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Focus Area: Quality of Place

Small town living and big city amenities. Northwest Florida’s pristine white sand beaches draw millions of visitors from around the globe each year driving five-star dining, arts, museums and shopping that our residents get to enjoy every day of the year. Our cost of living is rated lower than the average for the U.S. while our number of beach days is much, much higher. Our moderate climate means outdoor activities year-round while our diverse landscape can take you from deep sea fishing to deep woods camping with just a short drive. Why not live where the world vacations?

Why Northwest Florida?

Our quality of life makes Northwest Florida the perfect place to work, live, and play. Many of our residents settled here after visiting the area on vacation or while serving at one of the military bases, giving Northwest Florida a diverse culture. Along with natural beauty, our amenities cater to global tourism, meaning world-class dining, shopping, festivals, and arts.

Northwest Florida’s housing market ranges from beachside condos to historic neighborhoods, walkable downtown living to

rural acreage and everything in between, making it attractive to the diverse needs of all your employees. It’s also a haven for executives, many of whom have primary residences or second homes in the area.

Beaches, sunshine, high style, and down-home attitude – plus zero state income tax – make it easy to recruit quality employees.

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Days of Sunshine

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Location & Climate

Northwest Florida’s average high temperatures remain in the 60s and 70s throughout the winter months and reach 90 in July and August. The region’s diverse landscape includes beaches, small towns, cities and rural areas giving residents virtually unlimited choices of communities. The moderate temperatures also mean year-round gardening and fresh local produce all winter long.

Outdoors

Northwest Florida is known to many as having the world’s most beautiful beaches. With sugary white sand and pristine emerald-green waters, the Gulf Coast draws millions of visitors each year to its shores. In addition to the beaches, there are other amenities visitors and residents alike enjoy. The temperate climate means the outdoors are open year-round for sports and adventure. The area is known for its world-class golf courses and deep-sea fishing. Boating, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding are popular on local rivers, bays and bayous and many communities offer opportunities for team sports and tennis.

Education

Northwest Florida’s public schools are consistently rated the best in the state. Students and families have a wide range of options of programs and focus throughout the K-12 system. Northwest Florida’s State Colleges work with industry to create programs that quickly adapt to changing workforce needs, and advanced training opportunities are available at highly specialized institutions.

Cost of Living

From housing to utilities to groceries to healthcare, Northwest Florida newcomers are often pleasantly surprised to see how far their dollar will go in the panhandle. Housing in Pensacola, Escambia County, for example, costs about 62 percent of the national median, while Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County, is at 94 percent of the national median. Costs are at or below the national average for most cost-of-living categories across the region. And as a budget bonus, no state individual income tax.

Healthcare

Northwest Florida is served by several renowned healthcare systems which have partnerships with other top medical facilities around the country. Healthcare options include Baptist Health Care system, Sacred Heart Health System, West Florida Healthcare system, Gulf Coast Medical in Bay County, Santa Rosa Medical Center in Santa Rosa County and Fort Walton Beach Medical Center in Okaloosa County along with countless clinics, rehabilitation centers and specialists. Wherever you live in Northwest Florida, there is a network of quality healthcare providers ready to serve you.