Should You Move to St. Petersburg, Florida? Here’s Everything You Need To Know
So, you’re one of the 300,000 people wanting to flock to Florida, huh?
We can’t blame you.
If the Tampa Bay area is on your list, then you’ve probably heard about St. Pete! And in our opinion, you should move to St. Petersburg, Florida, instead of Tampa.
St. Pete is the perfect blend of city meets community. There’s not a lot of traffic, but there’s a healthy social life and roadside beaches around every corner.
It’s a walkable and bikeable city. Plus, downtown Tampa is just over the bridge if you get a craving for the city nightlife (although, we think Downtown St. Pete is just as— if not more— fun).
So, save yourself from sitting in the Tampa traffic and make St. Pete your new home.
But before you do, let us tell you what it’s all about1
Should You Move to St. Petersburg, Florida? Here’s Everything You Need To Know
When we first started looking for properties in the Tampa area, we quickly became overwhelmed. There’s a lot to choose from!
First, there are the coveted options on the west side of Tampa Bay. That would be cities like Clearwater, St. Pete, and Tampa itself. However, you’ll find cheaper properties (and more land) on the Bay's east side in cities like Apollo Beach, Brandon, and Gibsonton.
The difference? The west side of the Bay is so much more fun.
It’s true that Brandon and Apollo Beach are really only a bridge and a 45-minute drive away from St. Pete. But if you’re the type of person who likes to:
Go out on a regular basis
Bar hop
Have unlimited restaurant options, or
Be at the beach within ten minutes
Then St. Pete is your city!
Not convinced quite yet? Here’s everything you need to know before you make the move to St. Petersburg, Florida.
The People of St. Petersburg
Population: 258,251 people
Race & Ethnicity: White (63.8%), Black (20.9%), and Hispanic (8.4%)
(Source: Florida Demographics)
It’s hard to get a read on Florida people. Depending on which city you’re in, people can be either extremely reserved or openly friendly.
St. Pete peeps are the latter.
When we first came here, we noticed that it’s an inclusive and culturally diverse city. Downtown St. Petersburg boasts LGBTQIA+ pride. In fact, they host one of the biggest Pride Celebrations in the country.
And age is just a number here. There are large groups of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z (USF has a campus here, too).
But the best part is that they all mingle, whether downtown, on Gandy beach, or at the Sunken Gardens.
What’s the Social Life Like in St. Pete?
Median Age: 43.1 years young
Some might say St. Petersburg is a party town, but you’ll find others who would describe it as quiet and relaxed.
Basically, St. Pete is whatever you make it.
If you’re into the outdoors, you’ll love that there are people out on the water almost every day. Whether you’re enjoying a day at St. Pete Beach or kite surfing by the Skyway Bridge, it’s easy to meet like-minded people enjoying the same activities.
You can also enjoy limitless:
Kayak and paddle board rentals
Boating
Fishing
Bike riding on the Pinellas Trail
We could go on.
Now, as for the nightlife— let’s just say you won’t be disappointed.
Besides First Fridays and the ongoing live concerts at Januus Live, Downtown St. Petersburg has a great mixture of dive bars and clubs.
Are you worried about being surrounded by college kids? Don’t be. St. Pete’s Gen Xers like to party here, too.
Cost of Living in St. Petersburg, Florida
Medium Income: $60,798
Now with all that said, it might be obvious that a lot of people want to move to St. Petersburg, Florida.
So it’s not cheap.
The medium income for people living here is upwards of $61K annual salary. The average home is around $373,773, and you can expect to pay a minimum of $2K monthly for a 2/2 apartment (apartments downtown are in the $3-4K per month range).
Getting around town is easy enough, and our gas prices are close to the national average. There’s public transportation (here’s more price information) and Ubers galore.