Living In the Florida Middle Keys

LIVING COSTS: The cost of living in the Florida Keys is an important factor when considering where you want to live. As with most homes located on or near the ocean, Middle Keys, Florida, is relatively expensive compared to other cities and towns. The US average of living indices is at 100, with the Sunshine State’s overall average at 102.8. Comparably, the Middle Keys averages around the 150 mark. The cost of living goes far deeper than just housing, indexes also include other anticipated expenses such as food, transportation, energy, clothing, education, healthcare, childcare and entertainment. The cost of goods will typically be more simply due to everything having to be trucked a fair distance from the mainland. With limited land mass, you will not find any warehouses or distribution centers in the Keys. While the remote and secluded location does impact the cost of living in the Keys, it is also what attracts so many to make it their home.

ACTIVITY OPTIONS: The Middle Florida Keys is the perfect location for easy access to everything the Keys have to offer. Head south to Key West or north to Key Largo in just over an hour and spend the day discovering the Lower or Upper Keys. Or hop on your bicycle and explore the tropics while traversing over 90 miles of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. Fishing is also permitted from many of the trail’s bridges, with cantilevered fishing platforms at a few select spots. Even if you don’t make it out on the water, you still are sure to have a stellar day fishing. If you prefer to stay local, be sure to check out Crane Point Hammock and after navigating the walking trails and butterfly gardens, you can stop off for a fish pedicure. No matter your speed, there’s something for everyone both on and off the water in the Florida Middle Keys.

FRIENDLY PEOPLE: Maybe it’s the salt air and turquoise waters, but folks in the Keys tend to be a happy bunch, where it’s commonplace to greet your neighbors each day with a cheerful smile and wave. By and large, people that call the Keys home are here because they choose to be, it’s rare to hear anyone moved to the island for a “job.” Quite the contrary, most move to the Keys looking for a slower pace and less stress; with so many likeminded individuals, it’s no wonder everyone is so friendly. From a variety of financial and social backgrounds, people in the Keys are very welcoming and tend to have a “live and let live” mindset.