Florida is the 22nd largest state by area and with a population of approx. 16 million is the fourth most populous state. Major industries include tourism, agriculture (oranges, grapefruit, tomatos), and electronics. Florida was first seen by the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon on Palm Sunday on April 2, 1513 - he then named the "Pascua de Florida," meaning "Feast of Flowers" and claimed it for Spain. Florida's nickname is "The Sunshine State", however severe weather is a fact of life, which can include devastating hurricanes.
Florida has no state income tax, but has several other taxes including a state sales tax and property taxes.
State Capital: Tallahassee State Motto: "In God we trust." State Bird: Mockingbird State Flower: Orange blossom State Song: "Swanee River" State Tree: Palmetto palm State Gem: Moonstone State Fish: Largemouth bass
In 2008, Coldwell Banker looked at the cost of a typical 2,200-square-foot house with 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, a family room and a two-car garage. The neighborhood - a more subjective measure - is one "typical for corporate middle-management transferees." The following is a sample of cities in the state:
FL
Pensacola
$227,471
FL
Gainesville
$259,950.00
FL
Jacksonville
$337,111
FL
Tallahassee
$333250
FL
Port Charlotte
$310,164.00
FL
Orlando
$343,333
FL
Tampa
$285000
FL
Clearwater / St. Petersburg
$295,650
FL
Ft. Myers
$302,000
FL
Sarasota
$295,875
FL
West Palm Beach
$334,750
FL
Naples
$378,667
FL
Boca Raton
$462125
FL
Miami
$600,000
FL
Key West
$818,239
Cities in the state that ranked in the top 100 "Best Places to Live" by CNNMoney.com include:
