Not taxed — has no state income tax, so Social Security is untaxed along with everything else
Effective property tax rate
1.88%
metro-area
#183 of 200
Median property tax paid
$6,681
metro-area
#192 of 200
Health & childcare
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Life expectancy at birth
78.6 years
metro-area
#48 of 200
Healthcare (annual, single adult)
$7,800
state
#182 of 200
Uninsured (share of residents)
6.6%
metro-area
#52 of 200
Primary care providers per 100k
84
metro-area
#65 of 200
Childcare (annual, infant, center)
$15,000
state
#141 of 200
Vehicles & commute
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Annual registration
$130
state
#107 of 200
Vehicle property tax (annual)
1.80% of value (~$504/yr)
state
#173 of 200
Emissions testing
Required
Emissions detail
Required in major metro counties
DMV & license offices
4
Avg commute to work
27 min
metro-area
#162 of 200
Commute by driving alone
72.9%
metro-area
#72 of 200
Solo drivers commuting 30+ min
37.8%
metro-area
#153 of 200
Utilities & fuel
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Electricity
27.2¢/kWh
state
#162 of 200
Avg monthly electric bill
$245
state
#162 of 200
Gasoline
$3.25/gal
state
#83 of 200
Natural gas (avg monthly bill)
$90
state
#184 of 200
Water & sewer (avg monthly bill)
$85
state
#55 of 200
Home internet (avg monthly bill)
$66
state
#5 of 200
Insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Home insurance (annual)
$1,000
state
#4 of 200
Auto insurance (annual)
$1,200
state
#3 of 200
Disaster risk & supplemental insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Main natural hazards
Notable hazards: hurricanes — separate flood/quake/windstorm policies may be needed.
FEMA National Risk Index (0–100, higher = more risk)
89.8 — Relatively Moderate
metro-area
#103 of 200
Flood insurance (annual, NFIP)
$650
state
#41 of 200
Earthquake insurance (annual)
$100
state
#1 of 200
Climate & air quality
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Air quality (median AQI, lower=cleaner)
37
metro-area
#16 of 200
Cooling degree-days (AC load)
400
metro-area
#12 of 200
Homes with air conditioning (state)
78%
state
#167 of 200
Heating degree-days (heat load)
7,200
metro-area
#190 of 200
Days per year ≥ 90°F
11
metro-area
#49 of 200
Days per year ≥ 100°F
0
metro-area
#5 of 200
Avg summer high (state)
81°F
metro-area
#9 of 200
Avg winter low
10°F
metro-area
#190 of 200
Annual precipitation
43.6"
metro-area
#101 of 200
Annual snowfall
49.2"
metro-area
#175 of 200
Sunshine (% of possible)
58%
metro-area
#105 of 200
Plant hardiness zone
5b
Frost window
05-10 → 10-10
Safety
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Violent crime (per 100k, state avg)
120
state
#2 of 200
Property crime (per 100k, state avg)
1,100
state
#3 of 200
Local amenities & recreation
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Grocery stores
120
metro-area
#5 of 200
Parks
60
Hiking areas
15
Golf courses
15
Shooting ranges
4
Lakes
4
Permits
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Building permit difficulty (1–5)
3
state
#87 of 200
Permit detail
Moderate
US rank = this metro's position among all 200 metros (1 = best: cheapest / safest / highest income, etc.). Childcare is a family cost, not included in the salary-equivalence total.
