Best Reasons to Move to Florida (and How IVL Can Help!)
More Americans are Moving to the Sunshine State than Ever Before. More are on the Way.
Americans Are on the Move
Americans are a restless bunch.
We move all the time, and for all sorts of reasons—including better job prospects, better home prices, a lower cost of living, better public services, a better climate, better educational opportunities, and safer communities.
And those are just a handful of the things that will convince Americans to pack up and leave their old life behind in order to start again somewhere else.
Read Here:10 Tips To Consider Before a Long Distance Move
Packing up
In many ways, this sort of wanderlust is a constant in American life. It’s part of our national character— and the statistics prove it: every year, millions of Americans move from one part of the country to another, and millions more move overseas or return home.
Over the last few years, the number of people moving inside the United States—particularly from one state to another—has been rising steadily.
Mass migration out of California, New York, and Illinois has been the subject of countless new stories—and continues to grow—but what’s a little less publicized is where all of these people have been going.
So Where is Everyone Headed?
Cocoa Beach, FL
A lot of people are moving to the US Southwest. Some are moving to the Carolinas and Tennessee, mainly for work opportunities but also for a higher quality of life overall.
But an even greater number of Americans are moving even further south—to a strange and exotic land of sun sandy white beaches and truly stunning cultural and ecological diversity. To the place, older Americans continue to associate with the Mercury and Apollo missions. The place where both the people—and the weather—are known for keeping things a bit… lively. The place where alligators and crocodiles live together in peace and harmony (sort of), where English and Spanish have begun to fuse in fascinating, novel ways (see “Miami English”), and where millions of visitors from every corner of the globe come to visit some of the world’s most famous theme parks.
The State of Florida. That state that, according to a wide variety of metrics, sits head and shoulders above all the others.
Read Here: Cost of a Long Distance Move – What to Expect
Where Exactly Are People Moving to in Florida?
According to a mid-2023 story at US News & World Report, seven of the 10 cities that Americans are moving to most are in the state of Florida – including, top to bottom, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Port St. Lucie, Ocala, Daytona Beach, and Naples.
Ocala, FL
That’s a stunning stat, but other reports largely confirm Florida’s popularity with Americans of all ages and backgrounds who are also thinking about relocating. A March 2023 report from the real estate outfit RedFin, for example, ranks Miami as the city that Americans want to move to most. Four other cities in Florida feature on the list, with Tampa at #5, Orlando at #6, Cape Coral at #7, and North Port-Sarasota at #9. The rest of the list is dominated by destinations in the US Southwest – a reminder that the exodus from California continues.
Florida, in short, is absolutely crushing it when it comes to attracting people who’ve made the decision to relocate across state lines.
And one moving company—based in Coral Springs, Florida—is working harder than any other to satisfy the needs and meet the demands of new arrivals to the Sunshine State: International Van Lines (IVL), a full-service mover consistently ranked as one of the best moving companies in the United States.
IVL is the only partner you need if you’ve made the decision to move to Florida. We’ve been here since the day we launched 25 years ago, and we know Florida better than any other mover, national or local. We can’t guarantee you’ll love Florida (although we’re pretty sure you will) – but we can guarantee a flawless, stress-free move, regardless of your point of origin that we’re sure of.
Know More Here: How to Hire Trustworthy Long Distance Movers
Feel free to use IVL’s moving cost calculator
You can get a rough estimate of what moving to Florida might cost.
*OK, But Why Florida Exactly?*
Green palm trees during daytime.
Florida has long had a reputation for being popular with elderly Americans. It’s a bit of a cliche at this point, but it’s true: Florida’s beaches and climate suit older Americans who’ve had their fill of harsh winters and have managed to put a little something aside for some fun in the sun.
What’s interesting though is that Florida is becoming more and more popular with younger Americans—especially Millennials—who see a unique blend of opportunity and affordability in the state. Like so many others, they’re moving to Florida to save money, but also to make money.
Here’s what they like about the Sunshine State:
1) No State Income Tax: This is a good one for sure. Much of the popularity of moving to Florida undoubtedly stems from the fact that Florida has no state income tax. This allows younger people, in particular, to put aside a bit more money – money they can use to buy a home, start a business, or go to school. “No income tax” is a solid selling point. This is among the major reasons why people choose to move to Florida.
Lovely Florida beach house.
2) Reasonable Home Prices: Median home prices are comparatively reasonable in Florida, especially if you’re coming from a state like Virginia or California, where you’ll need $750,000 to buy a two-bedroom home. In Florida, median house prices are about half that – around $400,000. That’s a lot of savings.
It’s true that home prices in Florida are a bit higher than normal at the moment. Some attribute this to issues with insurance coverage. Things are also skewed somewhat by the fact that some of the wealthiest communities – and most expensive individual properties – in the country can be found in spots like Coral Gables, Boca Raton, and Naples (which is home to America’s most expensive property development, Gordon Pointe, currently listed at just under $300 million). Real Estate pricing is one of the major factor people consider when they move to Florida.
Don’t worry though. You don’t need to live in Gordon Pointe. Much of Florida remains perfectly affordable, including areas of St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Daytona Beach, and Jacksonville. Affordable homes remain abundant.
3) Cost of Living: Florida isn’t the cheapest state in the Union by a long shot, with the overall cost of living, per person, averaging somewhere between $4000 and $4500 a month. However, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.
Hawaii and California – the other most popular destinations in the United States for sand, sun, and general happiness – have far higher prices.
Inflation, unfortunately, is resulting in higher prices for food, fuel, and utilities at the moment, though this is likely to ease as inflation cools. This is one of the main reasons to move to Florida.
4) Beaches, Beaches, and More Beaches: Florida is blessed with some of the best beaches in the world. From Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island to Palm Beach, Clearwater Beach, and Marco Island – and many more.
Florida’s hundreds of miles of powdery white and golden sand help people of all ages, younger people and senior citizens alike, stay active and energized. The scenic beauty of the state is one of the prime reasons to move to Florida.
5) A Dynamic Economy: Florida has the fourth-largest economy in the United States, behind California, Texas, and New York. Florida’s economy, however, is unusually dynamic, featuring strong overall growth, rising wages, and declining unemployment.
6) Unfiltered UV Light: Florida – not Philly – is the place where it’s always sunny. Well, almost always: Florida averages a mind-blowing 230-250 days of sunshine per year, second only to the Great State of Arizona.
Know More Here: All About Moving From New York to Miami