Fort Lauderdale Awards & Accolades

The Fort Lauderdale area commonly receives awards and accolades for its top-rated beaches, quality healthcare and high-quality of life for residents and tourists alike. View recent awards below.

• 2024

  Fort Lauderdale is Named the #3 “Best Place to Retire” in the Country – WalletHub
  Hollywood Beach Ranks as the “Top Beach in Florida” – TripAdvisor

• 2023

  Fort Lauderdale Ranks as a TOP 10 “Best City” for Dogs and Dog Owners – Rent.com

• 2022

  Fort Lauderdale Beach is a “Top Beach” in South Florida – The Crazy Tourist

   

Top Reasons to Relocate to Fort Lauderdale

1. Fort Lauderdale has Great Beaches

   Hollywood Beach was recently named as the “3rd Best Beach in Florida” by TripAdvisor (2024) and Fort Lauderdale Public Beach was recently recognized as the 9th Best Beach in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Broward county also offers beachgoers many great beach options (with public restrooms and parking) including Deerfield Public Beach, Pompano Public Beach, Dania Public Beach, Hollywood Public Beach and Hallandale Public Beach. There’s also great local parks with beachfront to explore such as North Ocean Park and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.

2. Fort Lauderdale is “Best City” to Retire In

   The greater Fort Lauderdale area, with its high-quality of life, waterfront real estate, beautiful white sandy beaches, and World Famous Los Olas Blvd, has long been a popular retirement destination for those relocating to Florida. The City of Fort Lauderdale commonly receives accolades as a Top Florida Retirement destination and was recently named the “3rd Best City to Retire in America” in late 2023 by WalletHub.

3. Fort Lauderdale Has Top-Rated Healthcare & Hospitals

   The greater Fort Lauderdale area has several top rated hospitals including Cleveland Clinic Florida, Holy Cross Hospital and Memorial Regional Hospital. Recently, US News & World Report ranked Fort Lauderdale’s Cleveland Clinic as the #5 overall Best Hospital in the state of Florida. View Cleveland Clinic Rating.

4. Florida Has No State Income Tax

   As a Floridian, you will definitely appreciate not having to pay a state income tax. In lieu of a state income tax, the state of Florida earns annual revenues from the millions of tourists that visit the state every year through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) from revenues on rental properties and hotel visits that are for six months or less. Once you declare Florida as your permanent residence, you will definitely appreciate the many tourists who are paying your share of the state taxes.

5. Fort Lauderdale is a Top Rated Real Estate Market

   Fort Lauderdale’s real estate market has been steadily appreciating in recent years with many persons seeking to relocate to the area. In early April of 2024, the median Fort Lauderdale home price is now $530,859 which represents a 4.7% year-over-year increase. To find out exact housing and living costs, the most popular neighborhoods people are moving into, contact Laura Reynolds, our Fort Lauderdale relocation expert listed on this page.

6. Fort Lauderdale Has Strong Employment Market

   Fort Lauderdale’s employment market has been very strong in recent years with an unemployment rate of only 2.5% in 2024. Top sectors in the Ft Lauderdale economy include healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, education, and retail. The largest employers in the greater Fort Lauderdale area include Broward County Public Schools, Broward County Government, Nova Southeastern University, Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System.

7. A Year-Round Playground for Outdoor Activities

   With an average year-round temperature of 75.5′ degrees and 246 sunny days per year, Fort Lauderdale is a top Florida destination for the outdoor enthusiast to enjoy activities by land, sea and air. If you enjoy watersport activities, try kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) through the mangroves or local canals such as Las Olas Isles, Whiskey Creek or the Middle River. By land, play a round of golf or explore our many recreational parks and nature trails. If you’re feeling more adventurous, try parasailing or paragliding along the coast.

8. Fort Lauderdale Offers Endless Events to Explore

   Fort Lauderdale offers a full plate of year-round events to choose from including food festivals, musical performances, car and boat shows and film festivals just to name a few. Popular Fort Lauderdale events include the Las Olas Art Festival, the Florida Renaissance Festival, the Fort Lauderdale Air Show and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

9. Fort Lauderdale Has Great Dining & Cuisine Options

   The greater Fort Lauderdale area offers a wide variety of cuisines for all tastes and budgets from casual, pet-friendly sidewalk cafes to fancy, five-star restaurants. There’s also a popular scene of craft pubs and beer gardens to check out such as Tap 42, Fat Tap Beer Bar & Eatery, Tarpon River Brewing and The Craft Beer Cartel. Many of these trendy places offer a pet-friendly vibe, live entertainment and some even offer corn hole, darts and foosball while you enjoy a fresh, locally-crafted brew and local eats.

10. Many Wildlife, Parks & Nature Trails to Explore
    The Fort Lauderdale area offers miles of natural Florida beauty and wildlife to explore via local state parks including Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and the Stunson Nature Trail. The nearby Florida Everglades State Park, which spans more than 2,400 square miles, provides for bicycling, bird watching, camping, fishing, hiking, slough slogging, wildlife viewing, nature trails, and guided tours.