Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Tampa

You think about moving to Tampa but want to get additional information about income prospects, overall quality of life, job prospects, leisure activities and the city of Tampa in general before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Tampa in the following chapters.

Table of Contents

Living in Tampa – Overview

ClimateTampa has a humid subtropical climate with hot and wet summers and moderately warm winters.
HousingWhile property prices and rents in Tampa are above national average, demand for housing is still far lower than in NYC or other big metropolitan regions.
IncomeMedian income in Tampa is below national average and due to high property prices, many people in this region struggle to make a decent living in the Tampa region.
CrimeTampa has a relatively low crime rate compared to most other big cities in the US.
EducationDecent schools and colleges in Tampa, even though it is hard to find world-class education in this place.
Job MarketUnemployment rate in Tampa is slightly below national average and there are many big corporations to work for in the Tampa region.
CultureTampa is a culturally diverse place where you can meet many people from all over the world.
Leisure ActivitiesFishing, swimming and hiking are just some of the things you can do in and around Tampa.
LandscapeTampa is located at the coast and you can therefore enjoy nice sunsets at the beach and will also find many recreational spaces to relax.
InfrastructureTampa has decent public transport and good medical infrastructure.
Level of ToleranceTampa is one of the most tolerant cities in Florida.
NightlifeNightlife in Tampa is not as great as in many other bigger cities.
Total Population396,177 inhabitants.
advantages and disadvantages of living in tampa

Advantages of Living in Tampa

  1. Unemployment rate in Tampa is pretty low
  2. Many goods jobs for highly-qualified people
  3. Tampa is a pretty safe city
  4. People in Tampa are friendly and outgoing
  5. You can meet many interesting people from all over the world
  6. Tampa is not the most crowded city
  7. Easy to get around by car in Tampa
  8. Decent public transport in Tampa
  9. Tampa is a bicycle-friendly city
  10. Many leisure activities to choose from in Tampa
  11. Tampa is located at the coast
  12. Great weather in Tampa
  13. Winters in Tampa are moderately warm
  14. You can spend lots of time outdoors
  15. You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city
  16. Tampa has many great sports teams
  17. Decent medical infrastructure in Tampa
  18. Tampa has decent tap water
  19. Tampa has decent air quality
  20. Population in Tampa is growing significantly
  21. Tampa has an international airport
  22. Tampa is a great place to live for every age group
  23. You may never have to move again

Unemployment rate in Tampa is pretty low

One advantage of moving to Tampa is that unemployment rate is pretty low and many people will find decent jobs in this region pretty soon and even in case they lose their jobs, chances are that they will be able to get back on track rather easily compared to regions where unemployment is a much bigger problem.

Many goods jobs for highly-qualified people

If you hold a fancy degree and also have many skills that are valuable in the job market right now, you will also be able to make pretty decent money in Tampa and will have pretty decent job prospects and will also get opportunities to climb the corporate ladder quickly.

Tampa is a pretty safe city

Another upside to moving to Tampa is that it is a pretty safe city and crime rates are rather low.

In turn, it can be a great place to move to with your family since you can make sure that your kids grow up in a rather safe environment while people moving to Detroit or other cities with much higher crime rates will often have to worry much more in this regard.

People in Tampa are friendly and outgoing

You should also know that people in Tampa are friendly and outgoing and this enables you to make many new friends rather quickly and chances that you feel lonely will be quite low.

You can meet many interesting people from all over the world

Since Tampa is a culturally diverse place and you can also meet many tourists, you will have many opportunities to talk to people from various parts of the world and can learn a lot about different cultures and will most likely also become more tolerant in the long run.

Tampa is not the most crowded city

Since Tampa is not the most crowded city, you will also have more than enough opportunities to hang out in public without running into people on a regular basis and this gives you opportunities to be on your own and to think about your life without being distracted by others.

Easy to get around by car in Tampa

Since Tampa is not a crowded city yet and traffic jams are not a big problem, you can also get around by car in a pretty efficient manner and will also have a pretty easy time finding a parking lot.

Decent public transport in Tampa

If you don’t want to rely on your car, you can also use buses or other means of public transport to get around in the Tampa region in a reliable manner, at least if you live close enough to the city center where public transport is usually pretty decent.

Tampa is a bicycle-friendly city

If you want to do good for our environment and also want to save lots of money at the same time, you can also just rely on your bike instead of getting around by car or public transport since Tampa is a pretty bike-friendly city and this also allows you to stay fit without the need of going to the gym after work.

Many leisure activities to choose from in Tampa

Another benefit of moving to Tampa is that there are many things to do with your leisure and you will never run out of ideas or get bored in this regard.

Tampa is located at the coast

You also have to know that Tampa is located at the coast and this gives you the opportunity to go surfing, swimming or just to hang out at the beach to relax from your stressful life and to reload your batteries for the challenging things yet to come.

Great weather in Tampa

Tampa is also a pretty warm place and you can enjoy many hours of sun.

Consequently, people in Tampa are usually in a pretty good mood compared to people living in Minneapolis or other places where it is much colder on average.

Winters in Tampa are moderately warm

Not only summers are great, but also winters are much warmer in Tampa than in most other regions and if you don’t like the cold at all and want to have warm weather all year long, moving to Tampa can be really great for you.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Since you can enjoy many hours of sun and warm weather all year long, you can also spend lots of time outdoors while people living in Boston or other cooler places will often stay indoors during winter and may have a lower overall quality of life due to that.

You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city

Tampa also offers everything you need to live a happy and comfortable life.

In fact, you will find most things for daily life at almost every corner and supply of material goods is pretty decent.

Tampa has many great sports teams

Another upside to living in Tampa is that there are also many decent sports teams you can watch.

For instance, if you are interested in hockey, you can watch games of the Tampa Bay Lightning and there are many other sports you can watch at a high level in this region.

Decent medical infrastructure in Tampa

There are also many good doctors and hospitals in the Tampa region and in case you get sick, you don’t have to worry in this regard since you can get the best medical treatment and will hopefully be able to recover quickly.

Tampa has decent tap water

Another advantage of living in Tampa is that tap water quality in this region is pretty decent and you don’t have to rely on bottled water from the store which can save you lots of money and time in the long run.

Tampa has decent air quality

Tampa also has pretty decent air quality compared to many other big cities and this reduces the risk of you suffering from serious pulmonary problems in the long run and may also increase overall quality of life in general.

Population in Tampa is growing significantly

You should also know that population in the Tampa region is growing significantly and this is another indicator that the Tampa region becomes increasingly popular and has a lot to offer.

Tampa has an international airport

Another benefit of living in Tampa is that you can use the international airport to get to many places all over the world in an efficient manner without having to deal with layovers.

Tampa is a great place to live for every age group

Since there are so many things to do in Tampa, it is a great place to live in for the young as well for the old and different generations get along with each other pretty smoothly and people even help each other out.

You may never have to move again

Since you will find everything you need to live a happy life in Tampa, you may never have to move ever again and may rather spend the rest of your life in this beautiful place.

Now that you know all the reasons for moving to Tampa, we should also talk about the drawbacks of living in Tampa so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to Tampa or rather want to move to a different place instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Tampa

  1. Property prices in Tampa are pretty high
  2. Rents are barely affordable for the general public
  3. Median income is pretty low in Tampa
  4. Tampa is not the most exciting city
  5. Nightlife in Tampa is not great
  6. Living costs in Tampa are pretty high
  7. Many people may have to leave Tampa in the future
  8. Increasing gap between the poor and the rich
  9. You may miss real seasons in Tampa
  10. Not many great shopping opportunities in Tampa
  11. Hard to find world-class education in Tampa

Property prices in Tampa are pretty high

One downside to living in Tampa is that property prices are already pretty high and if this trend continues, the average person may no longer be able to afford a decent home and many people already struggle in this regard right now and are no longer able to live the American dream.

Rents are barely affordable for the general public

Not only property prices are pretty high, but also rents are often too high and the general public often struggles to find a decent place to rent at an affordable price.

Median income is pretty low in Tampa

Another problem with moving to Tampa is that the average income is pretty low and due to high housing costs, many people are just no longer able to pay their bills and become increasingly frustrated due to that.

Tampa is not the most exciting city

You should also know that Tampa is not the most exciting city and if you want to have big city life, you may be better off moving to New York City or other more vibrant places instead.

Nightlife in Tampa is not great

Since nightlife in Tampa is not great, you may get bored and frustrated in this regard if you are the type of person who wants to party until the early morning on a regular basis.

Living costs in Tampa are pretty high

Another disadvantage of moving to Tampa is that living costs are pretty high compared to national average and may increase even further and since most people don’t make good money in Tampa, many people really struggle financially and no longer know how to cover their basic expenses.

Many people may have to leave Tampa in the future

Due to the high financial pressure, many people also consider leaving the Tampa region and once this happens, part of the original charm of the city of Tampa might be lost and overall quality of life may also drop significantly.

Increasing gap between the poor and the rich

You should also know that overall level of inequality in the Tampa region is about to increase due to increasing housing and living costs and this may lead to all sorts of social problems in the long run.

You may miss real seasons in Tampa

While many people like the heat, others can’t stand it at all and if you want to have real seasons with cold winters, you would be far better off moving to Washington D.C. or other cooler places.

Not many great shopping opportunities in Tampa

While you will find everything you need for daily life, you should still be aware of the fact that there are not as many fancy boutiques in Tampa as in many other bigger cities and if you love going shopping, you may get really annoyed in this regard.

Hard to find world-class education in Tampa

You will also not find really good schools and colleges in the Tampa region compared to many other bigger metropolitan regions and may therefore have a hard time providing the best education possible to your kids.

Top 10 Moving To Tampa Pros & Cons – Summary List

Living in Tampa ProsLiving in Tampa Cons
Tampa is located at the coastMedian income in Tampa is pretty low
Many leisure activities to choose from in TampaProperty prices are already pretty high
Unemployment rate in Tampa is rather lowRents are barely affordable for the average person
Tampa has decent public transportHigh living costs in Tampa
Tampa is a bike-friendly cityTampa is not the most exciting city
You can get around by car in an efficient mannerNot many fancy shopping opportunities in Tampa
Tampa offers the comfort of a big cityTampa may be too hot for you
Tampa has decent sports teamsYou may miss real seasons in Tampa
Tampa is a pretty safe cityIncreasing level of inequality in Tampa
Decent air quality in TampaMany locals may have to leave the Tampa region

Is Tampa A Good Place To Live?

Tampa can be a great place to live since you can enjoy nice weather and can spend lots of time outdoors while you are able to enjoy many amenities you are used to from other big cities. However, you should also know that living and housing costs are pretty high and that income levels are pretty low so that many people really struggle to pay their bills in Tampa.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Tampa anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Arlington

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Aurora

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Chicago

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/tampacityflorida

https://www.tampa.gov/

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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