Best Places to Live in Florida for Families

Where are the Best Places to Live in Florida for Families?

Florida is no longer a place just for the rich or retired; it has become a place for the common family to live due to the increase in job availability and wonderful climate, along with various other factors. However, when people think of Florida they don't typically think of it as a family-friendly place to live. It's true there are some parts of Florida that are unpleasant, or possibly even dangerous. That is why it is vital to choose your new home from safe areas that are known as the best places to live in Florida, to ensure that your family gets to live in a happy, safe location. Finding one of these Florida gems is not too difficult; you just need to know where to look.

The Best Places to Live

Using NeighborhoodScout, Dr. Andrew Schiller has been able to pinpoint the top ten places in Florida to live. He is the creator of the NeighborhoodScout engine, and built it so that families can find the most suitable places to live and raise a family. It takes into consideration the safety from crime, public school quality, number of families currently residing there, number of adults with degrees in the area, number of adults who own their home, and many other factors. This is how it determines the quality of living for families in certain areas, which in turn helps families that are looking for homes in the area find the place they would fit in the best. This tool reveals

The Top Ten Places to Live in Florida

- Windermere, FL

- Boca Raton, FL

- Winter Springs, FL

- Key Biscayne, FL

- Longwood, FL

- Orange Park, FL

- Fort Lauderdale, FL

- Jupiter, FL

- Oviedo, FL

- Naples, FL

Safe Places to Live

Each of the towns listed above have been verified that they are indeed safe for families to live there. Safety is the top concern this program takes into consideration when choosing the best places for families to live, as safety is typically the top concern for families. Families want to know that the place they are moving to is safe for themselves, as well as their children. Child safety is a necessity for any family to even consider living somewhere, so NeighborhoodScout has looked into the crime rate in these areas to make sure that families can feel safe living in these areas.

So if you are one of those families that are looking into moving into Florida, take a look at these ten towns listed above. These towns are believed to be the best places in Florida for families to live in, proven by statistics.

International Living - Best Places for 2012

The New Year has begun and all of the lists for the best places to live and retire are being updated as I write this post.

With all the Doom and Gloom on CNN one might think the whole world is falling apart but that's the image the media want to continually beat into our brains - it's not reality. While politicians harp on the "post American World' and how even mentioning the phrase is somehow considered unpatriotic, the reality is we are moving into the Post American Era and that's not because the U.S. is some how worse than it is because the rest of the world is finally catching up. And that's a good thing! The Post American World is not about America falling but about the rise of everyone else. Just look around the world - new, modern cities are being built and old ones completely remodeled to American standards. Capital is being invested into adding more entertainment facilities, into improving small towns, into expanding airports, and into making comfortable living that much easier for those who desire to pursue a life abroad. The biggest news that 2012 is bringing to such individuals is that living somewhere far from America is becoming cheaper and easier. More accurately stated, the best places are going out of their way to make life in their area more affordable and more comfortable. Take Panama and their Pensionado Program whereby ex-pats can retire to Panama and enjoy an extensive list of retiree benefits the same as if they were born there.

Buenos Aires, the Paris of South America

In 2012 one place that sets the bar for living internationally is Buenos Aires, "the Paris of South America". The people are friendly, the weather is beautiful and the city is humming - constantly alive with culture, music and entertainment. For those looking to continue life immersed in the hustle and bustle of the world, Buenos Aires is definitely a great place to consider when thinking of moving abroad. The living in this city, as in any other, is pricey as compared to surrounding small towns. However, if one can survive in Boston, New York or Los Angeles then Buenos Aires will be no trouble at all.

Hong Kong - Where East is Become West

Another city on top of the list of most desired places to live abroad in 2012 is Hong Kong. Yes, the culture is dramatically different from that of Western Europe, but almost every there now speaks English and there is a dramatic move towards Westernization throughout Asia. The city is extremely safe for its size, there is constantly something to do and some place to go. Eastern Asia is always a quick flight or boat trip away for exploration.

The Most Affordable Places to Live in Europe

Austria has continually been ranked as one of the best places to set up a new home. This may be because of its clean environment, peaceful living, beautiful nature, and intriguing history and culture. Specifically the capitol city of Austria, Vienna, has been listed as one of the most affordable places to live in Europe with the highest quality of living of any city in the surrounding areas.

Down-Under for the Healthiest Lifestyle

As for as standard of living goes, New Zealand has continually beat out a large number of competitors on the "best place for living abroad" lists. The affordable living and some of the healthiest food supplies of any country on the planet, New Zealand continues to be an inspiration for all other places. Not to mention the record low crime, great school systems and beautiful country side, all of which make the island one of the most desired places to live in the entire world.

Still The Best Place to Retire

For those looking for best places to retire, a look at Panama is certainly warranted. Panama remains one of the most affordable and laid back places to live in retirement, thanks in no small part to the Pensionado Program mentioned above. The area has been deemed the winner of International Living magazine's Annual Global Retirement Index for six years in a row. And this is just one of the many accredited organizations that have listed Panama as the top place to retire. Editors note - be sure to see the post below for a great free video about this year's hottest Top Retirement Destinations.

So, if you're tired of Doom and Gloom - tired of cynical politicians who are concerned with nothing but their own power maybe it's time you considered a new Life Overseas - maybe 2012 is your time for International Living.

New Video Reveals World's Top Retirement Havens For 2012

This New Video From Kathleen Peddicord Reveals Why You Don't Have To Worry About Outliving Your Nest Egg...


You can retire in style overseas and live better than you do now...for as little as US$694 a month...

Live well--including a maid, a gardener, a driver--all on a Social Security budget...

Arrange health insurance for US$150 a month or less...some places, you can even enjoy free medical care...

Own your own home in the sun for as little as US$99,000...

and wake up each morning to the sound of the waves on the sand...

or the freshness of clean, mountain air...

In this brand-new video from Kathleen Peddicord, she explains the 10 Best Value Destinations for Living and Investing in the World Today.

Go here now to watch Kathleen's free video presentation

The Best Cities To Keep You Young

10 Cities Considered the Best Cities To Keep You Young

I was doing my usual surf around for what other sites had to say about the best places to live recently when I came across an interesting study of cities in the United States where residents manage to stay young in spite of chronological age.

The study invited users to assess their “real age”-- a measurement of how well people handle their true age in years from both a physical and psychological standpoint and developed a survey of 28 million users which ranked a total of 50 cities based on how low the stress of living in those locations impacts residents. The study found that cities which evidenced the lowest rates of reported stress were the “youngest” because their residents took better care of themselves in terms of managing stress, smoking, diet and exercise which in turn reduced the incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes all considered diseases of age and stress.

The Top 10 Youngest Cities

The study website recently announced the results of their survey and here are the top ten youngest cities. Coming out on top in the rankings was -

• San Francisco, California - that hippie haven form the 60s, San Francisco started the healthy eating movement that has since swept the country. Residents here eat more fruit and vegetables and consume more whole grains than any other city in the United States. The city ranks number one in non smokers and number two in levels of exercise.
• Salt Lake City, Utah - Aiding the ranking here is the high percentage of Mormon residents--the Mormon religion bans drinking alcohol, coffee and sodas, and discourages smoking. Happy marriages abound here, and residents are found to have an uncommonly optimistic outlook on life, all of which contribute to the second place ranking.
• San Diego, California - comes in third on the list of youngest cities in the United States. There you find a moderate climate with mild temperate and the most consistent level of sunshine exposure in the U.S. This alone helps place this coastal southern California city at number three. San Diego ranks number one in the U.S. for the resident's level of exercise, boasts fourth place for non-smokers and ranks third in levels of optimism.
• Minneapolis-St Paul, MN - is fourth youngest when looking at the metro area. Surrounded by rich agricultural bounty, Minneapolis-St Paul boasts first place in the consumption of whole grains which in turn yields the best levels of blood pressure. The city ranks second in stress and bolsters its position by being the best metropolitan area in terms of adequate sleep and healthy levels of vitamin D.
• The Denver-Boulder Colorado metropolitan area ranks fifth youngest. This rugged mountainous--mile high environment leads the nation in optimism, third best for exercise and second best for levels of healthy blood pressure.
• Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina - is Sixth. Home to several prominent universities, the area boasts a socially connected and aware populace with great rankings in terms of low blood pressure and cholesterol, optimism, and strong employment.
• The Seventh youngest city is Boston, Massachusetts. Boston ranks highest among residents covered by health insurance and important and often overlooked factor in overall health maintenance. Residents here also rank high in their consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which in allows Boston to rank second for low blood cholesterol levels.
• Eighth youngest city is Austin Texas. Prime here is the level of education in this university town which in turn results in better overall understanding of dietary requirements and the need for a healthy lifestyle. Austin residents boast the lowest stress levels in the US and maintain the second place position for optimism.
• Number nine is something of a surprise as very few would consider the metro Washington, D.C. area to be a geographic location known for low stress. Bolstering the ranking for this city is the high level of employment and the high income those jobs provide, which make health maintenance far easier than in other areas of the country. Money may not buy happiness but it buys access to good health-care.
• And, the number ten of youngest cities in the U.S. should surprise no one -- with its fabled glorification of the young and glowingly healthy. But Los Angeles California ranks as the tenth youngest city based on “real age” factors such as exercise, eating fruits and veggies, taking aspirin, and not smoking.

Not many of us can pull up stakes and move to one of these cities, but we can make changes to our own lifestyles which reflect those of these top ranked cities. A diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, adequate levels of exercise, not smoking and an optimistic outlook are possible in any geographic location and at any age.