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The Sunshine State remains a popular destination for retirees around the country as well as vacationers to Disney World in Orlando, and beach resorts located in and around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Daytona and the Florida Keys.

Tourism is, in fact, one of the state's most thriving industries, followed by agriculture, with acres devoted to the state's legendary lemon, grapefruit, and orange groves.

• Demographics : (Florida Census Data)
  Major cities: Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, St. Petersburg
  Population : 18,089,888
  White : 80.4%
  Black, African American : 15.7%
  Hispanic : 19.5%
  High school graduates : 79.9%
  Bachelor's degree or higher : 22.3%
  Average household income: $40,900
  
  
• Crime : see Florida's Crime Rate at a Glance
  
  
• Cost of Living: Florida is one of the nine states that do not impose a personal income tax. Generally, northern counties and the Gulf Coast area are equal to or below the national cost of living index, but climbs higher traveling south, especially in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area.
  
  
• Property Taxes : Florida's Tax Climate - Florida is one of the 37 states that collect property taxes at both the state and local levels with per capita collection ranking 19th highest nationally.
  
  
• Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Florida Real Estate
  Home ownership rate : 70.1%
  Average home price: $221,950
  Average travel time to work : 26 minutes
  
  
• Schools : see Florida Department of Education
  
  
• Weather : Florida's climate ranges from sub-tropical in the north to truly tropical in the southernmost Keys. Summers throughout the state are typically hot and humid while winters are mild, and frosts are rare. Lightning and thunderstorms are a common occurance especially in Central Florida, while hurricanes and tropical storms threaten mostly Southern Florida in late summer or early fall.

More about relocating to Florida around the Web:

Moving to Florida - Portal to official state information on cost of living, tips on house hunting and Florida real estate, employment, starting a business, links to schools and communities, weather facts.

Florida City-Data Forums - Busy message boards with tips on relocating to Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and other cities with advice on finding employment, housing and real estate, local weather, cost of living and crime statistics.

Florida New Residents DHSMV - Official site of Florida motor vehicles with an introductory guide to car registration and obtaining a driver's license or identification card.

Miami Relocation Guide - Useful insider tips and information from Miami411.com with feature articles on the local job market, finding a home or renting an apartment, highway maps and driving advice, plus local news & related online forum.

Kissimmee - Moving Here? - Orlando's next door neighbor with links to official city and county sites, free relocation packet order form.

Florida Real Estate, Apartments & Job Classifieds:

• Orlando : Sentinel
• Miami : Herald
• Fort Lauderdale : Sun-Sentinel
• Tampa : Tribune

also see -> Florida Beaches | Florida Eviction Laws

Florida Taxes | Florida Tourist Attractions

Florida Wine Tours | Christmas in Florida

also see in House & Home -> Apartment Renting | Buying Foreclosures

Home Buying | Home Energy Savings | Home Insurance | Remodeling