get outside and explore nature and a vibrant downtown situated in along the newly renovated Tampa Riverwalk, full of museums, restaurants and green spaces that now host some of Tampa’s hottest festivals and shows. It’s a perfect day, every day, in Tampa Bay,” according to Marisa Langford from the Tampa Mama blog.
Even though moving to Tampa will give you plenty of
opportunities to enjoy celebrations, events, and theme parks, the city has
stayed low-key. You can still enjoy the skyline and water views during a clear
evening. If, after reading all about moving to Tampa inspires you to actually here,
consider storing your items at a CubeSmart
in Tampa while you are transitioning to your new home.
