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I moved from Michigan to South Texas in 2014. No way am I moving back to gray winter skies, snow, and ice. I am done with that. Today here in South Texas, I am waking up to a glorious sunny morning. The forecast is plenty of sun and a high of 80 degrees. You just can't beat that. Why should I move back?
It may be in the 80s today but when does your summer start and end?
Well, for starters, people generally do not leave Florida because it is “too hot.” That includes native-born residents and transplants from “up North.”
Instead, people leave Florida because salaries and wages are low and non-competitive relative to the cost-of-living, which is deceptively high.
Also, it is very challenging for a careerist in Florida to advance in his or her career field without moving out of state. Sadly, there is a low volume of quality, reputable employers throughout most of the state.
Remember, economics is always the primary catalyst for relocation after school.
There are lots of people who leave states like FL because of the heat, as some indicated in this thread. I've read numerous other threads/posts from retirees who left FL because they couldn't take the heat and wanted to be back in an area with four seasons. But I also don't dispute that many also leave FL for better economic opportunities, I've worked with some of them over the yrs.
Interesting article, which tries to address why 9 states are loosing population. It leaves one with more questions than answers. I suppose the bottom line is, people leave their states for various reasons and it depends on the location. I live in the DC metro area, and based on my personal experience, I would say the vast majority individuals that I know (my co-workers and friends) who moved here did so for a career. Once they retire, I would say 90% of them, are planning on leaving this area. Since DC is a very transient area, many don't consider this a permanent home. Personally, I am still undecided, but I still have about 10 yrs. to go before I can retire. I am always scouting different areas for possible retirement. I think I have ruled out anything further south than VA. I am one of those people who doesn't like humidity and even VA is too hot for me. I love snow but we get so little of it here, with a few exception. So I haven't ruled out moving back NE, but a lot will depend on the economic climate in NE when I retire. Right now, thing don't look great for retirees in NE.
Although I feel like we get plenty of sun in the Chicago area, I know some are genuinely affected by SAD. You can still get lots of sun and snow in places like Denver. One of my complaints about the weather here in Chicago is that we don't get enough snow. I'm actually considering a relo to the Michigan side of the lake where they get hit hard by lake effect snow. Me and the sun don't get along anyway, 30 minutes of exposure and I look like a ripe tomato.
Chicago is pretty sunny in my opinion but I am also not a fan of the sun It hates my fair skin, too.
I also love lake effect snow!
Western MI does pretty good for it; Grand Rapids gets about 6 feet a year, Traverse City about 9-10 feet a year. Charlevoix is a gorgeous city and also gets loads of lovely snow If you love winter, Marquette in the UP is a great place to visit since they have winter festivals and they get 12+ feet of snow a year.
Nice to see someone else who appreciates snow & clouds--we seem to be a rarity.
I might have said a bit of this before on this forum...I'm from New England and moved to Columbia, South Carolina. Culture shock! Almost everything was completely opposite from what I'd known. Then I moved for work to just on the SC side of Savannah. Ditto. So then I moved to Atlanta. It was better but it's still a Southern city, which is certainly not a Northeastern city. I'm in the Midwest now, which is a better fit.
I've known and know several Northeasterners in the South. Most stay there and will never move back North because it is affordable. Even though most have the means to back, they are already used to not paying extremely high prices. A lot of Northeastern states should consider how they're pushing out the solidly middle class and what that will mean in the future.
Some do like it in the South, especially those who hate snow... For me, it was simply too culturally different. Trying to find like-minded people was difficult and everyday things like work, neighbor relations, and the like are made more difficult when you're always coming from a different perspective. There were things that I valued --that I didn't know that I valued when I lived in the NE-- that I couldn't find in these places. It was the definition of a poor fit. If I do decide to move again it will only be back to the NE.
I have considered the area around Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, but they don't really have many options there in my career field. Not interested in Lewis county in the Tug Hill Plateau region, mainly because of the economics and demographics of the area. I wouldn't discount the Adriondacks but it would have to be a very good opportunity given the higher cost of living and tax burden of northern NY.
Actually, the overall cost of living isn’t that high, if at all(at highest at the national average) and the property tax rate for most counties in the North Country/Adirondacks of NY is in the 1.5-2.1% range. Hence the reason for mentioning a couple of the counties(was thinking of Lowville in between Watertown and Utica/Rome in Lewis County and Ticonderoga closer to Glens Falls or Keeseville closer to Plattsburgh in Essex County). Can view rates here: https://smartasset.com/taxes/new-yor...tor#UUBmF35UUb
Until the past six months, I've considered retiring to Florida or somewhere else in the South or at least buying a second home, as have many of my friends. There's obviously a large tax incentive to do so. Of course, you get what you pay for, and this generally extends to public services; the county where I live offers point-to-point mass transit service over great distances, especially affordable for seniors. Libraries and local parks are free and excellent.
Based on the diminishing winters in northern Ohio, which remains very inexpensive compared to coastal areas despite great amenities (high culture, recreation areas, pro sports, etc.), and the underestimated risks of sea level rise in coastal areas, especially in Florida, due to man-made climate change, any extended winters now spent in the winter in the South will be as a renter or tourist.
Until a month ago, I had never heard the term cryosphere, nor understood the import of temperatures now more regularly and intensely rising above the melting point of ice in the cryosphere in the past decade.
I live in Greater Cleveland in the northeast Ohio snowbelt. As a kid, I remember snowfalls so great we were out of school for a week and there was no place to put the snow. This year, to everybody's dismay, there has been no snow and very mild temperatures.
Within a few years, partially due to recent scientific research and the launch by NASA of its ICESat-2 satellite, my belief now is that there will develop great concern about the "rapid" inundation of coastal beaches and nature preserves, with longer-term concern about entire coastal communities and cities.
Coastal residents in the East in coming decades may migrate west to higher elevations rather than to the South, especially Florida.
Last edited by WRnative; 01-06-2019 at 11:43 AM..
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It hates my fair skin, too. 
