Moving to Florida is full of nuances. The palm trees and sunshine grab your attention first, but once you start unpacking your life here, one of the most important questions quickly follows: what can I expect to earn?
As of mid-2025, Florida is a state that continues to attract new residents from across the country. It’s tax-friendly, job-rich in key industries, and still more affordable than many coastal areas.
To really know what you’re walking into, it helps to focus on what salaries look like, how they vary across regions, and how far those dollars will stretch once you’re settled. Let’s get started.
How Much Are People Really Making?
According to data from ZipRecruiter, the average salary in Florida sits around $49,261 per year, which breaks down to about $23.68 per hour. That number floats a bit higher in urban centers and dips in smaller towns, but it offers a solid reference point.
To add more context, the median household income, which includes dual-income families and part-time work, lands at $73,311. That figure reflects more than just wages; it hints at Florida’s overall economic diversity, where both high-paying tech professionals and modestly paid service workers are part of the mix.
Still, averages can only tell you so much. A single adult living in Orlando needs about $46,645 per year to live comfortably, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator. A working couple? Around $63,567. If you’re raising a child with two incomes, you’ll need closer to $75,959 annually to cover everything from rent to childcare.
For most people in Florida, anything between $50,000 and $100,000 puts you in a relatively strong position, though that range stretches depending on where you land and what kind of lifestyle you’re after.
What You Can Expect by Job Type
One of Florida’s strengths is its wide range of industries. Whether you’re in finance, construction, or healthcare, there’s a seat at the table. However, salaries differ widely from field to field.
Here’s a closer look at the typical annual earnings across various career paths, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
| Occupational Area | Average Salary |
| Management | $129,870 |
| Legal | $111,450 |
| Computer and Mathematics | $100,180 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $96,700 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $91,010 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $84,010 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Sciences | $74,690 |
| Education, Training, and Library | $57,350 |
| Sales and Related | $51,290 |
| Construction and Extraction | $51,280 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $52,770 |
| Community and Social Service | $53,100 |
| Protective Service | $55,160 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,260 |
| Production | $43,170 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $44,530 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media | $62,550 |
| Personal Care and Service | $35,980 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,790 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $34,160 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $35,560 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $34,490 |
High-skill, licensed, or leadership roles clearly outperform in salary. For example, registered nurses in Florida earn around $72,000 annually (as per Incredible Health), and software developers or legal professionals often clear the six-figure mark.
For those interested in healthcare, especially advanced practice roles, online nurse practitioner programs in Florida can open doors to excellent.
On the other hand, those working in food prep, cleaning, or retail might bring in closer to $34,000 to $36,000. This still above minimum wage, but tight when it comes to affording life in high-cost cities.
Cost of Living
Florida’s cost‑of‑living index is at 102.8, meaning it’s 2.8% above the national average (baseline 100), according to World Population Review stats.
However, there’s no single “Florida lifestyle.” What you pay and how far your salary stretches depends on where you land.
Housing
According to SmartAsset, the average effective property tax in Florida is 0.82%; a bit lower than the national average of about 0.90%, but home prices and rents vary wildly:
- Miami: $1,800 per month for a one-bedroom
- Jacksonville: Closer to $1,200 per month
- Titusville, Winter Haven, Daytona Beach: More affordable, especially for renters and first-time homebuyers
If you’re buying property, the lack of state income tax helps, but you’ll still want to account for county-by-county tax differences. With demand high in metro areas, prices aren’t expected to drop anytime soon.
Utilities and Other Essentials
Electricity, water, and internet usually come to around $150 to $250 per month, depending on the season (and how hard you run the AC in August).
Car owners should also factor in fuel and maintenance, while those in cities like Miami or Tampa might benefit from public transportation, though it’s less robust than in cities like Chicago or New York.
Childcare
Families need to budget carefully. Here’s a quick rundown of monthly childcare averages in Florida:
- Home-based care: $989
- Infant classroom: $1,364
- Toddler classroom: $790
- Preschool: $702
That means even a solid middle-class salary can get squeezed fast if you’ve got young kids and both parents working full-time.
Taxes
Here’s where Florida gets especially attractive: no state income tax, whether you’re a full-time employee, a freelancer, or a retiree pulling from a pension. Here’s a breakdown according to AARP:
- State income tax: 0%
- Sales tax: 6%, with some counties pushing it up to 7%+
- Property tax: 0.79% average (varies by county)
- Estate/inheritance tax: None
For many newcomers, especially those from high-tax states like California, New York, or Illinois, this alone is reason enough to move. Federal taxes still apply, but the savings at the state level can make a meaningful difference, especially for six-figure earners and retirees with substantial investment income.
Minimum Wage vs. Living Wage
Florida’s minimum wage rose to $13 per hour in September 2024, and it’s set to increase by another dollar annually until hitting $15 per hour in 2026, as per Florida Commerce.
Even so, that doesn’t mean someone earning minimum wage can live comfortably, particularly in cities like Miami or Orlando. Let’s look at living wage estimates from MIT’s Q1 2024 calculator:
- Single Adult: $22.43 per hour (~$46,650 per year)
- Single Adult + 1 Child: $37.27/hour (~$77,520 per year)
- Two Adults, No Kids (Each): $15.28 per hour
- Single Adult + 2 Kids: $45.36 per hour
- Single Adult + 3 Kids: $58.76 per hour
The living wage far outpaces the minimum wage, especially for families. That’s why many people working in lower-wage jobs in Florida need to supplement their income or find shared housing options.
Where You Live Matters (A Lot)
Location plays a massive role in both how much you earn and how much you’ll spend. Here’s a snapshot of hourly wages in cities offering some of the highest local pay, according to ZipRecruiter:
| City | Hourly Rate | Annual Salary |
| Summerland Key | $22.17 | $46,104 |
| Perry | $22.17 | $43,839 |
| Marco Island | $21.23 | $44,160 |
| Port St. Lucie | $20.81 | $43,286 |
| Plantation | $20.67 | $42,997 |
| Miami Beach | $20.55 | $42,746 |
| Jupiter | $20.35 | $42,327 |
| Aventura | $20.14 | $41,892 |
| Deerfield Beach | $20.14 | $41,884 |
In places like Summerland Key or Marco Island, wages tend to be higher, but so are housing and living costs. Meanwhile, more inland cities like Titusville or Perry may offer fewer job options but a lower cost of entry.
Smart Moves for New Residents
If you’re planning a move or have just arrived, here are a few practical ways to get ahead:
1. Pick Your City Strategically
Look beyond big names like Miami. Affordable towns with strong job markets include Port St. Lucie, Ocala, and Jacksonville.
2. Maximize That Tax-Free Paycheck
Think of your lack of state income tax as built-in savings. If you’re coming from a 10%+ income tax state, that’s thousands of dollars back in your pocket each year.
3. Focus on Growth Industries
Healthcare, tech, and tourism are booming in Florida. Jobs like nursing, IT, cybersecurity, and hospitality management offer stability and higher pay.
4. Plan for Kids Early
If you have children, or plan to, factor childcare into your budget from day one. It’s one of the largest household expenses in urban areas.
5. Use Tools Like MIT’s Calculator
This helps you ballpark whether your expected income lines up with local living costs, by city and family size.
Endnote
Florida has a lot going for it, no state income tax, a warm climate, and a job market with real range. Before you settle in, it pays to know what kind of income you’ll need to live the life you want.
The average salary hovers just under $50,000, but some fields easily break six figures, especially in management, legal, and tech roles.
Meanwhile, cities like Perry or Winter Haven offer a slower pace and lower costs, while Miami or Aventura require a higher paycheck to keep up.
If you do a little research, build a budget around your lifestyle, and aim for high-demand industries, you can absolutely make the Sunshine State work for you.
