My wife and I retired ten years ago to 30 acres in the country in rural Florida.
No state income taxes. No property taxes on our land essentially because of our agricultural exemption. We don't have any close neighbors or crime. It's peaceful here on the farm.
But we were stationed in Missouri in the Air Force. Between the two tornadoes we survived, the freezing ass cold winters with deep snow and black ice and the record rains of 12" and 16" two days in a row that flooded everything in sight, the place was not exactly a paradise itself. No place is. Not even Florida. We've had two hurricanes since we moved here.
But not all of Florida is like whatever city or town you lived in. Living in the cities is the problem nowadays, no matter what state you are in.
Oh I know and have been to North FL and it’s very similar to rural MO, aside from the weather. Regardless, we still couldn’t afford it. That’s the whole east coast really. My mother-in-law paid $65k for 5 acres in rural North FL. We bought 8 acres here in MO for $20k and then bought the adjoining 7 acres for $15k. They also paid thousands in building permits because they’re barely within Alachua, same county as Gainsville, while we have no codes, zoning or restrictions.
We pay $40-50 in income taxes and get the full amount back every year.
We lived in Ctrl FL and most people there are not from there.