TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Free State of Florida has emerged as the leading state for first-time homebuyers, according to a new study from WalletHub reported by Fox Business. The study ranked five Florida cities in the top five and six in the top ten. Palm Bay secured the number one spot, followed by Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Tampa, and Orlando in second through fifth places respectively. Lakeland also featured prominently in the top ten, ranking seventh.
The list of best cities for first-time homebuyers is as follows:
1. Palm Bay, FL
2. Cape Coral, FL
3. Port St. Lucie, FL
4. Tampa, FL
5. Orlando, FL
6. Surprise, AZ
7. Lakeland, FL
8. Boise, ID
9. Gilbert, AZ
10. Henderson, NV
“Governor DeSantis has taken a steadfast, pro-job seeker, pro-job creator approach to elevating the many incredible places to live, work and play in Florida,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “It’s through the Governor’s focus on workforce readiness, infrastructure readiness, public safety, conservative financial stewardship and a persistent focus on lowering the cost of living that Florida’s communities continue to elevate and attract families from around the nation.”
In contrast to Florida's strong performance, eight California cities were ranked among the bottom ten locations for first-time homebuyers out of 300 surveyed locations: Costa Mesa, Glendale, Los Angeles, Oakland, Santa Barbara San Francisco Santa Monica and Berkeley.