You’ve seen these lists before: Best places to live in Florida, Most Beautiful Downtowns, etc., etc. But all of them focus on major cities and towns in the Sunshine State and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the best small towns in Florida based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section; but first, we thought you might just want to know which places in Florida ranked the based–you know, based on science.
Before we get to the top 20, here’s a look at the 10 Best Small Towns To Live in Florida for 2018:
- Highland Beach (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Hillsboro Beach (Homes For Sale)
- Indian River Shores (Homes For Sale)
- Vineyards (Homes For Sale)
- Pine Ridge CDP (Collier County) (Homes For Sale)
- South Beach (Homes For Sale)
- Harbor Bluffs (Homes For Sale)
- Lake Clarke Shores (Homes For Sale)
- Sewall’s Point (Homes For Sale)
- Melbourne Beach (Homes For Sale)
If you live in one of these small towns like Highland Beach, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.
But for the rest of you–keep reading and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.
For more reading on the Sunshine State check out:
- 10 Best Places To Live In Florida
- 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
- 10 Most Dangerous Places In Florida
How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Florida
We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2012-2016 American Community Survey and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which, there were a lot – 278 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 278, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Florida. Top of that list — Highland Beach.
Keep reading to find out more about our top 20 best small towns in Florida.
1. Highland Beach
Population: 3,689
Median Income: $100,063 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $475,200 (13th Best)
More on Highland Beach: Photos | Data| Homes For Sale
2. Hillsboro Beach
Population: 1,467
Median Income: $74,135 (31st Best)
Median Home Value: $359,700 (29th Best)
More on Hillsboro Beach: Data| Homes For Sale
3. Indian River Shores
Population: 4,082
Median Income: $120,909 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $725,500 (3rd Best)
More on Indian River Shores: Data| Homes For Sale
4. Vineyards
Population: 3,925
Median Income: $71,597 (37th Best)
Median Home Value: $440,200 (18th Best)
More on Vineyards: Data| Homes For Sale
5. Pine Ridge Cdp (Collier County)
Population: 1,833
Median Income: $86,705 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $929,700 (2nd Best)
More on Pine Ridge Cdp (Collier County): Data| Homes For Sale
6. South Beach
Population: 3,325
Median Income: $102,941 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $582,300 (7th Best)
More on South Beach: Data| Homes For Sale
7. Harbor Bluffs
Population: 2,931
Median Income: $87,969 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $296,200 (42nd Best)
More on Harbor Bluffs: Data| Homes For Sale
8. Lake Clarke Shores
Population: 3,517
Median Income: $71,648 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $267,600 (50th Best)
More on Lake Clarke Shores: Data| Homes For Sale
9. Sewall’s Point
Population: 2,146
Median Income: $107,083 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $629,600 (6th Best)
More on Sewall’s Point: Data| Homes For Sale
10. Melbourne Beach
Population: 3,189
Median Income: $78,150 (25th Best)
Median Home Value: $304,600 (39th Best)
More on Melbourne Beach: Data| Homes For Sale
11. Windermere
Population: 3,175
Median Income: $127,344 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $519,800 (11th Best)
More on Windermere: Photos | Data| Homes For Sale
12. Burnt Store Marina
Population: 1,877
Median Income: $67,326 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $292,200 (43rd Best)
More on Burnt Store Marina: Data| Homes For Sale
13. Punta Rassa
Population: 1,890
Median Income: $54,628 (90th Best)
Median Home Value: $314,800 (38th Best)
More on Punta Rassa: Data| Homes For Sale
14. Oriole Beach
Population: 1,636
Median Income: $66,536 (47th Best)
Median Home Value: $212,500 (81st Best)
More on Oriole Beach: Data| Homes For Sale
15. Island Walk
Population: 3,085
Median Income: $70,527 (40th Best)
Median Home Value: $399,400 (22nd Best)
More on Island Walk: Data| Homes For Sale
16. The Meadows
Population: 4,100
Median Income: $53,734 (96th Best)
Median Home Value: $216,800 (78th Best)
More on The Meadows: Data| Homes For Sale
17. Atlantis
Population: 2,239
Median Income: $76,641 (27th Best)
Median Home Value: $316,100 (37th Best)
More on Atlantis: Data| Homes For Sale
18. Tierra Verde
Population: 3,469
Median Income: $91,034 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $450,000 (16th Best)
More on Tierra Verde: Data| Homes For Sale
19. Belleair
Population: 3,958
Median Income: $84,205 (18th Best)
Median Home Value: $351,000 (31st Best)
More on Belleair: Photos | Data| Homes For Sale
20. Indian Rocks Beach
Population: 4,213
Median Income: $61,389 (61st Best)
Median Home Value: $424,400 (19th Best)
More on Indian Rocks Beach: Photos | Data| Homes For Sale
Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, we crunched the numbers, and it turns out, these 20 small towns in Florida are the best, in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Florida:
- Montura
- East Bronson
- Interlachen
For more Florida reading, check out:
- 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Florida
- These Are The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Florida
- 10 Safest Places In Florida
- 10 Best Cities For Singles In Florida
- 10 Worst Places To Live In Florida
Detailed List Of The Best Small Towns In Florida
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Highland Beach | 3,689 |
2 | Hillsboro Beach | 1,467 |
3 | Indian River Shores | 4,082 |
4 | Vineyards | 3,925 |
5 | Pine Ridge Cdp (Collier County) | 1,833 |
6 | South Beach | 3,325 |
7 | Harbor Bluffs | 2,931 |
8 | Lake Clarke Shores | 3,517 |
9 | Sewall’s Point | 2,146 |
10 | Melbourne Beach | 3,189 |
11 | Windermere | 3,175 |
12 | Burnt Store Marina | 1,877 |
13 | Punta Rassa | 1,890 |
14 | Oriole Beach | 1,636 |
15 | Island Walk | 3,085 |
16 | The Meadows | 4,100 |
17 | Atlantis | 2,239 |
18 | Tierra Verde | 3,469 |
19 | Belleair | 3,958 |
20 | Indian Rocks Beach | 4,213 |
21 | Bay Hill | 4,863 |
22 | Palm Beach Shores | 1,157 |
23 | Ocean Ridge | 1,627 |
24 | St. Augustine South | 4,930 |
25 | Holmes Beach | 4,119 |
26 | Feather Sound | 3,472 |
27 | Belleair Beach | 1,590 |
28 | Wabasso Beach | 1,658 |
29 | Juno Beach | 3,384 |
30 | North Redington Beach | 1,533 |
31 | Tiger Point | 2,845 |
32 | Three Oaks | 3,959 |
33 | Greenbriar | 2,764 |
34 | Redington Shores | 2,136 |
35 | Hypoluxo | 2,689 |
36 | Plantation | 4,995 |
37 | Edgewood | 2,735 |
38 | Indialantic | 2,798 |
39 | Lely | 3,788 |
40 | Bal Harbour | 2,917 |
41 | Lely Resort | 4,874 |
42 | Gotha | 2,012 |
43 | Redington Beach | 1,489 |
44 | Villano Beach | 2,829 |
45 | Desoto Lakes | 3,982 |
46 | Pretty Bayou | 3,505 |
47 | South Palm Beach | 1,309 |
48 | Sawgrass | 4,847 |
49 | Indian Shores | 1,498 |
50 | Lake Sarasota | 4,605 |
51 | Montverde | 1,532 |
52 | North Key Largo | 1,038 |
53 | Oakland | 2,773 |
54 | Ponce Inlet | 3,118 |
55 | Silver Lake | 1,587 |
56 | Palm Shores | 1,242 |
57 | Manasota Key | 1,078 |
58 | Lake Belvedere Estates | 3,878 |
59 | Verona Walk | 2,300 |
60 | June Park | 4,209 |
61 | Flagler Beach | 4,784 |
62 | Mary Esther | 4,177 |
63 | San Antonio | 1,129 |
64 | Madeira Beach | 4,343 |
65 | Whitfield Cdp (Manatee County) | 3,362 |
66 | Keystone Heights | 1,530 |
67 | Bear Creek | 1,959 |
68 | Daytona Beach Shores | 4,351 |
69 | Anna Maria | 1,128 |
70 | Cabana Colony | 2,578 |
71 | Key Vista | 1,666 |
72 | Lake Mary Jane | 1,599 |
73 | Cortez | 4,004 |
74 | West Bradenton | 4,533 |
75 | Ridge Wood Heights | 4,410 |
76 | Chuluota | 2,392 |
77 | Malabar | 2,886 |
78 | Mexico Beach | 1,341 |
79 | Big Pine Key | 4,902 |
80 | Belleair Bluffs | 2,255 |
81 | Stock Island | 4,214 |
82 | Lochmoor Waterway Estates | 4,640 |
83 | Vamo | 4,824 |
84 | Virginia Gardens | 2,735 |
85 | River Ridge | 4,523 |
86 | Big Coppitt Key | 3,062 |
87 | Woodlawn Beach | 2,391 |
88 | Charlotte Park | 2,373 |
89 | St. James City | 3,667 |
90 | Allentown | 1,143 |
91 | Wallace | 1,675 |
92 | Lower Grand Lagoon | 3,461 |
93 | Gun Club Estates | 1,401 |
94 | White City | 3,514 |
95 | Buckingham | 4,305 |
96 | Laguna Beach | 3,959 |
97 | Bay Pines | 3,379 |
98 | Tavernier | 2,182 |
99 | Grant-Valkaria | 3,996 |
100 | Homosassa | 2,002 |