Why are people moving to St Petersburg FL? This is a question I get from many people from around the USA when they call to look for a home. I simply tell them that the secret is out…that St Petersburg FL is on the map now because it’s beauty has now been discovered by the world.
The sun shines bright.
St. Petersburg is truly a unique gem, offering a cosmopolitan culture, a strong arts scene, and a gorgeous subtropical climate. Furthermore, people enjoy downtown because it has a vibe unlike most places in Florida itself. Laid-back, bustling night life, beautiful, friendly and charming are all qualities that I think of. Moreover, it also has become a destination for businesses, tech workers, and artists.
People from around the USA fall in love with St. Petersburg because of it’s great weather, easy access to beautiful beaches, a short drive to the most famous amusement parks in the world, a low cost of living compared to other large metro areas, and no state income tax. These are more reasons that answer, “why are people moving to St Petersburg”. The weather is a really big draw. St Petersburg rarely ever gets hotter than 95 degrees unlike many parts of the state that go above 100 degrees. Also being located on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, there is always an ocean breeze.
St. Petersburg Is Part of a Thriving Tampa Bay Area
When people think of moving to St. Petersburg FL, they don’t usually realize that it is part of the 18th largest metropolitan area in the USA. While the area is often referred to as Tampa Bay, it actually consists of three major cities: Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. Rather than one giant urban core surrounded by suburbs, Tampa Bay is spread out across a large region.
Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg and Clearwater are in Pinellas County, a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa is on the other side of the bay. St. Petersburg is part of this dynamic area, including a growing downtown, great neighborhoods, and good schools. Additionally, people who live there have easy access to all areas in the region. As a whole, 3,175,275 people live in the Tampa Bay region. It’s become one of the most popular areas of the country, with an estimated 150 people moving to Tampa Bay every day. Living in St. Petersburg brings Culture and arts to be within reach. Here are the major venues you will be close to:
Museums
- Museum of Fine Arts near the Pier in downtown St. Petersburg
- Salvador Dalí Museum in downtown St. Petersburg
- Museum of the American Arts and Craft Movement in St. Petersburg
- Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College in downtown St. Petersburg
- Florida Holocaust Museum in downtown St. Petersburg
- Tampa Museum of Art in downtown Tampa
- USF Contemporary Art Museum on the USF Tampa campus
- Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in downtown Tampa
- Museum of Science and Industry adjacent to USF’s Tampa campus
- Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Pinellas Park
- Chihuly Collection in St Petersburg
- Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art on the Tarpon Springs Campus of St. Petersburg College
- The Royal Theater & Manhattan Casino Historic Landmarks in St. Petersburg
- Imagine Museum in St. Petersburg
- The James Museum in St. Petersburg
- Heritage Village Museum in Largo
- The Carter J. Woodson African-American Museum St. Petersburg
- Tampa Bay History Center
- Ybor City Museum State Park in Ybor City
Performing arts halls
- Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa
- Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater
- Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg
- Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center in Tarpon Springs
Cultural events
- Gasparilla Pirate Festival held every January in Tampa
- Florida State Fair held every February in Tampa
- Florida Strawberry Festival held every March in Plant City
- Clearwater Jazz Holiday held every October in Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater; in its 32nd year
Cruise Ship Departs Tampa FL
- Guavaween, a Latin-flavored Halloween celebration held every October in the Ybor City section of Tampa
- Festa Italiana, annual festival of Italian heritage held every April in Ybor City, Tampa’s Latin Quarter”
There is always something to do and if that’s not enough, just hop on one of the cruise ships that depart from Tampa.
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg? To Live Near The Beach
Of all the cities in the Tampa Bay region, St. Petersburg has the biggest collection of the best beaches. St. Pete Beach was Trip Advisor’s Top Beach in the USA in 2021. There are 35 miles of pristine sugar white sand beaches in the area, which is why you will see “St.
The St. Pete Beach Hotel where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe went for their honeymoon.
Petersburg/Clearwater” on commercials and advertisements. We love all the unique dynamics of each quirky and fun beach town which include: Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Madeira Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Belleair Beach, and Sunset Beach. Additionally, there is Sunshine Beach, Indian Shores Beach, Honeymoon Island, Redington Shores, Redington Beach, Treasure Island, Pass-a-Grille Beach, Fort De Soto Beach, Caladesi Island Beach and Gulfport Beach. Each beach town has its sweet vibe, as well as beach shops, restaurants, bars, and attractions. Also, the beauty of having all the choices is that you can spend a lot of time just enjoying different beaches every weekend.
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Creative People Love it Here
“St. Petersburg has always drawn writers. Jack Kerouac lived in St. Petersburg and John D. MacDonald was just down the road in Sarasota. More recently, author Dennis Lehane called St. Petersburg home and Tim Dorsey lives just across the bay in Tampa.
But it’s also become a haven for visual artists, performers, actors, and those associated with the film industry. MovieMaker Magazine named St. Petersburg as one of the top places in the country for moviemakers in 2022.
Jack Kerouac
Also, John Collins, founding executive director of the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, told Atlanta magazine that those in creative industries have moved in large numbers to St. Petersburg. “It’s been a sea change,” he said. “The number of performers, writers, and visual artists who have moved to this area has increased by more than fifty percent in ten years. We’ve found ourselves with one of the largest concentrations of artists in the Southeast.”
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Growth in Business
You will find that many companies are moving to St. Petersburg as one writer explains “Every city wants to claim that it is the next Silicon Valley or a hot spot for tech companies. St. Petersburg has one of the better claims to those boosts, although the city accomplished this in a relatively quiet way when compared to marketing campaigns in other cities. And here are a few examples.
Retail and Office Space, along with high rise housing is currently under construction
Dynasty Financial Services moved its headquarters from New York City to St. Petersburg in 2019. In addition, the company’s CEO said it wasn’t just about the business advantages, including a great tech workforce in the area, but also the fact that company employees loved the quality of life in Florida. In addition, the company now plans to build a new, 36-story building in downtown St. Petersburg for its new headquarters.
CrossBorder Solutions, a $1 billion firm and global leader in tech-driven tax solutions, also has announced it will move its headquarters from New York City to St. Petersburg. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the new company CEO said, “We speak all the time to our venture capital and institutional backers. And they said right away that St. Pete, the Tampa Bay area, is where a lot of software companies seem to be heading, especially from the Midwest and the West Coast.”
San Francisco-based CodeBoxx recently moved to St. Petersburg. The company CEO called St. Petersburg the “new Austin,” according to the business journal, adding, “That’s how I see it, so I want to be ahead of the curve.”
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Professional Sports
There are 3 major professional sports teams in Tampa Bay. They have collectively won 5 championships between them, making Tampa a
Whitney Houston Sings Star Spamgled Banner for Super Bowl in Tampa.
champion sports city.
Then again, they’re really driving forward with the whole Champa Bay thing. Amazing what happens when Tom Brady arrives in your city. Therefore, follow the MLB Tampa Bay Rays, NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NHL Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as the New York Yankees spring training, and a number of semi-pro and collegiate teams at Tampa Bay’s premier pro sports facilities. Also check out the Professional Soccer team, the Rowdies in St. Petersburg and the Yankees Spring Training in February.
Deep Freeze
Tampa’s most urban sports experience has to be the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Inside the chilled Amalie Arena, light and sound are everything you’d expect in a modern professional hockey experience. Furthermore, rink-side seats, of course, have the best view of the action.
Catch Some Rays
Peanuts, Cracker Jack and… air-conditioned comfort? Forget going to a movie on a warm summer day. Instead, head to Tropicana Field to watch the Tampa Bay Rays play their unique brand of scrappy, fun baseball.
New York Yankees
Spring, the season of hope, comes early in Florida. While Tampa Bay has big-league sports every season of the year, the most legendary team of any sport, the New York Yankees, spends warm February and March in Tampa with Spring Training.
FIRE THE CANNONS!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers feed Central Florida’s pro-football hunger with 10 games each fall. Raymond James Stadium, host of three Super Bowls opening in 1998, may be best known for its 103-foot pirate ship perched above the north end zone. Whenever the Bucs cross the 20-yard line or score, the ship’s cannons fire their blasts.
Kick It!
Tampa Bay Rowdies is the professional soccer team in St. Petersburg, a part of the United Soccer League (USL), who will play at Al Lang Stadium. Get your soccer fix from April through October every year.
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Strong Job Market
We have a high employment rate in St. Petersburg. The word is out and this writer shares “Looking for a job in St. Petersburg? You’re in luck! With a 4.7% unemployment rate, St. Pete is not only one of the best areas for employment in Florida, but also in the entire country! Fortune
Raymond James Headquarters.
500 companies like Raymond James, Jabil, and Tech Data are headquartered in the Tampa Bay area, and job seekers in the health care sector can find opportunities at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Tampa General Hospital, and BayCare. Not sure what field you want to go into? Check out the St. Petersburg College Workforce Institute, which provides training, advice, and job interviews to help students and community members find their ideal role!”
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Beautiful Weather
It should come as no surprise that moving to Florida means you’re going to get a lot of sun—it’s called the Sunshine State for a reason! But even in such a radiant state, St. Petersburg stands out. With 361 days of sunshine a year, St. Pete has earned the nickname “The Sunshine City.” In fact, St. Pete holds the Guinness World Record for most consecutive sunny days! Furthermore, with all those rays, the St. Petersburg weather is generally warm and consistent. Also, temperatures rarely rise above 90 degrees in the summer or drop below 50 degrees in the winter. Although the summers can be rainy, especially in July and August, you’ll never have to worry about snow here!
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Easy To Get Around
Say goodbye to traffic woes. St. Petersburg is organized in a grid format—streets run north to south, avenues run east to west—making the city’s structure easy to learn and navigate. Moving from San Francisco, we are thrilled to be away from traffic jams. I-275 provides quick transportation from Downtown St. Pete to most areas of the city, and I-75 makes getting to other parts of the Gulf Coast relatively simple. Moreover, if you don’t want to drive, St. Petersburg has reliable public transportation as well. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has nearly 40 bus and trolley routes, and the Looper Trolley is extremely convenient for downtown travel.
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Bike Friendly
Get ready to break out the bike! With more than 40 miles of bicycle trails and fantastic weather to enjoy them, biking has become a favorite
Biking on the waterfront with the St Pete Pier in the background
activity for many St. Pete residents. The city even created Coast Bike Share to ensure people always have a ride when they need one. That program—along with St. Petersburg’s efforts toward bicycle promotion, education programs, and the creation of 130 miles of bike lanes—earned the city the status of a Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Additionally, those who truly love to ride can join The St. Petersburg Cycling Club, while more casual riders can take part rides such as Open Streets St. Pete or the SPBC Cycling Classic. This is another reason to answer the question “why are people moving to St Petersburg”
Why Are People Moving To St Petersburg: Dog Friendly
St. Petersburg was named the Number 1 Dog Friendly City in the USA. St. Pete has 2.3 dog parks per 100,000 people; 134 dog-friendly restaurants; 18 dog-friendly shopping centers; and 84.5 of every 10,000 businesses are either pet stores or vet offices. And more good news for local dog owners: Tampa finished No. 3 in the rankings, offering a full 242 dog-friendly restaurants for those crossing the bridge.
As you can see. St. Petersburg is the most attractive city to move to in the USA. There are many other reasons to move here, just check out our other blogs such at the blog on the St. Pete Pier. We would love to show you around and help you find a home.
Moving to St. Petersburg? Contact us at 727-262-7920 Today
Author: Rob Johnson
