is pensacola a good place to live? (Miami, Tampa: apartment complexes, rental)

[devyn f.]

hi,i was just wanting to know what's pensacola like from anyone who has lived in the city or the area.we will be moving to the area from out of state very soon, and was just wanting too know a little about the place before we drive down there.
We are going down there with just enough to rent a small place and just enough to get by and would also like to know about some safe areas to look into that are not too out of my price of range,but is SAFE!I'm not to picky on what it looks like,but I prefer no bars on the windows if you know what I mean!

Anyway,thanks for any info and if you know of any other cities too look into it would apprieciated,as long as it's close to Destin/Ft.walton /Pensacola because I'll be working out of these cities so if know of anything please let me know.

THANK-YOU!!!

[southernnaturelover]

What is your price range?

I would probably look in NW P'cola around University Pkwy/Nine Mile Rd area.

Avoid Brownsville (aka West P'cola).

[beachmouse]

Whether you find Pensacola to be a good place almost entirely relies on whether you've got a decent job in the area. Good jobs are really hard to find unless you're in health care of have connections.

If you've got that already covered, then it can be a fairly nice place to live. Unless you're at NAS Pensacola, I'd usually recommend NE Pensacola out by Cordova Mall/Pensacola Airport, then the Santa Rosa County 'burbs of Pace, Gulf Breeze, and Navarre/Holley by the Sea if public schools are an issue.

Rent for someplace decent tends to be cheaper in Pensacola than in Ft. Walton. (more affluent area, and land scarcity from the Air Force owning so much of the land south of I-10 where most people want to live drive prices up)

If you're going to be spending a good amount of time in both Pensacola and FWB, I'd probably look at some of the newer apartment complexes in Crestview north of FWB. The commute between the two cities is worlds better using I-10 than if you have to deal with commuter hell on US 98 down along the coast.

[devyn f.]

I would like to try and stay under $600/month if possible.Is that to low?Idon't know the price ranges there,I know where I'm living now is about $1000-$1200/month, what is it there?

[beachmouse]

Under $600 and in a decent area is probably going to be easier in Pensacola than Ft. Walton Beach. Crestview has traditionally a cheap and safe/reasonably nice option for people who commute into Ft. Walton Beach, but they're starting to move the Green Berets just south of Crestview, and it seems like that's pushing rental prices up in that area.

[devyn f.]

hmm...I'll be sure to look around those areas,but what are those areas like?
And what is the traffic like?I'm living here out west and I can't stand it!The people are not friendly and the traffic is unreal,oh I could go on, but what's it like there?
I mean,based off of what I've found on the web,the whole area looks nice,but what do you guys think the area?

[007.5]

Originally Posted by devyn f.

hmm...I'll be sure to look around those areas,but what are those areas like?
And what is the traffic like?I'm living here out west and I can't stand it!The people are not friendly and the traffic is unreal,oh I could go on, but what's it like there?
I mean,based off of what I've found on the web,the whole area looks nice,but what do you guys think the area?

I live near to Pensacola. I find Pensacola proper to be any other large city which means lots of traffic, more stressed out people , noise, and concrete ....but not as bad as say Tampa, Miami, Atlanta or Chicagoland . I think if you lived on the outer fringes of Pensacola like the far far north side of the city...you might find it a tad better in this regard ; The towns of Pace , Milton, or Crestview would be far more desirable in my honest opinion because they incorporate more parks, forests, and nature. A benefit i see to how Pensacola is layed out, would be quick and easy access to major interstates and highways with the beaches not far away . I think you need to spend a couple days driving the areas mentioned and checking out local newspapers for jobs wanted . This part of Florida is considerably nicer than south florida in nearly every way if you dont like alot of congestion and people constantly laying on their car horns for the smallest thing.

[Jenny O.]

Yes, Pensacola is nice, although, parts have never recovered from Ivan. There are MANY isores, where there is construction on the beach, used to be a house. Very low sea level by the water. Gulf Breeze is nice, ( the Proper ) watch hwy 98, south of the road is no-mans land from gulf breeze to ft. walton, Bay street, gone, renting is good there, don't buy, If you cross the bay into northern santa rosa county, you have left florida, and staight into hunter gatherer world. We got washed up here, it is growing all of the conviences, nice people, lots of military, NOT the Florida feel..Pensacola Escambia county, watch your neighborhoods, they change block by block, the west side of town is very confussing, stay east..

[forcemultiplier]

Originally Posted by devyn f.

hmm...I'll be sure to look around those areas,but what are those areas like?
And what is the traffic like?I'm living here out west and I can't stand it!The people are not friendly and the traffic is unreal,oh I could go on, but what's it like there?
I mean,based off of what I've found on the web,the whole area looks nice,but what do you guys think the area?

Did you end up moving to the Gulf Coast, and if so, how do you like it thus far?

[nature1]

Hi All!

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how these two areas compare? Or how the panhandle in general compares to sw florida. My family is trying to decide between the two ( we are mid thirties with two young children) Thanks a bunch!