If I Were Moving To East Coast Florida in 2026, I’d Move Here

Florida's become one of the hottest destinations for people moving to the United States or moving from parts elsewhere. Everybody knows hotspots like Miami, Tampa, Orlando, but what if I told you that there's some hidden gems that you might not know about that you should and you should consider. I'm Sally Daley. I've done tons of research from Jacksonville all the way down to Miami and today I'm going to give you some hidden gems that you should think about and then if I was going to move to the East Coast of Florida in 2026 would be on my short list to consider.

Number one, Juno Beach. Juno Beach is tucked in between Vero Beach and Palm Beach and it's a wonderful mashup of the best of both worlds. It's quiet, there's a lot of preservation, beautiful beaches, but they also have great housing options. You have condos right on the water, you've got dynamic restaurants, you've got single-family houses and town homes, a little more urban feeling than Vero Beach, not as urban as Miami Palm Beach and not as expensive as Palm Beach. So, if a quieter community that's a stone's throw to Palm Beach and Jupiter is important to you, but you also want green space and Mother Nature as your most prominent neighbor, Juno Beach is worthy of your consideration.

Prices are going to be more than Vero, not as much as Palm Beach. See what I'm saying here? It's like this midway point of the best thing of both communities. Prices in Juno Beach are going to be anywhere from 7 to 800,000 to multi-million depending on what you want, more affordable than Palm Beach, easy to get to Palm Beach from there, easy peasy, 10-15 minutes, you've got everything of Palm Beach and West Palm at your footsteps. Jupiter, Jupiter, Jupiter is having a bit of a moment. Jupiter is internationally known for its fabulous golf courses.

Most of the world's top golf professionals are affiliated with a club around Jupiter. The great thing about Jupiter, even if golf isn't your jam, it's a stone's throw from Palm Beach and West Palm. So, again, it's the best of both worlds. It's not as expensive as Palm Beach, but it's also just north of Palm Beach. So, it's a 10-15 minute drive, you've got the Loxahatchee River, you've got the Atlantic Ocean. Jupiter actually has a barrier island that is very, very exclusive. At one point Perry Como lived there, now Tiger Woods has a house there, Celine Dion famously.

You go east, the prices are going to go up the closer you get to the water. So, you're going to have prices anywhere 800 to 36 million on one of these tony golf courses and I don't even know how many millions it would cost to be on the barrier island of Jupiter. It is a lovely community. Prices are going to be anywhere from the eights to multi-multi-millions including some pretty jaw-dropping prices on some of these very exclusive country clubs. It is an unparalleled lifestyle. There are pedal clubs, there's supper clubs, there are golf clubs, there's fine dining, the Mets, it's all there and you're only 10 to 15 minutes away from Palm Beach, yet more affordable.

So, if all of this outside lifestyle and high quality of life culturally and waterways and things to do are important to you, Jupiter should be on your radar to explore. Before we jump into number three, I'm Sally Daley. I'm the real estate agent that's helped hundreds of clients figure out which region, which community, which neighborhood, which house is right for them. DM me or text me the information that you see on the screen and I'll be happy to help be your trusted advisor and together we can figure out what is the right spot for you.

Now, if you're looking for something with a little more of an urban vibe, West Palm Beach boy is having a moment. West Palm Beach is starting to be known as the Wall Street of Florida and what's interesting about West Palm, it's no longer just a well, it's not Palm Beach, it's West Palm. It has its own vibe, has its own economic drivers. You've got corporations coming from all parts from Chicago, New York have their HQs here. You've got work being conducted here. This is not a retirement community. There's activity and economic growth here.

As a result, some of it is because Palm Beach right across the Intracoastal has gotten very expensive. As people search for alternative, I can't do that Sally Wells is there. The redevelopment in West Palm, fueled also in part by the relocation of employers and businesses, West Palm is being developed into its own entity with a beautiful farmers market and green market that's often considered the best in the country. All kinds of interesting new boutique hotels and supper clubs, pedal clubs, restaurants, communities of all kinds from high-rise very sexy condos looking over to Palm Beach to established communities, club-based and not.

Prices are going to be anywhere from six and 700 all the way to depending on what you're looking for. West Palm is also home to the Brightline, which is our fabulous cool high-speed rail that has made connectivity amongst all of Florida easy peasy and it's a fabulous rider experience. It's right there, which makes all of the rest of Florida easy to get to. West Palm has a beautiful arts scene, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is there. There is a lot going on in West Palm, so it's no longer just kind of a well, I can't do Palm Beach.

It is worthy of your consideration. North of Juno and Jupiter is a fabulous part of the state known as Amelia Island and Jacksonville. It is a city as well as an island, the best of both worlds. You've got dynamic enterprise and industry fueling Jacksonville's growth. It's having a moment. As a result, there is product and housing available from half a million to multi-million. There's a river right in the middle and then you've got Amelia Island. So, you've got a dynamic economy that is causing growth. You've got wonderful health care systems, you've got beautiful schools, the river to play on if you wish.

Hop over, you've got Amelia Island, which is just going to make you feel like you're down in parts of Georgia because you've got drapery live oaks, you've got wide sandy beaches and a funky beach town known as Fernandina Beach, which has a great farmers market, great eateries, good arts scene. There's lot going on and just south you also have tons of golf courses. So, there is lots going on between Jacksonville and Amelia Island and it is diverse and it's worthy of your consideration. Prices are going to be probably among the most affordable in the East Coast of Florida because you've got the large mass of land around Jacksonville where they're able to have more developments and more product for you to choose from.

So, whether you want to be on the beach in Amelia Island amongst the live oaks or you want a dynamic city environment, easy to get to the island and Amelia, Jacksonville should be on your radar. Just north of West Palm, Juno and Jupiter is Stuart, Florida. Stuart is known as the Sailfish Capital of the world. What's Stuart all about? Stuart is a beautiful community that has a mainland as well as a little island known as Sewall's Point. Deep, deep, deep water fishing. Fishing is the name of the game here. If fishing is important to you and your lifestyle, for sure, for sure Stuart needs to be on your radar.

There's a charming little downtown on the mainland and there's a part of it called Confusion Corner and it's aptly named, but it is darling. Independence, it's a real foodie scene, there's theater there, yet you've got crossover is right there, it's called Jensen Beach. Stuart is more affordable than Palm Beach, Juno, Jupiter, little bit more expensive than Vero. So, it's in between, but again, it's easy to get to and guess what? Brightline, our fabulous high-speed rail, has just announced, yay for Stuart, they're getting the next station. So, in a couple of years, you're going to have Brightline connection from Stuart can take you down to West Palm, can take you to Fort Lauderdale, down to Miami in a New York minute and then all the way back to the international terminal at the Orlando Airport.

And it's a beautiful ridership experience and you can either work or chill or listen to your podcast and not worry about traffic. So, Stuart, voters, pay attention. It's worthy of your consideration. Prices are going to depend on of course water is going to cost more. Prices are going to be anywhere from 6 to 700,000 to renovated houses on Sewall's Point multi-millions wonderful community called Selfish Point millions and millions and millions. There is something for everybody in Stuart. Speaking of unique places, there's one spot on the East Coast of Florida that I am particularly passionate about cuz after I did all of our own due diligence leaving Connecticut back in the day, we chose this spot to call it home and we call it Vero Beach.

Vero Beach, what's the deal with Vero Beach? First of all, where is it? Vero Beach is in between Cape Canaveral and Jacksonville and Palm Beach right about in the middle. Just tucked inside the tropics, we wanted no winter. So, that was great for us. What makes Vero Beach so unique? Well, a lot of people say they love the physicality of Florida. They don't like the crowds and sometimes they feel like it's just full of strip malls and doesn't have a lot of charm. Wrong. Vero Beach is nicknamed the Hamptons of Florida because it's a barrier island connected by three bridges to the mainland and it is charming as all get out and part of it is because in 1977 they instituted height restrictions and density restrictions.

So, what does that mean? It means we have no high-rises and it means our development really doesn't go out past 66 Avenue. We're not even close to being built out to I-95 cuz they still wanted the citrus growers and the cattle guys to make a living here. So, Vero Beach is unique for its low density. It keeps sprawl away. We don't have six-lane highways. The low sprawl means less crowded beaches, less crowded roadways, less houses to dilute your property value. Here's the other thing that sealed it for me. The Indian River Estuary is our Intracoastal.

We've got the island and of course the Atlantic waters. In the middle, there's this waterway and I'm like, "What's the deal with this waterway?" It's brackish, meaning it's part salt water from the ocean and part fresh water. Well, what does that mean? I was like, "I don't even know what that means." It means generally alligators don't like it. Yes, I said that. Alligators don't like it. Guess who does like it? Manatees, dolphins, just saw two out there today. Bald eagles, river herons. So cool. You never know what you're going to see.

So, it means you've got two bodies of water to play in. You've got the ocean and you have the river and you don't have to worry about being gator bait. So, I was sold already. Coming down I thought, "Well, there's going to be nothing to do other than the physicality which is so jaw-dropping. Forget anything intellectual, artistic." Wrong. The art scene is so vibrant here, it will shock you. The landscape here of all things cultural, literary arts, visual arts, performing arts, Actors' Equity theater, wine clubs, lectures, art shows, garden shows.

It's all here and most of it is free of charge. Even the theater which is professional Actors' Equity, the most expensive ticket might be like 80 bucks and you're home by 10:00 in your pajamas. What's ironic, we came from the New York City area doing something was really an all day affair and it added up. Tickets were expensive, travel, blah blah blah. Down here, we find we do more frequently and it costs less. It's a good thing. So, Vero Beach is really a hidden gem. If you want no crowds, no high-rises, and a cool Hampton kind of vibe where it's super chill and laid-back, Vero Beach is definitely worthy of your consideration.

Now, prices are also going to be more affordable than Juno, Jupiter, Stuart, Palm Beach, and Miami. About 40% more affordable. Yes, I said 40%. For example, houses are going to be anywhere from 600,000 to 2 million on the mainland depending if you're on the water or not. Hop over onto the beach, of course, the land there is worth more so prices will be more. But even our most expensive properties are brand new builds are 5 million, 6 million, 8 million, 10 million on the water or on the ocean. Brand new builds that are not, you can get a brand new build for between 2 and 3 million which is just unheard of in parts south.

Yet, we're still only an easy 45-minute drive away if you want to go down to West Palm and enjoy everything that that vibrant community in Palm Beach offers you. All of these communities are fabulous. If you're interested in exploring any of them, DM me or call me or reach us through our contact form. Information to contact me is here on your screen. There is a spot here for you and we'll figure it out together. So, there you have it. Hidden gems on the East Coast of Florida that you may not have known about that are worthy of your consideration.

They all offer different lifestyles. Together we can figure out which one might be right for you and get you into your slice of paradise on the East Coast of Florida. Don't forget to subscribe so you get videos as soon as they're published so you get the inside scoop and are a true insider for all things East Coast of Florida and Vero Beach.