Dwellics.com named Valparaiso, Florida the 18th best place in America for outdoor living in their 2022 rankings.

Dwellics says that their rankings are based on the number of parks, fields, playgrounds, hiking trails and other public outdoor spaces.

The number of trees, open spaces, climate (including temperature, humidity, windiness, cloudiness, and air and water quality), and the risk of natural disaster played into the rankings as well.

“It’s fascinating to me that out of everywhere in the United States, Valparaiso placed 18th, ” said Mayor Brent Smith, “I think this is a real big deal for the city of Valparaiso and why we have so many people trying to be here.”

Valparaiso joined nine other cities and towns in Florida in the top 25 list.

Those towns were:

• #1 Lake Butler, Florida
• #6 Oviedo, Florida
• #9 Nocatee, Florida
• #11 Winter Garden, Florida
• #13 Winter Springs, Florida
• #14 Marco Island, Florida
• #18 Valparaiso, Florida
• #20 Alafaya, Florida
• #21 Binciana, Florida
• #25 St. Cloud, Florida.

The only other city from Okaloosa County to make the top 100 list was #67 Destin, Florida.

What Else the Survey Revealed About Valparaiso.

The Negatives

While the picture the Dwellics results painted was a rosy one – but, it also pointed out some issues that the city of Valparaiso needs to improve on as a city.

The survey pointed out that the cost of living is higher for Valparaiso than it is on average for the State of Florida. It also noted housing commands a significant premium compared to the rest of the state.

Additionally, the survey revealed that the level of substance abuse is higher than the average city or town in the State of Florida.

The Positives

But it wasn’t all bad in the further analysis.

The group noted that the rate of violent crime is very low in the city, compared to the rest of Florida. The number of people contracting cancer is low as well, according to the survey.

Finally, the survey said that the water quality is much higher than the rest of the state.