Florida ranks among the nation’s top 10 states to live in, boosted by strong scores for quality of life and safety, according to a new WalletHub analysis.
Florida ranked No. 10 overall among the 50 states, with its strongest showing in quality of life, where it placed No. 3 nationally. The state also ranked No. 11 for safety and No. 17 for its economy. The personal finance company compared states across 51 measures covering affordability, the economy, education and health, quality of life and safety.
The Sunshine State’s strongest showing came in quality of life, where it ranked No. 3 nationally. Florida also landed relatively high for safety at No. 11 and the economy at No. 17.
The state’s rankings broke down this way:
- Quality of life: No. 3
- Safety: No. 11
- Economy: No. 17
- Education and health: No. 24
- Affordability: No. 32
Florida’s housing costs remain on the higher side nationally, with WalletHub ranking the state fourth-highest in the country, behind Nevada, Hawaii and California.
Even with those costs, Florida still finished in the national top 10 overall, helped by especially strong scores for quality of life and safety. For people considering a move, that means weighing housing expenses alongside the broader benefits the state offers.
“When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.
WalletHub’s analysis goes beyond housing prices alone. Its 51 measures include factors ranging from income growth and housing costs to education levels and hospital quality, with the individual measures combined into the five broader categories used to determine each state’s overall score.
© 2026 Florida Realtors®
