Region preview · 2027 Edition

Moving to the Florida Keys: what to know

A 113-mile string of islands tied together by one highway, from Key Largo to Key West.³ Coral reefs, turquoise water, fishing, the warmest winters in the continental U.S. and a famously relaxed attitude, paid for with high prices, high insurance and real hurricane exposure.^4,5,6

Counties: Monroe. Includes Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Key West.

76° / 66°¹January high / low, Key West

90° / 81°¹July high / low

40 in¹rain a year, wettest September

$780,600²median home value, Monroe County

27.2%²aged 65 and over, Monroe County

$87,738²median household income

Weather

The warmest winters in the continental U.S. Summers are hot and humid but rarely extreme, thanks to the water on every side. Less rain than the mainland.¹

Storms and hazards

Hurricanes, with nowhere to go but north on U.S. 1. Irma came ashore at Cudjoe Key on September 10, 2017, as a Category 4 with 130 mph winds; 27,649 homes in Monroe County were damaged and 1,179 destroyed. Leave early when officials order an evacuation; traffic on the single road builds fast.^2,4,5,7
Storm surge and flooding: almost all of the Keys is low-lying. Flood insurance is a must, and its cost matters to your budget.⁸
Mobile and manufactured homes should leave for every evacuation order. Register with the county's special-needs registry if you'd need help.⁷

See every hurricane near the Florida Keys since 1851, mapped

Who it suits

Our judgment, from the facts in the full profile.

Boaters, divers and anglers
People who want frost-free, tropical winters
Retirees and remote workers with the budget for island prices
Anyone happy with a small-town life where everyone knows the bartender

A few things to see

Drive the Overseas Highway and the Seven Mile Bridge³
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo⁶
The Ernest Hemingway Home and its six-toed cats⁹

Only in Florida

The Conch Republic declared war on the United States by breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over a man in a Navy uniform, surrendered a minute later, and asked for a billion dollars in foreign aid.¹⁰

Visitor information

The official, non-commercial places to ask about things to do, events and local services.^11,12 Many tourism offices also offer a free visitor guide.

County tourism offices

Monroe County: The Florida Keys & Key West

VISIT FLORIDA lists no state-certified visitor center in this region; the county offices are the place to ask.

The full Florida Keys profile is in Choosing Your Place

Every county's people, income, home value and rent
Costs, insurance, hospitals, getting around, jobs, culture and history
10 town cards for this region, each with home value, rent, median age and the nearest 24-hour ER and airport
Side-by-side compare with any other region, and the monthly-cost calculator

Get Choosing Your Place · $9.99 What's inside

Moving here for sure? Living Here & Staying Ready has Florida Keys's county emergency and special-needs numbers, and a household plan. Get the Complete Edition for $19.99.

Written by Charles Squires, North Port, Florida. 40 years living in Florida, in eight places.

I've lived in Coral Gables, Fort Walton Beach and Destin, Pasco County, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and North Port, and called on thousands of schools across the state for Books Are Fun.

More about the author and how this manual is made

Towns in the Florida Keys

Free basics for each of the 10 places with 1,000 or more people: home value, rent and the nearest ER.

Big Coppitt Key · Big Pine Key · Cudjoe Key · Islamorada, Village of Islands · Key Largo · Key West · Marathon · North Key Largo · Stock Island · Tavernier

Other regions: Southwest Florida · Tampa Bay · Central Florida · Heartland · North Central Florida · Northeast Florida · Space Coast and Daytona · Southeast Florida · Big Bend and Nature Coast · Panhandle