What Does It Cost to Live in Broward County?

According to Sperling's Best Places, the cost of living in Broward County is rated at 122. On Sperling's index, the average cost of living nationwide is 100. So it does cost more to live in Broward County than it does to live in many other locations nationwide.

Across the board, most costs in Broward are actually comparable to what they are elsewhere in Florida, but housing is significantly more expensive, as is transportation (see the relevant sections below).

Taxes in Broward County

While housing may cost more in Broward, one area where you will save is taxes. Florida is a state with no income tax. That means you need to pay federal tax, but do not need to worry about filing state taxes at all. The sales tax rate is 6%, which significantly lower than some other states.

Broward County Job Market

While unemployment in Broward County peaked above 10% during the recession, it has dropped steadily since then. As of August 2018, it is only 3.5%. The US Census reports the median household income as of 2016 was $52,954. Per capita, it was $28,987.

Average Home Costs in Broward County

The same Census data, which provided the information on average incomes also includes data on housing in Broward. The median value of homes in the area was reported to be $202,300 as of 2016 (Sperling reports a higher figure$250,000). The typical monthly cost of housing with a mortgage was $1,735.

Broward County Schools

Florida is a state where schools are highly concentrated. Miami-Dade's school district is the largest in the state, but Broward's comes in second. It also happens to be the nations sixth largest. $9,127 is how much the county spends on each student on average.

Getting Around Broward County

There are a few different options for public transit in Broward. The authority which operates the public transportation options is called Broward County Transit. They run the Tri-Rail metro line as well as the Sun Trolley bus service.

The vast majority of Broward County residents take their own automobiles to work. The average commute time is around 27 minutes. This is very close to the nationwide average.

Leisure and Entertainment in Broward County

What is there to do around the area when you are not busy working? One of the best things about moving to this part of Florida is that you will never run out of fun and exciting activities to fill your evenings and weekends.

There are of course an abundance of opportunities for shopping and dining throughout Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding cities. You can also visit collections like the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum and the NSU Art Museum. Natural attractions include Flamingo Gardens, Butterfly World, Anne Knolb Nature Center, and of course the famous Everglades. You also can head to the beach or go boating or fishing or enjoy the professional sports teams that represent South Florida such as the Dolphins, Heat, Marlins, & Panthers.