Moving to Liberal Cities in Florida

Florida has seen a surge of population with many new arrivals coming from other states and internationally. The population has grown 18% since the 2010 Census and 3.3% since 2020.

Why Move to Florida?

Depending on your age and vocation, Florida has a lot to offer. Bellhop has prepared a comprehensive guide that tells the full story. We’ll just summarize here:

Florida has a great, warm climate

Want beaches and warm weather? Florida has more coastal shoreline than any other state.

Can’t beat Florida’s great job outlook!

Economists estimate that the state will continue to experience robust growth of 3.0%, much higher than the entire country.

Florida Has Great Taxes!

The state has no income tax which is always a positive sell. Ditto no Estate Tax or Inheritance Tax: If you are at the age where estate planning is important, Florida is a great place to claim residency, with no taxes on estates or inheritance. Florida’s residency requirement is 6 months plus 1 day. If you can afford two homes, you may benefit from moving one to Florida. (We’re movers not tax advisors. Check first with your advisors, then call us).

By the way of introduction, we’re Bellhop—movers in Florida and beyond). We’re committed to providing useful and candid information regarding each city that our customers are considering for their next move.

If you’re contemplating making a move to Florida, we’re here to help. We’re Bellhop, and we’re Florida movers, specifically Jacksonville movers, Orlando movers, Tampa movers, St. Petersburg movers, Miami movers, Ft. Lauderdale movers, and West Palm Beach movers. Actually, we’re happy to help you move to or from virtually anywhere in Florida.

What About Florida Politics?

Recently Florida has been making headlines with archly conservative laws, driven by an all-Republican legislature and a politically ambitious governor. These have impact upon all residents and visitors, and range from abortion restrictions, LGBTQ rights, medical services for minors and educational content. Some of these laws may impact your decision to move to Florida, and frankly, families should diligently do their research.

Florida’s shift to ‘red’ is new with the 2016 presidential election. Since then, the Republicans gained 11 House seats. Not all Floridians are on-board with the change.

Here at Bellhop we don’t endorse political views, take sides or talk politics. We are sharing this information to help you make informed decisions if Florida looks inviting. If you are interested a digging into info yourself, here are some useful resources: Census info, Congressional representatives, Democratic mayors.

What Are Liberal Cities in Florida?

Florida is a lot like Texas, Washington state and many others, where rural areas lean conservative and urban areas liberals. We’re here to offer up some more  ‘liberal’ leaning cities. To build this list we identified six of Florida’s ten largest cities with Democratic mayors. An additional indicator is if the elected Congressional representative is Democratic.

St. Petersburg

This city of 261,000 on the tip of Tampa Bay is noteworthy for its very high percentage of white population (67%) with a Black Democratic mayor. There is plenty of entertainment, dining and beaches to keep you occupied. Average home prices in mid-2023 according to Zillow are $414,000, with condos costing $280,000. Households tend to skew older.

Ready to move to St. Petersburg? Get in touch!

Tampa

With a thriving population and strong economic engine, the city of nearly 400,000 is booming. Its population is younger than the state’s average. Reflected in this trend is a healthy job market attracting tech startups and Fortune 100 companies. There’s plenty to do with three pro sports teams that always seem to make the playoffs. The city is known for its boisterous LGBTQ community. How much will a home cost? Zillow quotes $436,000 for a single-family home and $290,000 for a condo.

Learn more about moving to Tampa, and get in touch if you’re looking for Tampa movers!

Orlando

If you want lots of family fun entertainment, you can’t beat Orlando, home of a dozen theme parks and the NBA Magic. It has a younger and more diverse population.  It supports many of the same inclusive and LGBTQ values as the nearby Disneyland. The average home price in this diverse city of 320,000 costs $423,000 and condos $223,000.

Learn more about moving to Orlando, and get in touch if you’re looking for Orlando movers!

Jacksonville

Up in the northeast corner this city with 972,000 is the largest city in the state both in terms of people and area. It sprawls: it’s the largest city by area in the lower 48 United States. It is less diverse than other Florida cities with a smaller Hispanic population (11%, 55% white, 34% Black). The population is younger than the state’s average (more kids). It’s home to the NFL Jaguars and multiple minor league teams. While its mayor is Democratic, this northeast corner of the state is represented by Republicans in Congress. Homes here cost $329,000 and condos $230,000.

Learn more about moving to Jacksonville, and get in touch if you’re looking for Jacksonville movers!

Fort Lauderdale

Located on the Atlantic it’s often called the Venice of Florida with its many boating canals. Its diverse population includes many foreign-born who located here. Homes are pricier here: $635,000. Condos also: $464,000.

Learn more about moving to Fort Lauderdale, and get in touch if you’re looking for Fort Lauderdale movers!

Tallahassee

Up north in the panhandle Tallahassee is the state capital of 201,000 residents. The city has regularly elected a Democrat as mayor. Its population is a little older than the state average. Folks who live there say it is more ‘southern’ like its neighboring states in manners and habits. Homes average $304,000, condos $179,000.

Looking for Tallahassee movers?

West Palm Beach

West Palm is the oldest incorporated city in the greater Miami area. The city of 120,000 is home to many wealthy, including former President Trump. If you want to live close by, average home prices are $509,000 and condos $291,000.

Learn more about moving to Miami, and get in touch if you’re looking for Miami Movers!

What About Less Diverse Cities in Florida?

It’s true: birds of a feather flock together. If you, like them, seek a more similar population, here are three cities that have a stronger than average demographic profile.

Hialeah

A suburb of Miami it is 95% Hispanic. Homes cost $549,000 and condos $276,000.

Miami Gardens

Miami Gardens is sixteen miles north of Downtown Miami.  Its population  of 110,000 is 67% Black, caused, in part by early lending policies which permitted Black home ownership. Average home prices are $472,000 and condos $202,000. If you like attending pro football, the Miami Dolphins stadium is in the city.

Sarasota

This conservative-voting city has one of the highest white populations in the state (74%) and more females than average. Zillow quotes a home price of $523,000 and condo of $367,000.

When You are Ready for the Big Move, Use Bellhop

At Bellhop, there’s nothing we want more than for our customers to have a smooth move. If Florida is the right move for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to the professionals at Bellhops. We coordinate local and long distance moving services in many Florida cities and we would love to help.