Born and raised in Miami, Kimberly Jones had lived in South Florida her entire life, until recently.
Her children, family and friends all live in Florida. And yet, at age 60, Kimberly and her retired husband decided to relocate to North Carolina.
As she explained in an article for Business Insider, Florida has become unlivable thanks to the rising costs, traffic congestion and extreme weather (1). Jones believes the cost of living is now “out of control,” adding that South Florida now feels “overly developed.”
Her commute to and from work in Florida was taking two-and-a-half hours each day. Meanwhile, her insurance premiums were going up, and everyday expenses like groceries were becoming noticeably more expensive.
“South Florida is nothing like what it used to be,” she told Business Insider. As she saw clusters of cranes and new buildings going up, she often wondered who could afford to live there.
Despite everything she’s given up, she says her quality of life has improved since making the move. And she’s not alone, with some retirees leaving Florida for other southern states in search of long-term financial stability and a better lifestyle.
Thanks to its warm climate and lack of state income tax, Florida has long been considered a retirement haven. But rising home prices, the threat of hurricanes (and skyrocketing insurance premiums) as well as infrastructure strain are pushing some long-time residents out.
And many are packing up the U-Haul in search of more affordability — and a more laid-back lifestyle — in neighboring states. The retirement conversation is no longer just about where to save on taxes, but how to offset the rising cost of living and boost quality of life.
Related: 4 money moves that could change your retirement
Florida was the second-fastest growing state from 2023 to 2024, making it the third-most populous state in America with 23.4 million people, according to Realtor.com (2). But in 2023, about 500,000 people left Florida for another state, according to the most recent census data (3).
Jones told Business Insider that many Floridians who choose to move are staying in southern states, and the numbers bear this out. Neighboring state Georgia, for example, was the most popular destination, accounting for more than 10% of Florida’s outbound migration in 2024.
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