State comparison
Florida vs Georgia: which state is better to live in?
Florida costs a median household about $3,400 a year less in state and local taxes than Georgia, mostly because it has no income tax, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 103 against 91).
Florida
Low tax burden · COL index 103
Wins 9 categories
Georgia
Moderate tax burden · COL index 91
Wins 6 categories
Taxes: Florida vs Georgia
Florida has no state income tax. Georgia has a flat 5.49% income tax, which works out to 5.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,722 a year. Florida wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.77% of home value a year in Florida and 0.81% in Georgia (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $3,196 against $2,754, so Florida has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.02% in Florida and 7.35% in Georgia; Florida is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $4,766 a year in Florida, $8,120 in Georgia. Florida is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Florida's cost of living index is 103 and Georgia's is 91, where 100 is the national average; Georgia is about 13% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $415K in Florida and $340K in Georgia (Zillow, 2024), a $75K gap in Georgia's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,900 a month in Florida and $1,600 in Georgia.
Home insurance averages $3,500 a year in Florida and $2,200 in Georgia, so Georgia is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 387 incidents per 100,000 residents in Florida and 499 in Georgia (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Florida is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 29% lower. Property crime is 1,882 per 100,000 in Florida against 2,212 in Georgia, again favoring Florida.
Health
Life expectancy is 77.3 years in Florida and 75.2 in Georgia (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 2.1-year edge for Florida. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Florida's health system 40th of 50 and Georgia's 37th, so Georgia scores better on care.
13.2% of Florida residents have no health insurance against 14.1% in Georgia, which favors Florida. Neither state has expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Florida's K-12 schools 19th in the country and Georgia's 32nd, 13 places apart in Florida's favor. Both states run school-choice voucher programs.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Florida went to Trump by 13 points and Georgia was a swing state decided by 2 points.
Florida has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Georgia has permitless carry and a grade of F.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in both states, and marijuana is medical only in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $13.00 an hour in Florida and $7.25 in Georgia.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is very high in Florida (hurricane, flood, tornado) and high in Georgia (hurricane, tornado, flood), so Georgia is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 28 in Florida and 36 in Georgia (under 50 is good), favoring Florida.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
9
Florida
6
Georgia
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Florida or Georgia better to live in?
Florida wins more of the measures that decide a move. Florida on taxes ($4,766 a year for a median household against $8,120); Georgia on everyday costs (index 91 against 103); Florida on safety (387 violent crimes per 100,000 against 499); Florida on schools (ranked 19th against 32nd).
Which is cheaper, Florida or Georgia?
Georgia is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 91 against 103. The median home is $415K in Florida and $340K in Georgia (2024). On state and local taxes Florida saves a median household about $3,400 a year.
Does Florida or Georgia have lower taxes?
Florida. A household earning $74,580 pays about $4,766 a year in Florida ($0 income tax, $3,196 property tax on the median home and $1,571 in sales tax) and $8,120 in Georgia ($3,722 income tax, $2,754 property tax on the median home and $1,644 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Florida or Georgia?
Florida, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 387 per 100,000 residents in Florida and 499 in Georgia; property crime is 1,882 against 2,212.
Which has better schools, Florida or Georgia?
Florida. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Florida 19th of 50 for K-12 and Georgia 32nd.
Is Florida or Georgia better for retirees?
Florida is friendlier to retirees on paper. Florida does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Georgia does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $3,196 a year in Florida and $2,754 in Georgia.