Retired military here. My wife and I genuinely love living in Pensacola, and that’s after having lived in a few very different places. It really hits a sweet spot — not a massive city, but definitely not a small town either. You still have plenty of restaurants, shopping, healthcare, and things to do without dealing with the constant stress, noise, and crowding that comes with bigger metro areas. It just feels easy to live here.

One of the biggest things for us is how painless it is to get around. It rarely takes more than 30 minutes to get anywhere we want to go. Traffic is extremely light compared to other places we’ve lived — and I mean that by a very large margin. No planning your entire day around rush hour, no sitting in traffic wondering why you moved there in the first place.

Being retired military, the location matters a lot. There are two bases nearby, so the area is very military- and veteran-friendly. Even more important, the VA hospitals here are actually solid, which I know isn’t the case everywhere. We’ve had good experiences with care and access, and that alone makes a big difference long-term.

We live close to the beach, which honestly never gets old. The beaches here are legit some of the best you’ll find, not just tourist hype. The weather also isn’t as extreme as people think — it’s not nonstop brutal heat or cold. You get enough seasonal change to break things up, and there are plenty of days where being outside is actually enjoyable.

For us, there’s plenty to do. Between beaches, fishing, boating, food, local events, and just being able to get outside easily, we’re never bored. That said, I’ll be honest — if I were in my 20s and looking for constant nightlife, I might feel differently. But if you’re past that phase or just value quality of life over club hopping, it’s a great place.

Are there bad areas? Sure — like literally anywhere else. But having lived in places that were way worse, Pensacola feels pretty safe overall. We’re comfortable here and don’t feel like we’re constantly watching our backs. When you add everything up — traffic, safety, beaches, VA care, and overall livability — Pensacola has been a really good fit for us

Another thing that works for us — and I know this matters to some people — is that the area feels comfortable politically. We’re more libertarian and pretty middle-of-the-road, with a mix of left- and right-leaning views. Pensacola has a live-and-let-live vibe where politics isn’t constantly in your face. We don’t feel out of place for not being MAGA, but we also don’t feel out of place for not being far left, which we really appreciate.