Posted on 12/17/2025 12:31:49 PM PST by Miami Rebel
Once the darling of American transplants, Florida’s appeal seems to have dimmed. Just three years ago, Florida ranked among the nation’s top destinations for people making a move. But that momentum seems to have faded. Florida still offers the warm climate and favorable tax structure that remain major draws, but it’s lost ground on the crucial affordability factor. In the year through November, just over half of global moving company Atlas Van Lines’ Florida-related moves were inbound, the firm said in its annual Migration Patterns Study — a near-even split between people moving in and moving out that marks a sharp shift from the pandemic era, when Florida ranked among the nation’s strongest inbound states. During the COVID-era peak, 60% of Atlas’ Florida moves were inbound — then the fourth-highest ratio in the country — as the state became the fastest-growing in the U.S., per Census estimates. But in 2025, for the second consecutive year, inbound moves accounted for only about half of the company’s Florida relocations, among the lowest shares Florida has posted in more than a decade. While the moving company cites Florida’s warm climate and lack of a state income tax as serious draws, rising housing costs, insurance premiums and climate concerns are increasingly pushing out residents, said Chellsie Parker, a representative of Atlas. Nationally, moving has slowed to its lowest level in decades. Only about 11% of Americans moved in 2024, down from more than 14% a decade earlier, according to Atlas, thanks in part to high housing costs nationwide.
States such as Arkansas, Idaho and North Carolina — where housing costs are generally lower — topped Atlas’ inbound migration rankings this past year, outpacing Florida’s middle-of-the-pack showing.
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
Most sold earlier in the year. Some permanent residents packed up and left and some snowbirds sold and never came back. A couple came back recently to prepare their houses for sale and then headed back.
Some said that they wanted to be closer to family. I suspect that Hurricane Ian followed by Helene and Milton were just too much for some. Getting hit by Ian was an unforgettable experience for sure.
The summers are hot during the day, but mornings and evenings are when the outdoor fun occurs. Plus the snowbirds have left and the beaches and roads aren’t crowded, which makes the summers great IMHO.
The easiest way to destroy a place is mass migration.
“Unfortunately, Florida is full of transplants. “
Unfortunately for whom? South Florida was developed from swampland specifically in order to attract out-of-staters like President Trump.
And it’s hardly “destroyed.”
You need to hand with the locals
Spoken like a true transplant, without appreciation of priors.
I’m third generation, but thanks for your interest.
Glad you like it there!
Lots of people enjoy Florida.
But not me.
I like the mountains, unpaved roads, dry weather.
There are income taxes here, but seniors get huge deductions.
And, whatever I am left to pay, I can mostly redirect to charity of my choice or private school tuition.
Hmmmm…let’s see. Humidity for a few months versus no snow. I’ll take no snow for $500 Alex.
You must apply with DOL self insurance. Otherwise plate sticker can not be renewed. I had a bank CD which satisfied the requirement for state approved self insurance. There was no cost to apply and there is no yearly fee such as with insurance cost.
Fortunately we only get the big one of above a foot about once a decade. The snowplow people are pretty good about not blocking us in. If it is a big snow, I’ll shovel behind the car to get out. Access to my parking area is via an alleyway. Some years ago we had a big snow storm and a moron snowplow driver for a different apartment building had the plow blade pointed in the wrong direction and blocked us with a 3-4 foot snow pile. Our apartment managers had to bring in bobcat to remove it.
I hope you didn't have to wait too long for that to be done. The walkways here are all in the center of the building, and they keep it pretty clear. They have pails of rock salt available in the front hall for tenants to throw out on the walkway.
All the buildings have a wooden structure over the front door. When I first moved in here, the structure had a flat roof. Every year the snow and ice would pile up on it, and they'd have to send a crew out to clear it all off because it was so heavy and putting stress on the structure. They finally got smart and replaced those structures with one that has a pitched roof so all the snow and ice slides off now. The sun is finally out here today, and it's supposed to go up to 43 here.
They are generally fairly good about removing the snow. How fast they clear it is a function of how much snow fell and where we stand in the pecking order. The last snowfall we received it took about 8 hours until the parking lots were cleared. That was after a ~6 inch snowfall. It can take the shovel crew much longer when extreme cold temperatures hit after a snowstorm. This time of year, the apartment managers leave a shovel and a bucket of deicer for people that need to dig themselves out.
We've never had to wait for them to plow the parking lot. I stay up until 4 a.m. or so, so by the time I get up, the lot's been plowed. I don't own a shovel. At 78, and with a bad left shoulder, I'm not shoveling anything anyway. I have a long-handled broom-like scrapper to clear my car off. I use that to push the snow out of the way if it's piled up too much around the back of my car, or along the sides. They don't provide shovels here. Just rock salt for the walkway.
I say “used to” because up until about 15 years ago decent lodging was around $100/night. It then, for some reason, tripled.
We’ve since retired and now spend our winter months in Kissimmee.
It’s much more affordable, but also over an hour away from the ocean.
I checked out Bonita springs in 2020, and my grandparents boat dock in the channel on the Imperial River is still there
The trailer park is gone, but the city scooped up the property an put a park next to it. I figured it’d be all condos
Many memories of that place. Access to the Gulf and going out 20 miles to fish for grouper. Never knew what you might catch
Stingray, flounder, shark...etc
Lot of weather talk... I’ll stay here.. And spend August golfing ⛳ in Northern L.P. of Michigan..
Interesting, I didn’t know you actually had to prove that you were self insured. I just figured it was something that people did as an alternative to dealing with insurance companies without the state being involved.
Thanks I learned something new
If you cancel liability insurance required by state, your plates (or sticker) can not be renewed. So it is necessary to get self insurance certificate from DOL. I keep copy of it in my car in case get stopped by a traffic cop.
Now I pay nothing for auto insurance starting this year.
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