I spent two tours of duty in the Sunshine State, one in high school (I finished HS in Boca Raton) and another as an adult (in Miami). It is a strange state in that folks who've made a ton of money in New York, Latin America, Canada, etc. buy a second or primary home there, and drive up real estate prices. Meanwhile, salaries remain low, which means that the state has difficulty attracting the educated class, and encourages speculation on the part of the "commission class" (aka real estate investors/agents/mortgage brokers). Then, you have the flotsam and jetsam of humanity who think that by moving to "sunny Florida" they can leave their troubles behind, but end up bringing their troubles with them.
I enjoy visiting my parents in Boca, and my friends in Miami, but I would suggest another state if you are family oriented and want a future outside of real estate speculation.