best places to retire in florida without hurricanes

15 Best Places to Retire in Florida Without Hurricanes

There are great best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes. Natural disasters such as a hurricane is a determining factor in giving rise to making the best choices. It is on record that Southern Florida is prone to hurricanes and Northern Florida is less prone to a hurricane.

In this article, it can be seen that some areas are not entirely without hurricane history or recent happenings of it but they are less likely to have one in many years. Read on to find out the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes.

The List of Best Places to Retire in Florida Without Hurricanes

Here is a list of hurricane-safe places to retire in Florida:

1. Leesburg

Regarding hurricane risk, Leesburg, Florida is regarded as one of the safest cities in the state. It is one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes because it has a score of 0 for hurricanes and tropical storms and a poor score for flooding. It has more than 21,000 residents and is situated in Lake County in the center of Florida.

Due to retirees migrating to Florida and Orlando residents looking for a quieter, less populated area, this town’s population has grown recently. Leesburg is a component of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan statistical region and is situated about 45 miles to the northwest of Orlando.

2. Orlando

O-Town should be on your list of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes.

With more than 255,000 residents, Orlando is the largest city on our list. If you want to experience an urban setting with a low risk of hurricanes, Orlando is the city for you. It has the second-lowest combined hurricane, flood, and tropical storm score.

Orlando, Florida, has a low hurricane risk because there have only been 77 hurricanes since 1930. The largest was Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, and Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 was the most recent.

It takes storm hours to weaken by the time they reach Central Florida, where Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are located. About 287,000 people are living there, and 22% of them were born abroad.

Orlando’s cost of living is higher than most Florida cities, but it is just 0.8 percent lower than the national average.

The cost of electricity, housing, and groceries is slightly higher than the national and state averages. On the other side, you will pay a lot more on transportation and save a little money on medical expenses. $172,100 is the median home value, which is less than the US average but more than Florida’s.

3. Sanford

Sanford is another illustration of a central Florida city that poses a low danger from our list of the hurricane-safest communities in Florida.

Sanford is one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes that has more than 56,000 residents and is situated in Seminole County, is a charming town with historic Victorian mansions and brick-lined avenues.

One of the key priorities in this town is the community. Here, there are regular street celebrations, jazz performances in Magnolia Square, and productions of plays and musicals at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center.

Sanford’s cost of living is 1.1 percent lower than the national average. Food prices are comparable, while those for health care and utilities are a little lower. While transportation is somewhat costlier than the US average, housing is significantly lower. Accessible $105,100 is the median home value.

4. Kissimmee

One of the top ten hurricane and tropical storm-safe Florida cities is Kissimmee. More than 65,000 people live in this town, which is in Osceola County.

This is a great place to live if you want to be close to city conveniences and still have access to the local wildlife and ecosystem of central Florida. It’s not too far from Orlando.

The cost of living in Kissimmee is 1.1% less than the national average. While you will spend more on utilities and transportation, you will spend less on groceries, healthcare, and housing. The average cost of a home is $136,300.

5. Palatka

Palatka is the smallest town on our list of the hurricane-safest places to live in Florida. Palatka, which has a population of roughly 10,000 people, still manages to have a vibrant culture. The Florida Azalea Festival and the Blue Crab Festival are two well-liked annual events conducted at Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka.

Given that 77 storms were documented between 1930 and the present, Palatka, Florida, has a low hurricane risk.

The strongest storm to hit it was Hurricane Dora in 1964, while Tropical Storm Andrea in 2013 was the most recent. Despite being in North Central Florida, Palatka is closer to the coast than the majority of the Florida communities on this list that is least affected by hurricanes.

Palatka’s cost of living is 7.4% less than the national average. Grocery and healthcare prices in this cheap city are marginally lower than average. With a median home value of $75,900, its housing prices are much lower than the US average, while its utilities are comparable and its transportation costs are significantly lower. Only 3.77 percent of Palatka’s population—roughly 73,000 people—are foreign-born.

6. Lake City

One of the hurricane-safest cities in Florida is Lake City, which receives a hurricane score of 0. In terms of tropical storms and flooding, it likewise receives bad marks. More than 12,000 people live in this city, which is situated in north-central Florida.

The Alligator Warrior Festival and the Olustee Battle Festival are only two of the annual celebrations hosted here. The former is a recreation of the Battle of Olustee, while the latter offers a chance to experience how locals lived in the region during the 19th century.

Since only 64 hurricanes have been registered since 1930, Lake City, Florida, has a low hurricane risk. The previous storm was Tropical Storm Andrea in 2013, and the most destructive hurricane happened in 1933. The majority of the natural disasters that affect this city in North Central Florida do not go beyond tropical storm status.

Living expenses in Lake City are 7.2% lower than those in the US as a whole. While housing and transportation costs have significantly decreased, grocery prices are still slightly below the national average.

The cost of utilities and health care, however, is higher than the state and national averages. The average cost of a home is $100,700. Roughly 12,000 people are living in Lake City, and 5.55 percent of them were born abroad.

7. Naples, Florida 

Naples, the first coastal Florida city on our list of hurricane-safe Florida cities, is situated in Collier County. Naples, which has a population of roughly 19,500, is a bustling and energetic city that attracts visitors from all over Florida, the United States, and the rest of the world.

This is not just one of the richest cities in the nation but also one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes. Locals and residents alike take pleasure in the area’s warm and pleasant climate, beaches, vineyards, art galleries, golf courses, and shopping opportunities.

Naples is a seaside city, so it seems to reason that it wouldn’t be among the Florida cities with the lowest storm risk. It is far less common for storms to make landfall in Florida due to atmospheric conditions and the form of the state’s landmass.

Hurricanes are far more likely to strike the northern part of the Gulf Coast or to swing northward and make landfall to the south of this region, traveling east across the state.

8. Ocala

Ocala is also one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes. It earns a low flood and tropical storm score and a zero for hurricanes. With little over 53,000 residents, this Marion County city is the eighth-most hurricane-safe city in Florida.

One of the main reasons you might want to relocate to Florida is that it is thought to be a more affordable state to live in. For more information, see our list of Florida’s most affordable locations to live.

With only 73 hurricanes documented since 1930, Ocala, Florida, has a low hurricane risk. Since this city in Central Florida stays away from the ocean, most hurricanes weaken to tropical storms before they reach it. The strongest hurricane to impact Ocala was Hurricane Dora in 1964, while Andrea in 2013 was the most recent.

Ocala, Florida, has a 7.2 percent cheaper cost of living than the national average. It has significantly cheaper housing and transportation costs than the national average, as well as slightly lower grocery and health costs.

A median home value of $120,700 is associated with utilities that are somewhat above average. About 360,000 people are living, with 7.18 percent of them being foreigners.

9. Gainesville

Gainesville, which is in Alachua County, is one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes that has a population of over 127,000. This city has a hurricane score of zero, making it the ninth safest place to reside in Florida during a hurricane.

Gainesville is a cultural hub due to the presence of the University of Florida, like most college cities. Here are the Hippodrome State Theater, the Harn Museum of Art, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. On top of that, the University Of Florida College Of Fine Arts presents musical, dance, and art performances.

Gainesville, Florida, has a low hurricane risk because there have only been 79 storms recorded there since 1930. Hurricane Frances in 2004 was the strongest hurricane it ever saw, and Tropical Storm Andrea in 2013 was the most recent. Gainesville’s location in North Central Florida means that most hurricanes remain in their tropical storm classification.

Gainesville has a 6.6% cheaper cost of living than the US average. Compared to housing and transportation expenditures, grocery prices are significantly lower than average.

Compared to Florida and the rest of the country, the health and utility prices are greater. At $143,900, the typical home value is reasonable. Gainesville is home to over 131,000 people, 11.1 percent of whom are foreign nationals.

10. Fernandina Beach

When it comes to hurricanes, tropical storms, and floods, this Nassau County city receives poor ratings. It is therefore one of the best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes.

This city is situated on Amelia Island and is the furthest north on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Fernandina Beach, which is a part of Greater Jacksonville, is referred to as the “Isle of 8 Flags” since flags from eight different countries have flown over it.

The 2010 census showed that this city has a population of over 11,000 people.

11. Minneola

With only 72 storms since 1930, Minneola, Florida, has a low hurricane risk. The strongest hurricane to hit it was Hurricane Dora in 1964, while Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 was the most recent. 11,000 people are living in this little hamlet in North Central Florida, with 10.4% of them being foreign-born.

The cost of living in Minneola is 1.3 percent lower than the national average, with housing and groceries costing about the same, utilities costing somewhat more, and health costs significantly cheaper. The median property value is $145,300, and nearby facilities are widely available and moderately priced.

12. Wekiwa Springs

Another pricey tiny community with a minimal storm risk is Wekiwa Springs, Florida. Since 1930, it has had 77 hurricanes, the greatest of which was an unidentified storm in 1945. Debby, a tropical storm from 2012, was the most recent storm. 23,000 people are living there, and foreigners make up 11.7% of the total population.

The somewhat higher-than-average cost of groceries and utilities, the much higher cost of transportation, and the significantly higher cost of housing all contribute to the high cost of living.

The average cost of a home is $240,000. Health care does cost a little less than the average nationally.

13. St. Cloud

Because St. Cloud, Florida, only saw 77 hurricanes between 1930 and the present, it has a low hurricane risk. Hurricane Gerda in 1969 was the largest hurricane to hit this city in Central Florida; Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 was the most recent. 49,000 people are living there, and 10.9 percent of them were born abroad.

St. Cloud has a cost of living that is 2.7 percent lower than the national average. While health care is slightly less expensive, grocery prices are roughly in line with the national average.

Although housing and utility prices have increased slightly, the transportation industry has seen the highest above-average growth. The average cost of a home is $132,900.

14. Doctor Phillips

As there have only been 76 storms since 1930, Doctor Phillips, Florida, has a minimal hurricane risk. This, therefore, has put it on our list of best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes.

The most recent storm was Tropical Storm Debby in 2012, whereas an unnamed hurricane was the storm that caused the most damage in 1944. With 11,000 residents, Doctor Phillips is a tiny town in North Central Florida with a 27.8% foreign-born population.

The cost of living in Doctor Phillips is significantly higher than the state and national averages. While housing costs are somewhat higher, grocery and utility costs are marginally above average. The cost of transportation is substantially higher, yet the level of health is slightly below average. The average cost of a home is $294,700.

15.  Winter Springs

77 hurricanes have been registered since 1930, which indicates that Winter Springs has a low hurricane risk. The greatest hurricane to hit it was an unidentified storm in 1944, while Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 was the most recent. 36,000 individuals call this city home, and 11.8% of them are foreigners.

Although it is 0.9 percent more expensive than the US average, it is still more expensive than most Florida communities. While housing and transportation prices have increased significantly, groceries are marginally more expensive than average. The cost of utilities and health care is a little less than the national average. The median home value in this area is $214,800, which is 16% more than the national average. What are your thoughts about these best places to retire in Florida without hurricanes? Let us know what you think.

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