State comparison
Florida vs Nevada: which state is better to live in?
Nevada costs a median household about $730 a year less in state and local taxes than Florida, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $2,200 a year against $3,196 in Florida.
Florida
Low tax burden · COL index 103
Wins 5 categories
Nevada
Low tax burden · COL index 101
Wins 7 categories
Taxes: Florida vs Nevada
Neither Florida nor Nevada has a state income tax, so wages are untouched at the state level in both.
Property tax is 0.77% of home value a year in Florida and 0.53% in Nevada (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $3,196 against $2,200, so Nevada has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.02% in Florida and 8.23% in Nevada; 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, $4,041 in Nevada. Nevada is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Florida's cost of living index is 103 and Nevada's is 101, where 100 is the national average; Nevada is about 2% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $415K in Florida and $415K in Nevada (Zillow, 2024). A two-bedroom rents for about $1,900 a month in Florida and $1,550 in Nevada.
Home insurance averages $3,500 a year in Florida and $800 in Nevada, so Nevada is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 387 incidents per 100,000 residents in Florida and 595 in Nevada (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Florida is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 54% lower. Property crime is 1,882 per 100,000 in Florida against 2,634 in Nevada, again favoring Florida.
Health
Life expectancy is 77.3 years in Florida and 75.5 in Nevada (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.8-year edge for Florida. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Florida's health system 40th of 50 and Nevada's 35th, so Nevada scores better on care.
13.2% of Florida residents have no health insurance against 10.6% in Nevada, which favors Nevada. Nevada expanded Medicaid and Florida did not.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Florida's K-12 schools 19th in the country and Nevada's 48th, 29 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 Nevada went to Trump by 3 points.
Florida has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Nevada has shall-issue carry permits and a grade of C+, so Nevada regulates guns more tightly and Florida is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in Florida and protected by state law in Nevada, and marijuana is medical only in Florida and legal for adults in Nevada as of 2026. The minimum wage is $13.00 an hour in Florida and $12.00 in Nevada.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is very high in Florida (hurricane, flood, tornado) and moderate in Nevada (drought, wildfire, extreme-heat), so Nevada is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 28 in Florida and 40 in Nevada (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
5
Florida
7
Nevada
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Florida or Nevada better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Nevada on taxes ($4,041 a year for a median household against $4,766); Nevada on everyday costs (index 101 against 103); Florida on safety (387 violent crimes per 100,000 against 595); Florida on schools (ranked 19th against 48th).
Which is cheaper, Florida or Nevada?
Nevada is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 101 against 103. The median home is $415K in Florida and $415K in Nevada (2024). On state and local taxes Nevada saves a median household about $730 a year.
Does Florida or Nevada have lower taxes?
Nevada. 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 $4,041 in Nevada ($0 income tax, $2,200 property tax on the median home and $1,841 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Florida or Nevada?
Florida, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 387 per 100,000 residents in Florida and 595 in Nevada; property crime is 1,882 against 2,634.
Which has better schools, Florida or Nevada?
Florida. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Florida 19th of 50 for K-12 and Nevada 48th.
Is Florida or Nevada better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Florida does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Nevada does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $3,196 a year in Florida and $2,200 in Nevada.