Discovering Fort Lauderdale: The Venice of America
With cerulean seas and sunny skies, mangrove forests and mango trees, a rich and varied history and a vibrant city scene, Fort Lauderdale is the pinnacle of South Florida Living.
Both easy and breezy, Fort Lauderdale has a practical side and a sophisticated side. The low population density means space is not at a premium, like it is in Miami, and the lower housing costs make it a more affordable choice for younger families looking to buy their first homes and take advantage of the excellent education offered by Broward County Schools.
You’re never far from essential conveniences in Fort Lauderdale, but it’s also not a hassle to go downtown, where you can grab fish tacos, Mediterranean plates or Korean fusion, often featuring fresh, regional catch.
Fort Lauderdale’s appealing network of canals earned the city its status as The Venice of America, and there aren’t many cities in the U.S. where you can drive your boat to dinner. Among these meandering waterways, you can stroll along the Riverwalk and soak up the city’s many cultural offerings — the NSU Art Museum, the Museum of Science & Discovery and the home of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Or unwind with a day of shopping on Las Olas Boulevard, one of the trendiest spots in town.
A total of 184,255 people now live in Fort Lauderdale, and nearly 2 million live in Broward County and the greater metro area. New residents have flocked here for the warm climate and the excellent job market, supported by tech, transportation and tourism. But the connectivity is what sets Fort Lauderdale apart. Miami is only 30 miles away, Palm Beach is 45, and Naples and Orlando are easy drives, too. Business travelers will find the city to be an expedient home base, with national and international departures from FLL airport and MIA simplifying flights and connections. And when you need an escape of your own, there can be a cruise ship waiting at the port with your name on it (well, at least on the ticket), ready to sail you to farther flung beaches in the Caribbean and beyond.
If you’re looking for a coastal city that balances lifestyle, career and family, Fort Lauderdale should be on your list. Learn more about the pros and cons of living in this South Florida enclave below in our Moving Guide to Fort Lauderdale.
Life in Fort Lauderdale: Where Work Meets Leisure
Sun and Storms Year-Round
Living in the southern half of the Sunshine State can often feel like paradise — year-round warm weather, ruddy sunrises over the Atlantic and blue skies and lush landscapes, fed by refreshing rains. But even Eden must have had its moments, and Fort Lauderdale doesn’t always feel ideal.
The summers in this city can be oppressively hot and humid, with temperatures stretching into the hundreds. Thunderstorms may seem a tempting relief, but afterward the airborne moisture levels seem only to compete with the steam rising from hot sidewalks and pavement. You will want to carry sunscreen and bug repellant with you anytime you venture outdoors. But the flipside is that you’ll never have to shovel snow in Fort Lauderdale or scrape an icy windshield. Though, these activities may sound rather pleasant come July.
Hurricanes are serious business in South Florida, as you’ll see by the price of your insurance premiums, the cost of hurricane-proofing your house and the ever-increasing evacuation orders in the city.
The sub-tropical climate also puts the city at risk of another aquatic threat: flooding. On average, 52 inches of rain fall here every year — with the heaviest amounts arriving in the summer months — and the city’s beautiful network of canals makes residents vulnerable. Flooding can also be caused by storm surge during a hurricane, when the ocean swells and pushes inward, creating a salty, destructive mess for residents and governments to clean up.
Living farther from the ocean’s edge and insulating your home from high winds and water with items like hurricane shutters or hurricane glass, avoiding homes in a flood zone, and choosing houses whose living quarters are elevated far above ground level can help you avoid the worst. Remember to factor in the amount by which sea levels are expected to rise — 10 to 12 inches — when you are trying to future-proof your dwelling.
The Cost of Living
The cost of living in paradise isn’t cheap, but it could be worse. South Florida is an increasingly popular place to move, but housing costs vary dramatically along the Atlantic coastline.
The median home value in Fort Lauderdale averaged $455,600 between 2019 and 2023 — nearly $150,000 over the U.S. average — but prices here are in the middle of the pack compared to near neighbors like West Palm Beach ($369,800), Hollywood ($374,200), Miami ($475,200) and Boca Raton ($660,100). Rental costs in Fort Lauderdale are the second highest among these cities, averaging $1,776/month. The home ownership rate in the city lags behind national trends — only 53.8% of Fort Lauderdale residents own their own homes, compared to a national rate of 65% — in line with Boca Raton’s. Miami’s rate is staggeringly lower, however, sitting at only 30.7%.
Income levels are not comparably elevated in the city, which makes it more challenging to enter and stay in the housing market. The median household income in Fort Lauderdale is $79,935, and 15.2% of the population lives below the poverty line, slightly higher than national figures.
One potential benefit all Floridians share is that there is no income tax levied by the state. There is also no inheritance/estate tax, though property taxes are on the higher side, and the Tax Foundation ranks the state at #31 for these.
Please note: We are not tax experts and are not offering tax advice, other than you should consider obtaining additional information and advice from your legal and/or financial advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances.
A Thriving Economy
The Florida economy is one of the strongest and most important in the nation, and Fort Lauderdale businesses are an important part of this equation. The state’s GDP totals $1.6 billion, and agriculture and aquaculture, tourism, trade and transportation are all powerful forces. One of the surprisingly strong sectors in Fort Lauderdale is technology. There are now more than 6,000 tech firms in the region, helping it earn the title of the Internet Coast.
Metro Fort Lauderdale is lucky to be the corporate headquarters for DHL Solutions Americas, AutoNation, Stemtech International, Doroni Aerospace, JetBlue Travel Products and Spirit Airlines. And with the cruise industry and Port Everglades, the maritime economy is significant in Fort Lauderdale. But many small businesses, from maritime tours to spas and beachside restaurants, help give the city’s commerce its distinct character.
By the numbers, the Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield region is driven by trade, transportation and utilities, which supports nearly 216,000 jobs. Professional and business services also support a robust slice of the workforce, employing 172,000 individuals. When you factor in financial activities and the information sectors, which supply 93,000 jobs, the city’s corporate sector overtakes industrial. Education and health services employ 125,000 people — Broward Health and the Broward County Public Schools are two of the single largest employers in the city. And, thanks to the constant flow of tourists in the region, leisure and hospitality supports 99,000 jobs.
Most industries experienced growth between November of 2023 and 2024, keeping the unemployment rate in Fort Lauderdale at 3.4%, a figure the city has effectively maintained for the past five months.
Recreation and Entertainment
Living in Fort Lauderdale is all about the waterfront — shopping, dining and even museums are centered on the Atlantic Ocean, the New River and the city’s famous network of canals. Whether you’re an avid golfer, a fishing enthusiast or want to enjoy a shady umbrella with a view of the waves, this city has an activity for you.
Fort Lauderdale Beach is a white-sand refuge from daily life, where you can stroll the promenade, practice your vinyasa in a beach yoga class and let the kids cool off in the splash pad at the LOOP, a public park with a great local market. Paddleboarding, sailing, jet-skiing, bodysurfing and sea-kayaking are all popular activities on the surf itself.
If you’re looking for less crowded sand ways, Dania Beach (near Hollywood) has a long fishing pier and charming boutiques in town. While you’re there, check out the DCOTA — Design Center of the Americas — where you can see the latest in home dec, furniture and textiles … and maybe take home a couple of irresistible treasures for your new home. Miami’s South Beach is only an hour away from Fort Lauderdale without traffic, and if you have your sights set on the Gulf shores, you can cut through the Everglades and be in Naples within a couple of hours.
When a day of shopping is what you’re after, Las Olas Boulevard is one of the best places to experience the Fort Lauderdale vibe. This upscale, beachside district has all your favorite boutiques, along with mouthwatering restaurants and bakeries, like Pane Dolci, Kavasutra, and even an Ol’ Days, an excellent coffee shop that New York transplants might recognize from their haunt in Tribeca.
Timpano Las Olas, an art deco-inspired eatery, has been crafting traditional Italian fare since 1999, but this establishment is anything but dated. When you’re craving Mediterranean fare on the Middle Eastern side, it doesn’t get better than Elba. The carpaccio di polpo is beautifully prepared with Taggiasche olives, and the branzino is accompanied by divinely smooth potatoes and the house’ signature green ratatouille. Don’t forget an order of their basil-pistachio hummus and the Moroccan briouats for the table.
One of the things that makes the city so relaxing is Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, where you can stroll from destinations in the Art & Entertainment District like the Broward Center of the Performing Arts and the Museum of Science and Discovery to the NSU Art Museum and the Symphony. Take a guided bicycle tour with the fam or reserve a paddle pub boat tour when your college buddies pick your new hometown for the next reunion. The Riverwalk also hosts fun events throughout the year, and you’d be sorry if you missed the annual Tacos & Tequila Feast or the 16th Annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration.
Fort Lauderdale is considered the yachting capital of the world, and if you want to see the latest and greatest watercrafts, be sure to get tickets to the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS). FLIBS is five days of schmoozing, boozing and cruising, and the 100,000 attendees can see more than 1,500 vessels, from pedal-kayak boats to multi-million-dollar superyachts that would dwarf a blue whale.
Your Move to Fort Lauderdale: Seamless and Stress-Free
Let United Van Lines simplify your move to Fort Lauderdale. Working with a reputable, long-distance moving company like United can be the easiest way to relocate.
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United Van Lines has helped millions of families move to cities across the country When you work with United — America’s #1 Mover® — you’ll know that your relocation will be handled professionally and with care.
Moving cross-country to Fort Lauderdale? United Van Lines’ full-service moving packages and customized moving options can include services like packing and unpacking, debris removal, storage, car shipping and more. With United’s long-distance movers, you can relocate to Fort Lauderdale from any city in the U.S. with ease.
Making a local move to Fort Lauderdale? If you’re moving within the city of Fort Lauderdale or within the state of Florida, United Van Lines’ interstate Fort Lauderdale agents/movers can provide local moving services in the Fort Lauderdale area and Florida independently under their businesses and brands.
DIY movers can also benefit from guidance from the pros. If you’re planning on handling your own move, follow these moving tips and get access to even more moving advice on United’s moving blog and our digital House Key magazine.
However you choose to move to Fort Lauderdale, this step-by-step guide to moving long-distance will help you and your family stay on track leading up to moving day. The first few weeks after the move will be a period of adjustment for everyone. Here are some ways to help your family settle into your new digs.
Still considering a move to other cities in Florida? Not 100% sure that the Sunshine State is right for you? No worries! United has city guides and state guides to great places around the country.
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