Indian River Colony Club
Melbourne, Florida
Gulfport, Florida
What It Is Like to Retire in Gulfport
Located on the southwestern side of St. Petersburg is the small town of Gulfport. The main business district is spread out along 22nd Ave, which is sprinkled with businesses, golf courses, modest homes, and developments of various sizes and aspirations. Beach Boulevard is a wide boulevard along a park that leads off to a smaller and somewhat charming district. Down this street you will find a handsome library, a quite large senior center, kitchey shops and restaurants, and at the end - The Gulfport Casino Ballroom, one of the busiest dance halls in Florida. The Casino is built out over the harbor, where you will find boats bobbing on the bay and barrier islands in the distance. Radiating off in side streets are quiet and very modest homes. While Gulfport has none of the urban attractions of downtown St. Pete, it does offer a slower pace and less costly alternative that offers easy access to the city. Pasadena is a larger town to the west of Gulfport, and Treasure Island a more upscale community on the barrier island.
Where to Retire in Gulfport and Home Prices
There are some cute little neighborhoods down by the water, plus condominiums and a few developments more toward Pasadena. Zillow reports the median home value here to be $383,258 in mid-2023.
What Is Special about Gulfport
It's a very low key town with quite a bit of laid back, slightly down-at-the-heels charm. The Casino is one of the best places in the country for dancing - many of its events are immediately sold out. Its proximity to St. Petersburg and being an inexpensive community on the water are big pluses. "Art Walk" is held a few nights every month which attracts locals and tourists. Street performers, artists and craftspeople create a relaxed cultured atmosphere near the beach.
What Is Not Special about Gulfport
Here is what a friend of ours, a frequent visitor to Gulfport, said about it: "I wouldn't retire there if it was last place on earth. Ocean and scenery is spectacular but if you are looking for stimulation you bad better be able to generate it yourself." Editor's comment: Sounds a little bit harsh. We know hundreds, if not thousands, more that don't have the charm and infrastructure here.
Who Will Like Retirement in Gulfport
People looking for unpretentious charm who might have once been hippies might especially like Gulfport. Average age here is 60.
Local Economy Is Driven by
The Gulfport Casino is a big economic contributor.
Climate and Physical Environment
Gulfport is a small community on a large peninsula on Tampa Bay with St. Petersburg. This is about the furthest point north on Florida's west coast where the average January temperature is above 60 (the average Jan low is 54 and the high is 69).
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
There are some interesting, if funky, restaurants along Beach Boulevard. The Casino is the big local cultural attraction, while nearby St. Pete offers a full panoply of cultural options. There is an active library and large and busy senior center in Gulfport. The Catherine A. Hickman Theatre provides live theatre for residents and tourists alike. Gulfport holds many festivals throughout the year.
Crime
Crime is a bit lower than the national average.
Medical facilities
Many hospitals are in this area, especially in St. Petersburg but also in Pasadena.
Transportation
Several interstates run through the area. Amtrak is nearby, as are the very large airports in Clearwater/St. Petersburg and Tampa. Much of Gulfport is lowkey enough for walking and biking.
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