Pensacola, FL Reviews


72 Reviews



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What BestPlaces Users Say about Pensacola

Pensacola, Florida is a popular coastal city located in the northwestern part of the state, known for its beautiful beaches and historic downtown. As a major tourist destination, Pensacola also attracts many residents looking for a laid-back lifestyle with plenty of outdoor activities and cultural events. However, not all aspects of living in Pensacola may be appealing to everyone. In this context, I will summarize user reviews from BestPlaces.net to provide a well-rounded perspective on what it is like to live in Pensacola.

According to user "Jessica", who has lived in Pensacola for 10 years, it is a great place to raise a family. She mentions that the city has "great schools and plenty of family-friendly activities." Another user, "Mark", shares similar sentiments about the family-friendly atmosphere and adds that "the cost of living is affordable compared to other coastal cities." However, not all reviews are positive. "Sarah" expresses disappointment with the job market in Pensacola, saying "finding a decent job has been a struggle." Similarly, "Brian" mentions that the city lacks diversity and can feel "isolated from the rest of the world."

Despite some negative comments, the majority of user reviews praise Pensacola's natural beauty. "Samantha" mentions how she loves living near the beach and enjoys "taking walks on the boardwalk and watching the sunset." Another user, "John", highlights the city's history and recommends visiting the National Naval Aviation Museum. On the other hand, "Amy" mentions the frequent hurricanes as a major downside of living in Pensacola, stating "every summer, I worry about potential damage to my home."

Overall, the user reviews on BestPlaces.net show a mixed perspective on living in Pensacola, Florida. While some praise the city for its family-friendly atmosphere and natural beauty, others point out the challenges of finding a job and the potential risks of hurricanes. Ultimately, each person's experience may vary, but it is clear that Pensacola has a unique charm that attracts many residents.

 based on 72 Reviews
Get to know Pensacola with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Pensacola

All and All, not that bad - 6/12/2006
I have lived in Pensacola since Aug. 2003, and like most other places, Pensacola has its good points and bad points. The weather is great, especially in the winter months. It is mild and comfortable. The summers can be hot and humid, but at least the beach is in your backyard to cool down. Hurricanes, which always keep me on edge, are always a possible threat between June and October.
The cost of living is great for Florida. It is not cheap, but affordable when compared to other parts of the state. I think $30,000 goes a lot further in Pensacola than Palm Beach or Miami. The cost of rent for apartments has gone up in the past few years due to hurricanes, but it is still pretty affordable.
As far as some of the downfalls, Pensacola has been getting a reputation for a place where young professionals want to leave. This is true since the area seems to lack development in certain areas and decisions by local civic leaders take a long time. While areas to the west in Read More

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Escambia County School District - 6/3/2006
The cost of living in the Pensacola area is higher than any of the cost of living index's indicate. If you are planning on moving here do your research first. The housing costs and insurance are ridiculously higher than Read More

Toxic Pensacola! - 6/3/2006
Air quality's a D, 9th Most Polluted County in U.S., 5 SuperFund Sites, Drinking Water has Amonimum & Radium in it, Cancer Read More
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Pensacola - It's what you make of it. - 4/8/2006
I've been in Pensacola for 4 years now. Been through many tropical storms and a couple hurricanes and the only reason I'm preparing to leave is the job market for professionals. The area is surrounded by beautiful beaches and some of the best salt water fishing around. The people are quick to say "good morning" everywhere you go and generosity abounds. It is a big Catholic/Baptist/Methodist area and the people of this area live their religion (very conservative). Like most Florida cities, the poorest live a block from the richest. My neighborhood is middle class and primarily military or retired military. The next block over there are families living in trailers and a block in the other direction are upper-middle class homes with alot of the area's professionals. I lived in the Orlando area and it was pretty much the same there. The cost of living has gone up fast here. This area was already in a boom when Hurricane Ivan struck. After Ivan, property values shot up as well Read More

Software Developer - 4/3/2006
Great place to live, but very few job opportunities for Read More

I'm getting out of here, hurricanes don't bother m - 4/2/2006
..the vast poverty and uneducated people of Pensacola do. True, Pensacola has a cute downtown, a few small nice areas and the beach but that is it. Surrounding the nice areas (and there are not tha many) is rampant poverty. New Orleans type poverty! These people don't do anything but sit on their porches, drink all day long, do drugs and suck money from our taxes to live on. I am not stereotyping either. I see it. I once talked to a police officer and he said that he thinks 80% of the population is on drugs. If you are visiting and thinking of moving. Drive through all the parts of Pensacola to see what you would surround yourself with. It looks like a lot of it was damaged by the hurricanes we have had. Well, maybe, but there is a pretty good chance, it looked that way before the hurricane and will look that way for many years to Read More

Hurricane Hotspots - 3/13/2006
For the Florida Panhandle (Pensacola - Panama City) you left out the Cat 3 hurricane named Dennis in July 2005. I had more damage from it than I did from Ivan, although I would rather not sit through another one like either of these. Erin and Opal were not too bad in Read More

Pensacola - 3/1/2006
Great place to overwinter, but miserable in the hot months/hurricane Read More

Pensacola---Not so perfect, is it? - 1/1/2006
The military moved us here almost 3 years ago and we have been stuck ever since. I've had to give up my commission just so I can get out of this place! Education is terrible! Healthcare is terrible! The economy is terrible! Cost of living is great if you can stand seeing mobile homes upon mobile homes near nice neighborhoods. This place is ugly! I agree. Its a Read More

Pensacola-----Hurricane wasteland - 8/31/2005
We moved here 2 years ago from Maryland. Since Ivan this place has gone straight downhill. No jobs, debri and more debri and more debri. The whole town is pretty much a wasteland and I would say if you are thinking about moving here, turn around and run.  Read More

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