Florida Living Report — July 11, 2026

Florida continues to draw newcomers at a remarkable pace, and for good reason: the state offers warm weather, no state income tax, and a sprawling geography that ranges from Atlantic beaches to Gulf Coast estuaries. But anyone considering a move here should weigh the numbers as carefully as the sunshine. With a population of roughly 21.6 million spread across more than 344 cities tracked by Finklick, Florida is now the third-most populous state in the country, and its housing market reflects that demand.

The cost of housing is a central concern. The median one-bedroom apartment rents for $1,444 per month, while the median home value sits at $292,200. For context, the median household income in Florida is $67,917 per year. A simple affordability calculation — dividing annual rent for a one-bedroom ($17,328) by median income — yields a rent-to-income ratio of about 25.5 percent. That falls within the commonly recommended 30 percent threshold, but it leaves little margin for other expenses, especially for single earners. Homeownership, meanwhile, requires an income roughly 4.3 times the median home value, a figure that pushes many buyers toward more affordable inland communities or smaller towns.

The job market is relatively healthy. As of May 2026, the state’s unemployment rate stood at 4.4 percent, slightly above the national average but well within a range that signals steady employment. Major industries include tourism, healthcare, construction, and a growing logistics sector tied to Florida’s ports. Remote workers have also flocked here, drawn by the lack of state income tax and the ability to live in coastal areas that were once reserved for retirees. That demographic shift is reflected in the median age of 42.4 — older than the national median but not dramatically so, as families and younger professionals increasingly choose Florida for its schools and job opportunities.

Yet the state

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Data: US Census Bureau ACS 2022, BLS. Updated July 11, 2026.

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