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 2019:
- Indian River Shores (Homes)
- Pine Ridge CDP (Collier County) (Homes)
- Vineyards (Homes)
- Highland Beach (Photos | Homes)
- Whiskey Creek (Homes)
- Harbor Bluffs (Homes)
- Melbourne Beach (Homes)
- Hillsboro Beach (Homes)
- Island Walk (Homes)
- The Meadows (Homes)
If you live in one of these small towns like Indian River Shores, 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 Best Places To Raise A Family 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 – 270 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 270, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Florida. Top of that list — Indian River Shores.
Keep reading to find out more about our top 20 best small towns in Florida.
/10
Population: 4,112
Median Income: $120,682 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $704,800 (5th Best)
More on Indian River Shores: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,978
Median Income: $107,368 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $990,400 (2nd Best)
More on Pine Ridge Cdp (Collier County): Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,945
Median Income: $83,862 (27th Best)
Median Home Value: $448,200 (17th Best)
More on Vineyards: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,720
Median Income: $102,601 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $534,200 (11th Best)
More on Highland Beach: Photos | Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 4,979
Median Income: $75,407 (40th Best)
Median Home Value: $222,700 (84th Best)
More on Whiskey Creek: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,041
Median Income: $86,629 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $304,200 (46th Best)
More on Harbor Bluffs: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,189
Median Income: $85,380 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $316,600 (42nd Best)
More on Melbourne Beach: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,465
Median Income: $71,833 (46th Best)
Median Home Value: $376,300 (30th Best)
More on Hillsboro Beach: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,121
Median Income: $61,505 (79th Best)
Median Home Value: $377,000 (29th Best)
More on Island Walk: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 4,383
Median Income: $56,129 (102nd Best)
Median Home Value: $256,600 (69th Best)
More on The Meadows: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,526
Median Income: $98,393 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $798,700 (3rd Best)
More on Ocean Ridge: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,998
Median Income: $84,605 (25th Best)
Median Home Value: $310,600 (43rd Best)
More on Burnt Store Marina: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 2,075
Median Income: $118,571 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $686,600 (7th Best)
More on Sewall’s Point: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,560
Median Income: $90,903 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $454,600 (14th Best)
More on Tierra Verde: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,909
Median Income: $52,546 (111th Best)
Median Home Value: $348,500 (33rd Best)
More on Punta Rassa: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,261
Median Income: $114,583 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $575,100 (9th Best)
More on Windermere: Photos | Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,911
Median Income: $113,125 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $447,500 (18th Best)
More on Gotha: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,202
Median Income: $65,294 (62nd Best)
Median Home Value: $453,700 (16th Best)
More on Palm Beach Shores: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 3,675
Median Income: $104,613 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $612,200 (8th Best)
More on South Beach: Data | Homes For Sale
/10
Population: 1,767
Median Income: $75,583 (39th Best)
Median Home Value: $434,000 (20th Best)
More on Wabasso Beach: 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
- Lacoochee
For more Florida reading, check out:
- 30 Things To Know About Moving To Florida
- These Are The 10 Richest Cities In Florida
- 10 Safest Places In Florida
Detailed List Of The Best Small Towns In Florida
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian River Shores | 4,112 |
| 2 | Pine Ridge Cdp (Collier County) | 1,978 |
| 3 | Vineyards | 3,945 |
| 4 | Highland Beach | 3,720 |
| 5 | Whiskey Creek | 4,979 |
| 6 | Harbor Bluffs | 3,041 |
| 7 | Melbourne Beach | 3,189 |
| 8 | Hillsboro Beach | 1,465 |
| 9 | Island Walk | 3,121 |
| 10 | The Meadows | 4,383 |
| 11 | Ocean Ridge | 1,526 |
| 12 | Burnt Store Marina | 1,998 |
| 13 | Sewall’s Point | 2,075 |
| 14 | Tierra Verde | 3,560 |
| 15 | Punta Rassa | 1,909 |
| 16 | Windermere | 3,261 |
| 17 | Gotha | 1,911 |
| 18 | Palm Beach Shores | 1,202 |
| 19 | South Beach | 3,675 |
| 20 | Wabasso Beach | 1,767 |
| 21 | Atlantis | 2,370 |
| 22 | Indian Rocks Beach | 4,192 |
| 23 | Indian Shores | 1,354 |
| 24 | Belleair | 3,982 |
| 25 | Feather Sound | 3,532 |
| 26 | Lake Clarke Shores | 3,541 |
| 27 | North Redington Beach | 1,417 |
| 28 | Redington Shores | 2,222 |
| 29 | Holmes Beach | 4,134 |
| 30 | Tiger Point | 2,779 |
| 31 | Juno Beach | 3,472 |
| 32 | Whitfield Cdp (Manatee County) | 3,215 |
| 33 | Three Oaks | 3,850 |
| 34 | Edgewood | 2,799 |
| 35 | Plantation | 4,790 |
| 36 | Villano Beach | 2,903 |
| 37 | Bal Harbour | 2,959 |
| 38 | Pretty Bayou | 3,458 |
| 39 | North Key Largo | 1,009 |
| 40 | Redington Beach | 1,518 |
| 41 | Palm Shores | 1,272 |
| 42 | Belleair Beach | 1,562 |
| 43 | Hypoluxo | 2,733 |
| 44 | Oriole Beach | 1,824 |
| 45 | Lely | 3,808 |
| 46 | Indialantic | 2,804 |
| 47 | Greenbriar | 2,925 |
| 48 | Black Hammock | 1,361 |
| 49 | Verona Walk | 2,550 |
| 50 | Sawgrass | 4,571 |
| 51 | South Palm Beach | 1,400 |
| 52 | Desoto Lakes | 3,590 |
| 53 | Lake Mary Jane | 1,808 |
| 54 | Orangetree | 4,948 |
| 55 | Oakland | 2,863 |
| 56 | Butler Beach | 4,983 |
| 57 | Ponce Inlet | 3,148 |
| 58 | Manasota Key | 1,101 |
| 59 | Cabana Colony | 2,609 |
| 60 | Silver Lake | 1,735 |
| 61 | West Bradenton | 4,213 |
| 62 | Heritage Pines | 2,091 |
| 63 | Big Coppitt Key | 2,994 |
| 64 | Flagler Beach | 4,888 |
| 65 | Lochmoor Waterway Estates | 4,363 |
| 66 | June Park | 4,225 |
| 67 | Cortez | 4,332 |
| 68 | Lake Sarasota | 4,718 |
| 69 | Daytona Beach Shores | 4,393 |
| 70 | Anna Maria | 1,011 |
| 71 | Bear Creek | 1,962 |
| 72 | Crescent Beach | 1,008 |
| 73 | Vamo | 4,345 |
| 74 | Mary Esther | 4,177 |
| 75 | Lake Belvedere Estates | 4,209 |
| 76 | Madeira Beach | 4,352 |
| 77 | North River Shores | 3,405 |
| 78 | Montverde | 1,529 |
| 79 | Cudjoe Key | 1,896 |
| 80 | Keystone Heights | 1,663 |
| 81 | Belleair Bluffs | 2,296 |
| 82 | Key Vista | 1,631 |
| 83 | Malabar | 2,934 |
| 84 | San Antonio | 1,153 |
| 85 | Tavernier | 1,994 |
| 86 | Mexico Beach | 1,473 |
| 87 | Yalaha | 1,044 |
| 88 | Alva | 2,684 |
| 89 | Woodlawn Beach | 2,671 |
| 90 | Laguna Beach | 3,764 |
| 91 | Valparaiso | 4,996 |
| 92 | West Deland | 4,162 |
| 93 | Virginia Gardens | 2,515 |
| 94 | Grenelefe | 2,384 |
| 95 | Stock Island | 4,201 |
| 96 | Lower Grand Lagoon | 3,669 |
| 97 | Chuluota | 2,452 |
| 98 | Connerton | 4,132 |
| 99 | Glencoe | 1,853 |
| 100 | Bay Pines | 3,160 |
