KEY WEST’S HEALTHY TOURIST INDUSTRY
Key West, also known as the Conch Republic, is the southernmost key of the Florida Keys and the southernmost point of the United States—ninety miles north of Cuba. It is a 7.21 square-mile island within the Straits of Florida—serving as a tourist mecca and the home of approximately 25,000 culturally diverse, tightly knit residents.
Key West’s median income is $31,566, with an average household income of $54,306.
The median age of Key West’s residents is 40.
The Ideal Vacation Spot
With its warm year-round good weather, Key West is the idyllic boating, jet-skiing, biking, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing, birding, and picnicking destination. With its beautiful coral reefs, crystal-blue waters, and pristine beaches, the Conch Republic is the perfect “beach-bum” vacation spot.
If one is not into water sports or lying on the beach, Key West has shopping venues, parks, and plenty of notable tourist sites—accessible by bike, scooter, trolley, or walking. Whether shopping on Duval Street, visiting Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum or Hemmingway’s home of six-toed cats, or exploring the world’s largest cache of civil war armaments in Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, there is something in the Conch Republic for everyone.
Living in Key West
Living on an island three hours from mainland Miami can be pricey. One can expect to pay more for gas, groceries, and housing.
The average cost of renting in Key West is between $2,500 and $3,500 per month. On average, one-bedroom apartments rent for $2,500, two-bedroom apartments for $2,800, and three-bedroom apartments for $3,500.
The median cost of a home is $752,400.
Opening a business can be prohibitive, particularly on Key West’s main artery, Duval Street. An entrepreneur can expect to pay between $5,000 to $20,000 a month in rent.
Key West is a lovely location for a retiree or an ambitious young person seeking to work and flourish in a relaxed adult-oriented setting. Despite being within Monroe County School District with its approximately 8,700 students and 16 institutions of learning, Key West is not known for being a family-oriented community.
New Niche Business Opportunities in Key West
Catering to the tourist industry will always have its place in Key West, whether one invests in a hotel, motel, bed-and-breakfast, or whether one decides to operate a food truck, hotdog stand, watersport shop, or souvenir store. Key West is a tourist center and, given its location and reputation, will always be so.
For many, however, a niche business may be more attractive.
Hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts abound in Key West, but most cater to young 20-somethings.
More and more well-heeled, travel-savvy seniors are traveling to Key West—and they have their unique needs. Seniors are attracted to the right combination of comfort, luxury, and activity. Catering to their needs in the hospitality industry is a niche well worth exploring. Elegant sunset dinners, museums, architecture, and garden tours, as well as craft, painting, and cooking courses, are perfectly suited for the senior class.
The Conch Republic has plenty of traditional bars and restaurants. The millennial generation’s love for organic and vegan foods, for smoothies and sushi, is a niche market that awaits further development.
If one is a digital nomad looking for a colorful, laid-back lifestyle, Key West meets the requirement. Maintaining a website, being an app developer, or simply running one’s business from a tropical paradise is the digital nomad’s dream.
With a touch of Americana and the tropical Caribbean, Key West, the Conch Republic, is a delight for all, especially the adventurous in spirit.
Sources: https://www.franchise/city/fl/key-west/. Franchise. 2020; https://www.rent.com/florida/key-west-apartments/rent-trends/. Rent. June 2022; Island Jay. https://islandjay.com/blogs/islander-blog/92558915-moving-to-key-west-florida-and-the-cost-of-living/. 2022; Remax Commercial Team. https://www.floridakeyscommercial.com/5-ideas-to-start-a-business-in-key-west/. All Keys Real Estate. 2022.
