Cigar City has no state tax and high-income job growth. These factors, combined with incredible weather have generated a population with plenty of Millenials and Gen Z residents, defying outsider expectations of Florida. Tampa also has tons of breweries and innovative ways these breweries contribute to the city's cultural scene. This includes fun events like "Yoga Pants & Craft Drafts,” the "Running for Brews" club, The Brew Bus tours, and Nebraska Mart, a new casual concept aimed at younger crowds brought to you by Cigar City Brewing. The key selling point to lure their young guests? Shuffleboard courts.

On the plus side, it has beautiful water and beaches, warm weather, parks, nightlife, lots of activities and events as well as thriving breweries and a vibrant music scene. 

On the minus side it has traffic that irritates people and locals aren’t known to be the best drivers. It’s not a headquarters city and the school system can be touch and go. Overall, it offers neither a cozy small-town experience nor big-city life. It's kind of a tweener. Some people dig that and some don't. 

Younger Than You'd Think

LookyLOO Review of Tampa

Tampa’s lifestyle is in large part driven by water play. Swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, jet skiing, and even canoeing/kayaking. It isn’t a beach town but 30 minutes away are some of the nicest beaches in the country. The city also has great bike/running trails and plenty of beautiful parks for play. In addition to going out to play, Tampa locals love to watch the pros play. Five professional sports teams call Tampa home and they are extremely loyal. Finally, if you’re looking for nighttime play there are plenty of options in Ybor or SOHO/Hyde Park. While people come for the outdoor experiences, many stay for the rest of it. 

If you want to see what people do for fun and culture in Tampa check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.visittampabay.com/tampa-events/).

Lifestyle 

Tampa's economy is notable for its diversity. Helpful in case you move here for a job and decide to look for other work. It's strong in finance, healthcare, tourism, technology, defense, and manufacturing. It has a good mix of large employers and growing industries and the unemployment rate is steady around 5% so jobs are aplenty. Categories of strength include:
-**Finance and Professional Services:**
The city is home to numerous banks, financial service companies, and insurance firms as well as dozens of professional services -- legal, accounting, and consulting firms.

-**Healthcare and Life Sciences:**
Tampa has a robust healthcare sector, with several major hospitals and research institutions. Biotech and life sciences are also growing fields, with research centers and biotech companies contributing to the local economy.

-**Tourism and Hospitality:**
The tourism industry is vital to Tampa's economy and is a dominant part of the economy thanks to the climate, beaches, cultural attractions, and sports teams.

-**Technology:**
Tampa is emerging as a tech hub, with an increasing number of tech startups and established technology companies. Tech was here pre-COVID but plenty of entrepreneurs fled to Florida in the last several years and the city supports these innovaters through various incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces.

-**Defense and Aerospace:**

The presence of MacDill Air Force Base contributes to a strong defense sectors and companies involved in aerospace and defense manufacturing have a big presence in the area. 

-**Manufacturing and Distribution:**
Tampa has a sizable manufacturing base, including electronics, medical devices, and other high-tech products.
The city's port and strategic location make it a key player in logistics and distribution.

The largest employers in the city and area include:
**BayCare Health System**: one of the largest health care providers in the region.
**Hillsborough County Public Schools:**: The school district is one of the largest employers in the area, providing numerous jobs in education and support services.
**Tampa General Hospital:**: This leading medical institution offers a wide range of employment opportunities in healthcare.
**Publix Super Markets**: Publix, headquartered in nearby Lakeland, Florida, has a significant presence in Tampa, providing jobs in retail, distribution, and logistics.
**JP Morgan Chase & Co.**: This global financial services firm has substantial operations in Tampa, particularly in back-office functions and customer service.
**University of South Florida**: USF is a major employer, offering jobs in education, research, administration, and support services.
**MacDill Air Force Base**:The base employs both military and civilian personnel, contributing significantly to the local economy.


Worklife

The school district for Tampa is [**Hillsborough County Public Schools**](https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/). As with most large city school districts, there are huge variations in the quality of the schools. Overall the city rates a [**B+ on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/hillsborough-county-public-schools-fl/#:~:text=Hillsborough%20County%20Public%20Schools%20is,math%20and%2050%25%20in%20reading.) 

There are plenty of schools that rate an A and plenty that rate a C. We hesitate to isolate particular neighborhoods for high or low scores as there are diamonds in the rough throughout the city but it is worth paying attention to scores relative to neighborhood if school scores are important to you. [**Plant High School**](https://www.niche.com/k12/plant-high-school-tampa-fl/?map) on the south side of the city and [**Steinbrenner High School**](https://www.niche.com/k12/steinbrenner-high-school-lutz-fl/?map) on the north end of the city are notable A+ choices if you want the kiddos aiming for the top of the public school path once they hit high school age.  





Schools 

Tampa is small enough where you can actually make a difference, whether it is through politics, business, or philanthropy and join the ranks of The Tamprenuers. 

You Can Make a Difference

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**guywithcoolsocks**
Living in Tampa
2y ago
✭✭✭✭

I love Tampa! I’m 26M and have been here for 2 years from Maryland. The surrounding area has everything you’re describing, but in and around Tampa still feels like a decent-sized city. I live close to downtown and it’s a quick 10-15 minute drive for any of the things you’re describing. Traffic is bad but not quite as bad as Orlando or Miami.

I travel around Florida for work and I love how unique the Bay Area is compared to everything else.

For more reviews of what living in Tampa is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/tampa/reviews)

Warm Days & Nights

Reviews of Tampa by Locals

**The Good The Bad and The Ugly**

Cigar City has no state tax and high-income job growth and Millennials make up a significant portion of Tampa residents. It turns out, this has caused Tampa to be a hot market for ‘baby-chasing.’ Baby chasing is the trend of baby boomer grandparents retiring near their millennial children to be close to their grandchildren, even in a different state. Tampa is the 14th-hottest market for baby-chasers and among the top 20 destinations for this demographic. Nevertheless, Tampa is a boomtown for single people. 

Breweries are high profile and focus on innovative ways to contribute to the scene and to feature themselves including "Yoga Pants & Craft Drafts,” the "Running for Brews" club and The Brew Bus (tours) Cigar City Brewing introduced Nebraska Mart, a new casual concept aimed at younger crowds. The key selling point to lure their young guests? Shuffleboard courts.

**The Best Thing About Tampa?**

Water and beaches, warm weather, parks, nightlife, lots of activities and events as well as thriving breweries and a vibrant music scene. 

**The Worst Thing About Tampa?** 

The traffic irritates people and they aren’t known to be the best drivers., it’s not a headquarter city and the school system can be touch and go. Overall, it is neither home to cozy small towns or big city life. 

**How You Living?** 

One option is micro apartments. Tampa is embracing Millennials' preferences for scaling down by becoming one of the first major U.S. cities to develop micro apartments. Urban Core Holdings is converting the top eight floors of a 12-story building into 300-400 square feet micro-apartments. For $850 a month, renters will get a kitchen with a two-burner stove top, refrigerator, dishwasher, a stackable washer-dryer unit, as well as a bike rack and a Murphy bed that transforms into a dining table.

South Tampa has the upscale yuppie lifestyle (but it floods) Ritzy areas are Channelside, Hyde park and Davis Island.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

Tampa is small enough where you can actually make a difference, whether it is through politics, business, or philanthropy and join the ranks of The Tamprenuers. 


Tampa sits on the Tampa Bay rather than directly on the Gulf Of Mexico like its sister city, St Petersburg. This makes it safer from storms than the southeast side of Florida or even the southwest side that sits south of the Tampa Metro area but it also means you aren’t directly on beaches here. You’re pretty much flat dab in the middle of the state along the coastline and so you’ve got a 6 ½ hour drive to hit Atlanta (Florida is a long state). Orlando though is only an hour or so away if you’ve hankering for some Disneyland. Miami is only four hours across the state so a weekend away in Magic City is perfectly reasonable. 


The Area

Channel District is one of the hottest neighborhoods for young professionals. It’s a short walk to many of the downtown work spots and is filled with high-rise apartments and condos with stunning waterfront views. The nice thing about Channel District is it has the prerequisite bar/restaurant scene but also has the Maven Market, a farmers market that also hosts events like the Historical & Cultural Festival. It also has the Aquarium and Sparkman Wharf, a newer revitalized shopping and dining area. Historic Ybor is perhaps the most famous of the downtown neighborhoods for nightlife and as such pulls in plenty of young professionals who want to walk to and walk home when they go out. While it is known for the drinking it also has great restaurants so don’t sleep on the foodie scene here. 
- Channel District
- Historic Ybor
- Downtown


Young Professionals

Channel District

North Hyde Park is a cool choice for those who want to be just a few minutes from downtown but who also crave a bit of a respite from the bar scenes and traffic. The neighborhood has very cool bungalows as well as upscale apartment buildings for those not ready to buy. It also has its own commercial district that while not matching the fervor of downtown can satisfy the desire for a quick burger and beer on a weekend or school night. 
- North Hyde Park
- Courier City-Oscawana


DINKs/SINKs

North Hyde Park

Tampa earned some creds in the LGBTQ+ community when in 2019 Jane Castor became the first openly gay mayor in the city’s history. The GaYBOR District is considered the LGBTQ+ Main Street for the West Coast of Florida. A combination of gay and gay-friendly businesses serve the local community with a mix of shops, bars and restaurants. The Heights are also gay-friendly neighborhoods with beautiful historic bungalows, boutique shopping and interesting restaurant choices. 
- Ybor/GaYbor
- The Heights (Seminole Heights/Riverside Heights/Tampa Heights)


LGBTQ+

Ybor

Harbour Island is a very popular neighborhood in downtown Tampa. Safe, friendly, amazing public schools and easy to walk to the Aquarium, the Wharf, and Downtown. The island throws a big Halloween and Xmas/Holiday party every year and has all sorts of community events throughout the year. It also is filled with beautiful old suburban style housing but you’re right near all the action should the mood strike you. 
- Harbour Island
- Palma Ceia / Palma Ciea West
- Hyde Park - Spanishtown Creek


Families

Harbour Island

Bayshore Beautiful is one of the most popular neighborhoods for 55+ in Tampa. Beautiful homes, treelined quiet streets and great views of Hillsborough Bay make it a destination for empty nesters and retirees. Several healthcare facilities in the area and extremely low crime rating make the locals feel very safe. Just north of Bayshore Beautiful is Bayshore Gardens. If you prefer high-rise condos to the upkeep of the big homes of its southern neighbor then this could be your spot. The Gardens is walkscore friendly for those looking to stay active in the local scene and locals are also served well by several healthcare sites within the neighborhood. 
- Bayshore Beautiful
- Bayshore Gardens
- Beach Park


Retirees

Bayshore Beautiful 

Tampa

**Jonny_Zuhalter**
Living In Tampa
2y ago
✭✭✭

West Coast is the best coast! Tampa is more like a classic big-small southern city with a country vibe, better beaches, better sunsets, better traffic, more affordable, overall just better for young professionals starting their careers or families.

Downsides? It's a little dirty and sleazy, but in my opinion that's part of the unique charm. Not about that plastic fakeness you see around Miami and Orlando. Us true Tampans be keepin' it real y'all.

**What do you like/dislike about living in Tampa?**

One thing I didn’t see mentioned in the thread is the awesome local beer scene! You could literally go to a new brewery once a week for a year and not repeat one. And aside from the sheer number, a lot of them make killer, often award winning stuff. Definitely going to be the biggest thing I’ll miss if we leave the area.

Most of the other things have been said already. Weather is really nice though very hot and humid from basically May to September. It will also rain almost every day in the summer but never for too long. There are lots of great parks, trails, outdoor spaces. But you’ll need to drive to them because the sprawl is bad. Speaking of driving, god help you if you need to cross the bridges every day for work. For two years I drove from Tampa to st Pete for work and sitting on the bridge every day ate at my soul.

All things considered I love Tampa. There’s a lot of money being poured into the downtown area so if you plan on staying more than a year or two you should be able to take advantage of that. You’re close to the beach if that’s your thing. St Pete is pretty cool in its own right and close by. Generally there’s always something to do, you’ll just have to drive there.

**What do you like/dislike about living in Tampa?**

Moved here less than a year ago and here’s my take:

Pros:

Lots of outdoor activities (bars, parks, festivals)

The food scene is up and coming with a lot of new restaurants opening up and some staples still thriving

Access to beautiful beaches

The city itself is aesthetically pleasing in many areas

Cons: Lots of traffic for a mid-sized city

Non-existent public transit

Awful drivers

Rent is pretty high (although real estate itself doesn’t seem to expensive when purchasing)

Tampa, Florida

Cigar City

Looklyloo Score: 86

Reviews

What's it like to live in Tampa?