Collier was named Florida’s worst county for raising a family.
There is a significant geographical and metaphorical disparity between the top and worst counties in Florida, according to a FloridaRentals.com survey that attempted to identify the state’s family-friendly counties. Numerous Naples parents and professionals in economic development will probably take offense at this news as well.
Okaloosa County, which is located near the state line with Alabama in the Panhandle’s remote western region, took first place. Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Crestview are among the counties’ cities. In 2022, the U.S. Census reported that the county’s median income was $73,988, according to a recent article by Jim Stinson of The Business Observer.
Collier County, which is home to Naples and is the lowest-ranked county on the list, is located about 600 miles to the east and south of Okaloosa County. The county and city of Naples are notable for frequently appearing in national and international lists of the finest locations to live, retire, and go on vacation. The median income is $82,011.
However, FloridaRentals.com, a website that offers vacation rentals, says otherwise. According to the company, it analyzed 11 different factors—cost of living, crime, number of schools, diet information, childcare expenses, employment rate, size of households with children under the age of 18, and educational attainment—to establish its best places to raise a family score. We looked at all 67 counties in Florida. The particular statistics for each category were not broken down in the report.
According to FloridaRentals.com administrators, the counties were ranked to discover which ones are the best for raising a family. The U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics were two of the sources from which the data were gathered.
In the area, not a single county made the top 10. At number sixteen, Hillsborough was the highest-rated county. Polk, at 25, wasn’t far behind.
Collier’s basement rating may have something to do with living expenses. Although the county is home to some homes valued at over $10 million, many blue-collar workers, teachers, first responders, and others have been forced out of the area due to a severe lack of affordable housing. Officials from the county and city of Naples, as well as companies and organizations, have been tackling the issues.
This article originally appeared on The Business Observer
