Why New Yorkers are heading south to Florida

There is a growing trend of New Yorkers moving out and relocating to Florida. There are numerous reasons, from high taxes in NY to deteriorating living standards in a costly state. Whatever it is, Florida is becoming one of the most sought-after US states! And if you’ve decided to relocate to The Sunshine State state, this is the right place for you. Here is everything you need to know to make this happen. Moreover, numerous great movers, such as Best Movers NYC, specialize in helping people move out of NY. After all, New Yorkers are heading south to Florida in large numbers, and most want the help of top-notch moving companies, too.

Comparing living and housing costs in New York and in Florida

One of the main reasons New Yorkers move out of there is the higher costs. Statistically, New York has some of the most expensive properties in the nation. This led many people to search for better housing options elsewhere. According to Numbeo, a single1 person living in New York would need 1,442.5$ without rent every month. On the other hand, that number is just 1,049.2$ in Florida! Even though it may not seem like a lot, these numbers tend to add up a lot, and you end up paying a considerable amount. Moreover, you should also consider the taxes! For example, Florida doesn’t have an income tax, while NY’s is between 4% and 10%.

In contrast to New York’s high housing prices, here are some of the most popular Florida cities for comparison:

  • In Orlando, homes sell for a median value of $360,000, and this is one of the most popular places for New Yorkers
  • For Tampa, you can expect the average home property to cost around $410,000
  • Miami’s great location, job opportunities, and educational institutions are reasons New Yorkers are heading south to Florida – and they’re paying only $565,000 for an average home.
A man and a woman doing research into different costs and prices between New York and Florida.
You will quickly see that Florida is much more affordable.

Florida offers everything from affluent closed-off island communities to smaller farm-style communities where you can enjoy all the peace and quiet in the world. One good side of Florida is that it’s so diversified anyone can find just the right thing for themselves here.

Big home living is one of the reasons why New Yorkers are heading south to Florida

As you can see, Florida has more and less expensive options. Researching the market well and seeing what works for you is a good idea. For example, Miami is quickly becoming one of the economic and business centers of the United States. Compared to other major cities, it’s pretty inexpensive to live there, too. For example, the average selling point for properties in New York is a whopping $788,000! That’s significantly more than Miami, even though it’s one of the most popular destinations, as reported by residential movers NYC provides. This shows you an important reason why so many people decide to move to Florida. It’s excellent, relatively cheap, and has many industry opportunities.

The weather and climate are different, but you will enjoy it

There’s a big elephant in the room when discussing the climate in New York and Florida. You’re hardly going to see snow in Florida. If you’re a fan of snowy days, Florida is probably not the best choice. However, you will get more sunny days on average! Depending on what you personally like, Florida can be an excellent choice in this sense. It’s also important to note that Florida gets slightly more rainy days on average, which you probably want to know. Other than that, it’s more-or-less a similar experience. In essence, you won’t have a lot of cold days in Florida. After all, it’s known for its beautiful beaches for surfing sports. It’s an excellent chance to try them out yourself and see if the stories about Florida’s magical surfing waves are true!

Three people walking on a beach, as beaches are one of the reasons why New Yorkers are heading south to Florida.
You must get used to sunny beaches, sunny weather, and lots of fun in Florida!

One thing you must consider when you’re in Florida is the hurricane season. It usually lasts from June through November; you should be on the lookout. There have been hurricanes in New York, but not like the ones in Florida. If you get into a hurricane, here are some of the things you need to do. First, you want to stay indoors, follow the instructions from the local authorities and stay calm! Moving from NYC to Florida does come with this tricky addition, but it’s nothing you can’t go through. After all, millions of people live and work in Florida, and they are all perfectly fine! You will be too, and you shouldn’t worry about hurricanes!

Employment opportunities are another reason why New Yorkers are heading south to Florida

Florida is quickly rebranding itself as one of the best states regarding job opportunities. It’s a growing tech and space hub, attracting talented people from all over the world. This has allowed it to be an exciting opportunity for a lot of New Yorkers, as well. If you combine great Florida salaries with relatively cheap living costs, you can quickly see why it is such a popular option. For example, Orlando is a giant when it comes to hi-tech industries. Its technology sector is worth more than 13 billion dollars. To put it into perspective, there are countries with smaller economies, and many governments worldwide have a smaller budget than that. On the other hand, Tampa is more known for its healthcare, finance, insurance, and retail industries.

A woman working in the tech industry talking with her colleagues.
Many New Yorkers who end up in Florida get jobs in the tech industry – especially if they relocate to Miami.

For example, you may even decide to check out Miami. Miami is one of the centers in the US. Its Gross Metropolitan Product is close to $257 billion, which ranks it the 20th GMP in the world. It’s also the 11th most affluent metropolitan area in the United States. Many world companies are located here, and there are many job opportunities in various industries.

Furthermore, the average salary in Miami is around $69,800 on a yearly basis. If you compare that to the living costs, you can see it’s an outstanding balance. A good reason why moving from NYC to Tampa and other Florida cities is so popular is because of the job growth. Florida boasts 9,578,500 nonfarm jobs, while New York has only 9,576,100! That’s right, Florida offers more job opportunities than New York!

Lifestyle and culture in Florida: what to expect

Florida has a rich and vibrant cultural scene owing to the many ethnic groups, nationalities, and religions living here. For example, if you’re down there in Orlando, you should absolutely visit the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. You’re going to be able to enjoy many of its great shows, exhibitions, performances, and productions, the likes of which you haven’t seen before! And it’s similar in Tampa, too! You should definitely check out the Tampa Museum of Art, a widely known institution hosting some of the most exciting stuff you will ever see! Florida has a long tradition of nurturing various cultures, and embracing diversity has become a big thing in Florida’s culture.

New Yorkers who've moved to Florida sitting down in a cafe.
Many New Yorkers are heading south to Florida because of the local relaxed lifestyles!

You can expect a lavish lifestyle in Florida, as well! Picture this: you’ve just come home from work on a sunny day. You take a quick shower and head to one of the world’s most magnificent beaches, where you can spend your afternoon with your family. Afterward, you dine in some of Florida’s best restaurants and enjoy a great evening with your loved ones. Moreover, there’s less of a rush when it comes to doing everyday stuff in Florida. People are more relaxed, approachable, and friendly. Can you imagine something like that in, for example, NYC? If this is something you want to experience, then find best movers when moving from NYC to Miami and get your relocation started! Sooner than later, you will be on a beach with a cocktail in your hand!

New Yorkers are heading south to Florida for family-friendly options and retirement plans

What else is there to see in Florida besides the Disney World Resort in Orlando? Well, a lot of things, actually! Florida is filled with a lot of great family-friendly content that your kids are simply going to love! From great NASA setups to brilliantly fascinating museums – there’s a little bit of everything for everyone here! A lot of the people said they enjoyed spending time at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Besides that, the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory is a great place to spend some time in a nature-ish place and learn something new. If you’re moving kids from a big urban city up from NY, this can be a great opportunity to show them something they might not have seen before!

A happy family who has moved from New York south to Florida.
Many families from New York are relocating with their kids to Florida.

If you’re retiring to Florida, there are many options, too! According to AARP, Florida is actually the most popular option for retirees from all over the United States! First off, it has a tremendous legal setup. Here, there are no state taxes on social security, pension funds, IRAs, 401(k)s, and other related taxes for retirement income. It’s specifically tailored to appeal to many people older than 65. And if you have lived in New York longer, you know how high their taxes are! So, plan your move from NYC to Orlando and enjoy your retirement here! Many choose larger cities (such as Orlando or Tampa), while others settle in smaller communities. Whatever it is, Florida is the right answer.

Your relocation to Florida from New York

As you can see, there are many great reasons why you should move to Florida. First, it’s relatively cheap compared to other big states and cities in the US. On the other hand, it also offers excellent standards of living considering everything. The weather and climate are friendly and pleasant, and you won’t experience cold weather like you could in New York. People are relaxed, the culture is laid-back, and you’ll have a pleasant stay here.

Your kids will have phenomenal educational opportunities thanks to great schools and universities here. Moreover, spending time with kids in Florida is going to be easy! There are so many activities, programs, institutions, and so on with great family-friendly options.

Grandpa and grandma spending with their grandchildren, after moving south to Florida from New York.
Whether you’re an older adult, a business owner, an upcoming college freshman, or anything else – there’s a place for you in Florida!

Who relocates to Florida from New York? A lot of different people! There’s not a one-set category. However, a lot of people retire to Florida regularly. Recently, there’s been a significant influx of people using commercial movers NYC has to relocate here. Florida is known for its great tax laws that allow business owners to thrive in a friendly environment. A lot of people relocate with their entire families to Florida. Getting your business back on its feet, getting your kids into a new school, and so on will be easy! All the paperwork is straightforward, and you’ll have help along the way. One of the final reasons why New Yorkers are heading south to Florida is because it’s simply easy to do so, and there are a lot of perks to it, will little to no cons. You can do it too!

 

References:

Cost of Living in New York. (n.d.). https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/New-York

Cost of Living in Orlando. (n.d.). https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Orlando

Orem, T. (2023). New York State Income Tax: Rates and Who Pays in 2022-2023. NerdWallet. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/taxes/new-york-state-tax

Orlando Housing Market: House Prices & Trends | Redfin. https://www.redfin.com/city/13655/FL/Orlando/housing-market.

Tampa Housing Market: House Prices & Trends | Redfin. https://www.redfin.com/city/18142/FL/Tampa/housing-market.

2023 Compare Climate & Weather: New York, NY VS Miami, FL – Best Places. https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/?c1=53651000&c2=51245000.

Miami Housing Market: House Prices & Trends | Redfin. https://www.redfin.com/city/11458/FL/Miami/housing-market.

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