Stock Island, FL

Located just across the channel from Key West along mile markers 4 through 6, Stock Island offers a down-to-earth alternative to its famous neighbor. Home to around 5,000 residents, the community has held onto its authentic maritime roots while growing into a creative pocket filled with artist studios, popular local eateries, and quiet residential streets. It sits right along U.S. 1, giving residents an easy commute into downtown Key West along with a slightly more relaxed pace of living.

ATTRFlorida Keys--Public Libraries from Key West, Fla., USA / CC BY 2.0

The working waterfront is the heart of the island, filled with full-service marinas and boatyards that support commercial fishermen, charter captains, and live-aboard boaters. For daily life and education, families have Gerald Adams Elementary right in town, while older students make the short drive into Key West for middle and high school. The island is also home to the College of the Florida Keys and the Key West Golf Club, making it a practical, character-rich home base in the Lower Keys.