Why New Yorkers Migrate to Florida
New Yorkers Move to the Sunshine State
In April of this year, the New York Post published an article stating 10,000 New Yorkers relocated to Florida in the first quarter of 2023. The data came from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and the number of New York driver licenses changing to Florida licenses. Is this southern migration on the rise? In 2021, 62,728 New Yorkers moved to Florida. In 2022, the number of transplants increased to 64,557. In 2020, Florida was the most “moved to” state in the country.
Why Move to Florida?
As a Florida homebuilder, we’re always interested in what motivates out-of-state buyers to make a move to Florida. We posed the question to New Yorkers on our Holiday Builders’ Facebook page. We received a wide variety of answers. “Liz” moved to Florida to be closer to family. “Joan” took a teaching job in Florida. Many responders made a decision to leave New York, disgruntled by harsh weather, taxes, crime, and politics. Since January of this year, Holiday Builders has welcomed new homeowners from cities and towns all over New York, including Brooklyn, Bronx, Cortlandt, Brentwood, Baldwin, Halfmoon, Auburn, Mastic, Jamaica, Middle Village, Middleton, Stony Point, Ontario, New York, and Middleton. An Allied Van Lines article cites four main reasons Florida is so desirable: Great weather, cost of living, beautiful beaches, and things to do.
No Longer God’s Waiting Room
The path to Florida is not a new one. Florida has long appealed to individuals seeking a warm climate and a relaxed lifestyle. But a couple of things have changed. A June 2023 article in Yahoo Finance noted that “Florida is no longer God’s Waiting room” and that for the first time in history, Florida beat New York as having the most available non-farm jobs of any state, since 1982. New York is the top “out of state” origin for people moving to Tampa, Miami, and Orlando. Here’s a fun fact: 88.81% of Florida residents were born in the United States, and 58.49% of them were born in New York. Remote work opportunities play a significant role in attracting new residents to Florida. It’s far more desirable for most people, to show up for a work meeting when it’s sunny and 85, versus navigating icy roads to a chilly office.
Florida Tax Savings and More
Florida is growing with every generation – from millennials to baby boomers. New York is losing every generation with the exception of Gen Z, (those born between 1997 and 2012), according to USA Today. The economics support the move – establishing residency in Florida is good for saving on taxes. In fact, New York’s top income tax rate is 10.9% Tack on a little more if you live in New York City. In Florida it is ZERO. Living in Florida is more affordable than living in New York. The median selling price of New York homes is approximately $100,000 more than a comparable Florida home.
Residency and Domicile
Leaving home is difficult. Some New Yorkers prefer to hang on to their New York home, despite buying a home and establishing residency in Florida. An article published by International Realty addresses New Yorkers who follow this path. The article advises these homeowners to be mindful of what New York State constitutes as a domicile in terms of tax law. Simply establishing residency in Florida does not ensure there is no tax residency remaining in another state.
The Coastal Life
Lastly, we found an interesting article from a young woman who bravely, relocated to Florida after 20 years in New York. She shares some of the lifestyle and personal changes related to Florida, that took her by surprise. If you’re considering making the move from New York to Florida, be prepared to change your lifestyle accordingly. The sunshine state has plenty to offer, but the coastal lifestyle vibe is totally different. We hope that no matter where you find your Florida home, you’ll settle in and become a proud Floridian.
Holiday Builders in Florida
Holiday Builders is a Florida-based homebuilder. The company is employee-owned and has been building single-family homes for 40 years. Holiday Builders offers three collections of floorplans – Cornerstone, Value, and Inspire. Cornerstone collection homes may be personalized with design selections including flooring, cabinetry, and countertops. Value and Inspire collection homes offer standard features, with a range of square footage options. Holiday Builders has numerous accolades and awards in the building industry. Build from the ground up, or choose a move-in-ready home in your favorite Florida city such as Port St Lucie, Cape Coral, Palm Coast, Palm Bay, Ocala, Milton, or Freeport. For information on locations, floorplans, pricing, and our warranty, visit HolidayBuilders.com.
