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The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area is home to 2.4 million people and growing; in fact, the population is projected to increase at least 5% over the next five years. This dynamic area enjoys a good economy, low unemployment, lots of activities and a wide range of apartments for rent.

Quality of Life
Tampa Bay, with the city of Tampa on its east side and St. Petersburg on its west side, is a gorgeous area of sandy beaches, glistening water, lush foliage and mild year-round temperatures. The average annual temperature is 73 degrees, with warm days, cool evenings and scattered showers throughout the year. Tampa residents looking for culture enjoy the Art Museum, Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa Bay History Center, Tampa Theatre and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Favorite family outings include the Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens & Adventure Island, Children's Museum of Tampa and the Lowry Park Zoo. In St. Petersburg, locals enjoy the Saturday Morning Market, an open-air market with organic food, flowers, handicrafts and live music. Other popular destinations include the Pier, Sunken Gardens and Baseball Boulevard. Nearby Ybor City is another popular destination; it's a National Historic Landmark District on the site of century-old cigar factories. Today, Ybor City is a fun and eclectic area of shops, restaurants, galleries and clubs. Sports fans have plenty of pro teams to cheer for in Tampa, including MLB team Devil Rays, NFL team Buccaneers, AFL team Strom and NHL team Lightning.

Where the Jobs Are
The Tampa/St. Petersburg area economy includes a diverse array of industries, including tourism, agriculture, construction, finance, healthcare, government, technology and the port of Tampa. The area enjoys a low unemployment rate; in fact, it's consistently lower than the state and national averages, which are currently 5.4% and 6.0% respectively.

Cost of Living & Apartment Prices
Tampa and St. Petersburg enjoy an overall cost of living that is slightly lower than the national average, which comes in handy when looking for affordable apartments for rent. In Tampa, the median price for apartments is $615, with average two-bedroom apartments going for $685 per month. St. Petersburg prices are slightly lower; you can expect to pay a median price of $600 for apartment rentals, with the average cost of all apartments running at $625 per month.

Neighborhoods to Explore
Downtown Tampa is one of the best places to explore apartment rentals, with multi-family units making up about 70% of the housing market. The most affordable apartments can be found in the neighborhoods of Drew Park, West Tampa, Northeast Tampa, Old Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights. Looking for luxury? Try the upscale neighborhoods of Beach Park, Sunset Park and Hyde Park. There are fewer apartments to choose from in these affluent areas, but they tend to be more sophisticated (and expensive).