Are you considering living in Fort Lauderdale, with its pros and cons? There’s no denying the benefits of living in this South Florida metropolis. There doesn’t seem to be any way this city could have any negatives with 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and miles upon miles of clean, white-sand beaches against a sparkling blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
There is, however, no such thing as a perfect location, so do your research before you uproot your life. This guideline gives the comprehensive summary of the pros and cons of living in Fort Lauderdale:
Pro: Seasonal Temperature
It should come as no surprise that one of the key perks of living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the warm climate. There are a total of 246 sunny days, and the evenings are mild and breezy. Throughout the year, the temperature averages 77 degrees Fahrenheit. From May through October, you can expect highs in the 80s and plenty of sunshine.
Evening lows in the 60s are common in November, March, and April, making these months slightly milder than the rest of the year. The “winter” months of December through February have highs in the mid-70s and lows that sometimes reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit, making the city seem like a tropical paradise to people from New England and New York. Fort Lauderdale’s weather has been called “paradise on earth,” and it’s easy to see why.
Con: The Weather Can Sometimes Be a Problem
There are two main ways in which Fort Lauderdale’s weather could cause trouble:
- This area has highs of 90 degrees and a lot of humidity in the middle of summer. Humidity is the last straw that makes many people run for air conditioning, oceanfront property, or swimming pools. Luckily, there’s enough of each to go around.
- Summer and fall are rainy seasons in Florida, with storms raging along the coasts. The people who live in Fort Lauderdale know what to expect, but newcomers, whether they rent or buy, may be in for a pleasant surprise.
People often think that the hot weather and occasional rainstorms are a small price to pay for the beautiful scenery and lots of sunshine in the area.
Pro: Cheap Rent
Rent in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area may be low compared to that in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, but these cities are among the priciest in Florida. For 2019, the average monthly rent for a three-bedroom house in Fort Lauderdale was $2,250, as reported by Business Insider. This is similar to the cost of a beautiful one-bedroom apartment in other large cities. For a bedroom in a 1,300-square-foot property, some people have paid as little as $600 a month. No matter where you live, you won’t have a hard time affording the average rent price.
- Studio: $1,059
- One-bedroom: $1,198
- Two-bedrooms: $1,510
- Three-bedrooms: $2,161
- Four-bedrooms: $2,614
Con: The Cost of Living In Fort
Regardless of how much you pay for rent, the cost of living in general is pretty high. Overall, the cost of living is about 16 percent higher than the average for the whole country. Now, let’s check at how it stacks up to some other options:
- Housing costs are 52% more than the average for the nation.
- Utilities: 1% less expensive than the average throughout the nation.
- The cost of groceries is 3% higher than the average cost across the nation.
- Transportation costs are 8% higher than the national average.
- The cost of healthcare is 3% lower than the average across the nation.
Pro: Simple and Quick Transit
Fort Lauderdale, despite its size, manages to maintain a very compact feel between the pros and cons of living in Fort Lauderdale. Actually, almost everything you need will be within a five-mile radius, so you won’t put too much burden on your car’s gas mileage. The money you would have spent on gas can be saved for weekend trips to Miami or nearby state parks. Better yet, it’s feasible that you won’t even need a car. The citizens of this city have access to numerous reliable forms of public transportation, such as:
- West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami are all linked by a privately operated express train called Brightline.
- Rides on B-Cycles and AvMeds are a great way to take in the sights and sounds of the city while getting some exercise and breathing in some fresh air.
- Get in touch with South Florida Commuter Services if you’re interested in carpooling with local residents and workers.
- You may get across downtown Fort Lauderdale’s New River on the riverwalk water trolley for no cost.
- A convenient way for visitors and locals alike to get around the city, the Sun Trolley operates along five different routes.
- Connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach is the Tri-Rail commuter rail system.
- Water taxis are a wonderful method to go about the area’s waterways.
Con: The Flow of Traffic
Because of the growth of the city and the increase in the number of people going to the beaches, traffic has become a significant issue in the pros and cons of living in Fort Worth. According to the results of a poll conducted by the ETC Institute, residents in Fort Lauderdale had a much lower level of satisfaction with the city’s traffic than is typical in the rest of the country. In 2012, a total of 39% of residents reported feeling content with their lives, but by 2016, that number had dropped to 20%, and by 2018, it had dropped even lower to 15%.
Officials from both the city and the county are working together to solve the problem. They are changing the times of the traffic lights to make the roads less crowded and raising the county sales tax to use the extra money to solve the problem. Choosing your place of residence thoughtfully can go a long way toward reducing the number of traffic headaches you experience. Find a place to stay that is easily accessible on foot, preferably close to both retail establishments and public transportation. This process will be reduced even further if you are able to work from home or if you are able to just relocate to the city.
Moving to Fort Lauderdale, Final Thoughts
In general, Fort Lauderdale is a fantastic location to make your home or move there. When one takes the time to measure the pros of living in Fort Lauderdale against its cons, one would conclude that living in Fort Lauderdale is a very great deal.
If you are thinking about relocating to Fort Lauderdale, movers in Fort Lauderdale can provide you with apartments in Fort Lauderdale that are completely furnished and that have lease terms that are flexible enough to make relocation an easy process. Explore the Fort Lauderdale apartments that are now available through Haulin, or get in touch with us to find out more about the benefits of becoming a Haulin member.
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