What BestPlaces Users Say about St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida is a popular city known for its warm weather, beautiful beaches, and vibrant arts scene. With a population of over 260,000, it is a diverse and bustling community attracting both tourists and residents alike. However, living in this particular place is not without its challenges. According to numerous user reviews on BestPlaces, while St. Petersburg has its positives, it also has its drawbacks. From its high cost of living to its traffic congestion, let's take a closer look at what people have to say about living in this city.
- "St. Petersburg is a beautiful city with great weather and a variety of outdoor activities. However, the cost of living is high, especially when it comes to housing. It can be difficult to find affordable housing, and even when you do, it's often in older buildings with maintenance issues." - Emily M.
- "I love living in St. Petersburg for its vibrant arts and culture scene. There are always events and festivals happening, and the downtown area is filled with charming shops and restaurants. However, the traffic can be a nightmare during peak tourist season." - Michael R.
- "As a retiree, I appreciate the relaxed and laid-back atmosphere of St. Petersburg. The beaches are gorgeous, and there are plenty of retirement communities to choose from. My only complaint is the lack of diversity in the city." - Maria G.
- "I've lived in St. Petersburg for over 20 years and have seen it grow and change. While it's definitely become more expensive, the quality of life has also improved. There are more job opportunities and a thriving downtown area. The only downside is the summer heat and humidity, which can be brutal." - David S.
From these reviews, it's clear that St. Petersburg offers a lot to those who choose to call it home. Its beautiful weather and outdoor activities, as well as its arts and culture scene, are highly praised. However, the cost of living and traffic congestion are common complaints. Additionally, while some appreciate the city's laid-back atmosphere, others believe it lacks diversity. Overall, St. Petersburg seems to be a city with its own unique charm and challenges that residents must navigate.
based on 56 ReviewsGet to know St. Petersburg with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg area remains a great place for acti - 7/30/2015
Towards the end of my career, I began searching for a good retirement location in the U.S, albeit one that offered a lower cost of living, consistently warmer weather, and close proximity to beautiful beaches. None of that pertains to cool, expensive coastal central and northern California where I used to live!
I wanted all the above but not in an isolated setting. My quest was for a relatively urban and cosmopolitan environment, albeit one with a less frenetic pace of life (and again less expensive!) than much of California. A lot of research and some on-the-ground travel suggested that the Tampa Bay area, and greater St. Petersburg in particular, seemed most nearly to fulfill all these requirements. Eight years after moving into a very pleasant townhome community located between St. Petersburg and Madeira Beach, it still seems like a very sound decision!
St. Petersburg and the remainder of Pinellas County has several hundred varied and well-established
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Depends... - 7/12/2015
There are three sides to St. Petersburg. There is the wealthy part with people who can afford nice homes and all of the great amenities the downtown area has. There is the southside which is pure ghetto. Then there is the rest of St. Petersburg, mixed neighborhoods with nice houses next to shacks, nice people stuck in neighborhoods where there are occasional prostitutes, crime, mouthy thugs,etc. When a house in the neighborhood sells you never know if the people who move in will be quiet and respectful or play their heavy bass music loud enough to vibrate your windows. I've been teaching here for 25 years and am truly hoping to move to the north when I retire. And... make no mistake all of you tourists who come in the winter and think it would be great to live here all year, summer is unbearable!!! Your a/c cannot keep up with the heat and your electric bills will be through the roof! So you will have to decide if St. Pete is right for you. Base your decision on the income you expect.
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St. Petersburg rocks. Ignore old posts. It has ch - 12/17/2014
I moved to the Tampa Bay area 13 years ago to begin my practice as a plaintiff personal injury attorney. I found myself drawn more and more to St. Petersburg those first few years until I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Over the years I have seen the city clean up so much!. It is now almost 2015. Building everywhere, jobs are up, crime is down, people are polite. We still have insurance denying personal injury claims, which keeps me busy; (www.flinjuryattorney.com)but that happens everywhere. There are great beaches with warm water, booming down town with events all the time. If you are moving here, make sure to rent for a year to see which neighborhood you like... there are areas that have crime like every other city in the world so avoid them unless you want to be one of those people writing bad reviews here.
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housing varies from block to block - 7/1/2014
Overal and all things considered,St.Petersburg,Florida is a good place to live. We have a great EMS and heatlthcare service in our area. Certain neighborhoods are nice one block,not so nice the nect kind of thing,but we have some nice areas for the most part. Stay away from the southern side of the city as crime is high. It's a shame that the people south of Central Avenue don't seem to want to take care of their nieghborhood. You can have a 500k house on the next blocxk and a near condemned shack the block behind you in some parts of the city. Research before you move here,and you will be
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Property Crime - A THIEVES PARADISE - 6/24/2014
Weekly thefts from property located at 7300 Central Avenue St. Petersburg,Florida 33707
Another theft last night. Sometimes I don't know why I bother. I am just growing plants for the thieves. I should probably just shut down the business. Then they will only steal my other things. No sales to speak of , only THEFT.
Yesterday , I cut down all the flowering plumeria around the property to prevent more thefts and butchering of the plants. So instead of beautiful flowering plumeria blossoms to share with neighbors and friends , there are only stems and sticks. Nothing is safe in your yard or commercial property. Thieves will take whatever they like, whenever they want to. I have lost tools, plants, a truck, wood, metal railings, you name it, if they want it, it is theirs. No relief, and no satisfaction from the police. I would bet that theft insurance wouldn't be available here. If so , too expensive.
Come on down tourists !!! and get your stuff stolen. Or better
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Why are all the cops up here in the North side? - 1/31/2014
The cops In St Pete all hang out In the North end of town and avoid the South. I guess they might have to get out of their cars and do some sort of work If they go where the crime Is
This town Is such a mess If you want service any place you go you have to out rude theses people. I have stopped going to any fast food place because they tend to have the worst service and a manager that just crawled off of a raft made out of inner
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What's Not To Like? - 1/1/2014
Beautiful weather, walkable/livable/vibrant downtown, water/water/water, beaches/beaches/beaches, craft breweries, restaurants, arts/museums, Tampa Bay Rays, affordable housing, low taxes, nearby colleges,
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eehh...it's okay. - 4/22/2011
I was born and raised in St Pete. The city USE to be very much divided. I'm black and I grew up on the south side. Crime was a regular to me...way higher than stats can show because more than half of the crime I personally experienced went unreported & was "handled" by the actual victim or victim's family. I actually did not even deal with white people on a daily basis until I started school at about 5 yrs old. The police and the civilian citizens do not have that great of a relationship between them. Meaning, if you called 911 you are lucky if anything gets done about the crime committed against you (no matter your race). And the people have no problem firing back at police. I thought I lived in a pretty decent place until I joined the military after high school and came back home. Now being home after getting out of the military, I'm no longer THAT use to the sirens, gunshots, and all of the crime infesting the city. There are better parts of the city to live in though. But, I think
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St. Petersburg, FL Superior to Tampa, FL! - 1/25/2011
I lived in Tampa, Florida and traveled to St. Pete three times and discovered that they are night and day. I definitely loved St. Petersburg, the clean and landscaped streets, sidewalks, nice and varied stores and restaurants etc downtown, museums and arts, and of course the beautiful beaches. There are great colleges nearby and climate is wonderful, but of couse it is hotter in the summer. No place is perfect. I enjoyed it much more than Tampa, as Tampa had nothing but trailers, traffic, strip clubs, tattoo shops and streets with litter and neighborhoods without sidewalks. It also had horrible ratty sprawl. Of course St. Pete has some of that, but its downtown and beach areas are great. I enjoyed the cultural things it had to offer and the laid back
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