Is Tampa a good place to live for early 30s?

[retireatbirth]

I'm trying to move out of NYC to Tampa to hopefully accumulate money faster. I'm a bit concerned about the job market though. How are salaries down there? Also, is it a fun city for someone in their early 30s? I'm looking at the positives like an apartment pool, the beach, sports teams, festivals, etc. But, I've also read it's a sleepy old town so I'm confused on that point.

[CowboyAndIndian]

I think downtown St. Pete is a better place. They are right across each other across the bay.

This sort of gives you an idea about the place

http://www.movoto.com/guide/st-petersburg-fl/moving-to-st-petersburg/

I was looking for a place in the area. I was originally targeting the barrier islands on the gulf coast (Redington Beach), checked out Tampa downtown but fell in love with Downtown St. Pete. I am in the process of buying a condo there.

I do not have too much of an idea about jobs and salaries since I do not intend to work when I get there (FIR'ing)

[superkookyburra]

I suggest visiting in the summer if you haven't already.  It gets oppressively hot and humid for loooong periods of time, without nighttime relief.  It is only now (November!) cooling down.  (Today's high is 80, low is 61.)  I live about 30-45 minutes north of Tampa, and am trying to leave the state due to the weather.  I was born and raised here, but have never adapted to the heat (which seems to be getting worse).

[chasesfish]

I've looked at moving there a couple of times.  The biggest challenge I see is high housing costs and relatively low income.  There isn't a ton of land due to the ocean and retention ponds.  Traffic is also pretty bad.

Is there anything other than accumulating money faster that's driving you to move?  What is your industry?  The fastest way to accumulate money is to move to one of the top 10 metro areas where incomes are high and housing costs are relatively low (think Atlanta, Dallas, Houston).  They have to pay more in those cities because there's really not a lot of appeal otherwise to living there.

If you want to go do a trial run of retirement and have an easier job, then the west coast of Florida isn't a bad place to try.

[rtrnow]

No direct knowledge, but we really like St Pete from prior visits. We plan to rent a place and see if we want to move permanently. Personally, I really like the feel of St Pete with Tampa still being very accessible. For now, real estate in St Pete seemed pretty cheap too with the exception of right in downtown. I'm not sure about jobs as I will only be looking for side gig type work.

[retireatbirth]

I've looked at moving there a couple of times.  The biggest challenge I see is high housing costs and relatively low income.  There isn't a ton of land due to the ocean and retention ponds.  Traffic is also pretty bad.

Is there anything other than accumulating money faster that's driving you to move?  What is your industry?  The fastest way to accumulate money is to move to one of the top 10 metro areas where incomes are high and housing costs are relatively low (think Atlanta, Dallas, Houston).  They have to pay more in those cities because there's really not a lot of appeal otherwise to living there.

If you want to go do a trial run of retirement and have an easier job, then the west coast of Florida isn't a bad place to try.

The other reason is I have family in Florida. I don't know if I have an industry - I do data and analytics which every industry needs.

[FIRE me]

I'm trying to move out of NYC to Tampa to hopefully accumulate money faster. I'm a bit concerned about the job market though. How are salaries down there? Also, is it a fun city for someone in their early 30s? I'm looking at the positives like an apartment pool, the beach, sports teams, festivals, etc. But, I've also read it's a sleepy old town so I'm confused on that point.

I lived in Tampa for ten years and I liked it. I came from a smaller city, so the Tampa Saint Pete area felt big city to me. Coming from NYC, I expect that you would feel the opposite.

It would also help if you dislike cold weather but tolerate hot weather and thunderstorms well.

[Samala]

I guess the questions you have to ask first of yourself would be:  What elements of early-30s life do you most want to continue to do/be able to do?

We've got some sports teams, sure, and there is something to say for Florida's location for spring training if you're a baseball fan.  College ball in Tampa is a big deal, as it is in most of Florida.  A lot of larger towns/cities have year-round adult team sports leagues (even kickball, haha) and lots of 5/10k runs setup thru the year.  I'm far more active and athletic living in Florida than I ever was living in Northeast.   Tampa also has Gasparilla and other festivals and there's a few good venues for bigger shows/concerts if that's your thing.  No shortage of bars and beaches.  Can't speak for the public parks/trails out there.

Are you married/attached/single?  I think that question might be the more important one.  I always get the vibe that Tampa is very high percentage of college students and young families.  Not a ton of younger professionals.  Might just be my impression though.  If you have family closeby or a partner in tow on this relocation, then that's not so much a consideration.

Downtown St Pete is a very fun place to visit.  I haven't spent enough time out there to say much more unfortunately.

[NYCWife]

My husband and I made the reverse move--he was born and raised in Tampa/St. Pete and I was born and raised about 45 minutes south in Sarasota. Now we live in NYC.

Neither of us had trouble finding work in FL. Salaries were significantly lower for both of our occupations in Florida than they are in NYC, but then, COL is much lower in FL, so it really balances out, or it has for us. We find ourselves with the same percentage of savings rate in both locations. So I wouldn't necessarily make the move JUST for an increase in savings.

Personally, I prefer NYC to the west coast of Florida. When I was living on the Gulf Coast, I felt as though the vast majority of the population were either college students or older retirees (65+). I agree with Samala--whether you will like Tampa/St. Pete really depends on what type of lifestyle you are looking for. Previous posters are correct that there are a lot of outdoor activities available in the area. There are fewer cultural events and more chain stores/restaurants than what you are accustomed to in NYC.

If you are just looking to move to Florida in general, you might also consider the Jacksonville area. It is a much larger city with more diversity in its offerings and a younger population (my husband and I lived there for a few years as well). It's only about 3-4 hours' drive from Tampa, so if you have family there, it's not so terribly far away.

[retireatbirth]

I guess the questions you have to ask first of yourself would be:  What elements of early-30s life do you most want to continue to do/be able to do?

We've got some sports teams, sure, and there is something to say for Florida's location for spring training if you're a baseball fan.  College ball in Tampa is a big deal, as it is in most of Florida.  A lot of larger towns/cities have year-round adult team sports leagues (even kickball, haha) and lots of 5/10k runs setup thru the year.  I'm far more active and athletic living in Florida than I ever was living in Northeast.   Tampa also has Gasparilla and other festivals and there's a few good venues for bigger shows/concerts if that's your thing.  No shortage of bars and beaches.  Can't speak for the public parks/trails out there.

Are you married/attached/single?  I think that question might be the more important one.  I always get the vibe that Tampa is very high percentage of college students and young families.  Not a ton of younger professionals.  Might just be my impression though.  If you have family closeby or a partner in tow on this relocation, then that's not so much a consideration.

Downtown St Pete is a very fun place to visit.  I haven't spent enough time out there to say much more unfortunately.

I am single so I would like to be around other young professionals. I've read that South Tampa is a good area for this. I imagine most weekends I would lounge at the pool or beach, go for a bike ride, see a game, or do something on the water like paddleboarding or surfing (if they do that in Tampa?).