Taxed — taxes Social Security benefits, but income thresholds and age rules exempt many retirees — check the state's own limits before assuming you would owe
Effective property tax rate
1.76%
metro-area
#176 of 200
Median property tax paid
$8,659
metro-area
#198 of 200
Health & childcare
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Life expectancy at birth
81.2 years
metro-area
#7 of 200
Healthcare (annual, single adult)
$8,200
state
#193 of 200
Uninsured (share of residents)
7.1%
metro-area
#70 of 200
Primary care providers per 100k
92
metro-area
#30 of 200
Childcare (annual, infant, center)
$16,000
state
#150 of 200
Vehicles & commute
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Annual registration
$120
state
#101 of 200
Vehicle property tax (annual)
2.07% of value (~$580/yr)
state
#175 of 200
Emissions testing
Required
Emissions detail
Required in major metro counties
DMV & license offices
6
Avg commute to work
31 min
metro-area
#189 of 200
Commute by driving alone
63.0%
metro-area
#10 of 200
Solo drivers commuting 30+ min
38.6%
metro-area
#158 of 200
Utilities & fuel
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Electricity
32.2¢/kWh
state
#177 of 200
Avg monthly electric bill
$290
state
#177 of 200
Gasoline
$3.40/gal
state
#135 of 200
Natural gas (avg monthly bill)
$106
state
#194 of 200
Water & sewer (avg monthly bill)
$88
state
#65 of 200
Home internet (avg monthly bill)
$66
state
#5 of 200
Insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Home insurance (annual)
$1,600
state
#80 of 200
Auto insurance (annual)
$1,900
state
#86 of 200
Disaster risk & supplemental insurance
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Main natural hazards
Notable hazards: hurricanes, flooding — separate flood/quake/windstorm policies may be needed.
FEMA National Risk Index (0–100, higher = more risk)
94.7 — Relatively High
metro-area
#141 of 200
Flood insurance (annual, NFIP)
$800
state
#120 of 200
Earthquake insurance (annual)
$100
state
#1 of 200
Climate & air quality
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Air quality (median AQI, lower=cleaner)
42
metro-area
#57 of 200
Cooling degree-days (AC load)
700
metro-area
#25 of 200
Homes with air conditioning (state)
90%
state
#136 of 200
Heating degree-days (heat load)
5,800
metro-area
#164 of 200
Days per year ≥ 90°F
6
metro-area
#25 of 200
Days per year ≥ 100°F
-778
metro-area
#1 of 200
Avg summer high (state)
85°F
metro-area
#59 of 200
Avg winter low
18°F
metro-area
#159 of 200
Annual precipitation
47.1"
metro-area
#141 of 200
Annual snowfall
51.7"
metro-area
#183 of 200
Sunshine (% of possible)
56%
metro-area
#132 of 200
Plant hardiness zone
6b
Frost window
04-20 → 10-20
Safety
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Violent crime (per 100k, state avg)
150
state
#3 of 200
Property crime (per 100k, state avg)
1,400
state
#11 of 200
Local amenities & recreation
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Grocery stores
15
metro-area
#197 of 200
Parks
8
Hiking areas
15
Golf courses
15
Shooting ranges
1
Lakes
1
Permits
Metric
Value
Scope
US rank
Building permit difficulty (1–5)
4
state
#147 of 200
Permit detail
Difficult; zoning + review
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.
