Moving to Key West -any ideas?

Im 25 year old female from NJ looking to move there in February -basically to get away from the cold and also it looks amazing there! Ive never been before so if anyone has information on what area would be good to rent apartment in (safe areas/ decently priced/ close to bars/restaurants/downtown etc.) I will not have a car so would def like to be able to walk or clse to transportation. Any info you have will be a great help thank you so much!!!Moving to Key West -any ideas?
Here's the real scoop.

You should expect to spend a minimum of $800-1000 a month on rent. That will be for a very small place. All landlords want at least one month's rent and deposit up front. Most also ask for last month. You can usually negotiate terms on the last month's rent and have a little time to come up with it. The best places to rent here are found via word of mouth. Same with jobs. You have to learn to network as soon as you get here.

Transportation is easy. Key West is a very small island and many who don't have cars get around on a bicycle or scooter. The closer you live to downtown, the more expensive it is. However, for a 15 minute bicycle ride, you can save a bundle on rent. Oh, and the poster who said the majority of rentals are for tourists is wrong. In order to rent to tourists for short term rentals, one must have a transient license. They aren't cheap, there are no new ones available, and a property owner has to buy one on the open market. The last price I heard was around $40K. Therefore, it really isn't economically feasible to rent to tourists. The vast majority of rentals go to residents.

There really aren't any "bad" areas of Key West. Bahama Village is often cited as our "hood", but I have never felt unsafe there.

As far as seeing drunks vomiting in the street I will tell you that most locals don't go to Duval St. EVER! That's where the tourists go and frankly, I HATE going to Duval. I will do so occasionally, but I am never out till the bars close at 4 am. That's when you see the idiots.

Key West is a great place to live. I would caution you that since you have never been here, I would encourage you to come and spend a week or two before you move. It can be a tough place to live. Many get "Key's Disease" and spend every day in bars thinking they are on vacation. It's a hard psychological thing to beat. Then,. all of a sudden, they wake up one morning (afternoon?) and realize they are broke. Then they leave. It is also hard to find a job as a newbie because employers also know about "Key's Disease" and many won't hire you unless you've been here a year or so. Once you have lived here for two years, then you can say you have beaten the odds and "made it". I've been here for 7 and love it.

The people here are super friendly and extremely laid back. No one cares how much money you have or if you even have any. Well, except for bartenders and servers when it comes time to pay the tab! LOL There are a lot of "characters" in Key Weird and people watching is a great spectator sport here.

Good luck. If you have any further questions, feel free to email me.

Edit: When I first moved to Florida, I lived in Palm Beach County for a while and also spent a lot of time in Broward County (Ft Lauderdale). I HATED it. Snobby people. All in too big of a hurry and looking down at those who don't drive the "right" car or live in the "right" house. WAY too much traffic. Too many concerned about how they look and what kind of impression will they make on others. The home of dime-store millionaires driving Mercedes and Beamers and carrying Gucci handbags they can't afford. Maxed out on their credit cards so they can keep up with the Joneses. Contrast that to Key West. There are people here who are multi-millionaires who you never know are multi-millionaires. Everyone pretty much looks the same while riding a scooter or bicycle wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. And THAT is the "uniform" of Key West. If you wear heels, a flowered shirt, or socks with your boat shoes, everyone knows you are a tourist right away. I can spot a tourist a 10 paces even if they think they are fooling people by wearing the "uniform". haha
Key West is very expensive. And very transient in that many apartments and condos cater to tourists.

What I do not like about Key West is the number of drunk and vomiting tourists late at night who have had too much to drink. It has that element like New Orleans does.

Let me give you some alternatives on the coast in the Palm Beach - Miami area that are more affordable.

Delray Beach in Palm Beach County has a wonderful main shopping and restaurant street called Atlantic Avenue. It is busy until 2 am most nights, has wonderful night life, and has a great deal of housing nearby. It is very chic. Check that out.

Fort Lauderdale near Las Olas boulevard also is nice ---- but be more careful than Delray in where you pick to live.

MIami Beach is also very nice of course -- but South Beach is very expensive (like Key West). You will need to travel more north to find a nice area. Try aventura.

I would go with Delray Beach for that Florida experience. It is an hour north of Miami AirportMoving to Key West -any ideas?
the Keys are, $$$$, hi-rents, all places are pricey. right now in the Keys, it's cold, check local weather. The best, live outside area, brrrr.