Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Why is it usually people from New York and the Upper Midwest who move to Florida and not vice versa?
Real estate may be cheaper in Florida, but not always. Miami is expensive, yet still many snowbirds moving there. Then you need hurricane insurance, which is far more expensive than any insurance you'll need up North for the blizzards. Oh, and sinkholes.
Sales taxes in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Maine are lower than Florida. New Hampshire has no sales tax. Why don't Northerners retire to a small New Hampshire or Michigan city instead of Florida?
Zero state income taxes, maybe? Retirees still have passive income, so they want to avoid capital gains taxes?
Overall, it doesn't seem like Florida is much cheaper than many Northern states except along the Boston-Washington DC corridor.
So my theory is that, contrary to popular opinion, people aren't moving from the North to Florida for the lower COL. The COL in Florida can be just as high due to hurricane insurance and property damage from hurricanes or sinkholes. They move to Florida for warmer weather. They move to Florida because they hate blizzards more than hurricanes. They move to Florida because Florida actually has awesome weather aside from hurricanes.
The maximum heat index these past 72 hours in Orlando was only 88 degrees. That's quite nice. Phoenix got a max heat index of 103 degrees.
Location: Sarasota/ Bradenton - University Pkwy area
4,619 posts, read 7,539,060 times
Reputation: 6036
They move to Florida for warmer weather. They move to Florida because they hate blizzards more than hurricanes. They move to Florida because Florida actually has awesome weather aside from hurricanes.
I think many people (including myself) come to Florida because they get tired of the cold, gray winters up north. My last winter in the midwest was one of those brutal ones when temps rarely even reached 32, lots of snow and ice, a number of weeks were cloudy and gray with barely a glimpse of the sun.
I love being outside in the winter months enjoying the sunshine, abundant flowers, green grass and blue skies. Summers here can be uncomfortably hot and humid for several months, but to me it's a small price to pay to be here.
I think you missed the third option which is where Americans typically go to the extreme end first from the opposite end of the spectrum where things aren't appealing to them. Which is where the term "halfbacker" evolved from, describing those who move to FL to realize it is too hot, too congested or too something and move halfway back to where ever home was in NC, SC, or GA.
Why is it usually people from New York and the Upper Midwest who move to Florida and not vice versa?
Real estate may be cheaper in Florida, but not always. Miami is expensive, yet still many snowbirds moving there. Then you need hurricane insurance, which is far more expensive than any insurance you'll need up North for the blizzards. Oh, and sinkholes.
Sales taxes in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Maine are lower than Florida. New Hampshire has no sales tax. Why don't Northerners retire to a small New Hampshire or Michigan city instead of Florida?
Zero state income taxes, maybe? Retirees still have passive income, so they want to avoid capital gains taxes?
Overall, it doesn't seem like Florida is much cheaper than many Northern states except along the Boston-Washington DC corridor.
So my theory is that, contrary to popular opinion, people aren't moving from the North to Florida for the lower COL. The COL in Florida can be just as high due to hurricane insurance and property damage from hurricanes or sinkholes. They move to Florida for warmer weather. They move to Florida because they hate blizzards more than hurricanes. They move to Florida because Florida actually has awesome weather aside from hurricanes.
The maximum heat index these past 72 hours in Orlando was only 88 degrees. That's quite nice. Phoenix got a max heat index of 103 degrees.
Eighty-eight degrees can be hot as hell, if the Humidity is HIGH. They move to Florida for many reasons: The sun is mostly out, lots of palm trees and fauna, many people in snow states may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is caused by the lack of light in the Winter, and once they reach a destination with lots of light, it disappears. Many people want to have the freedom to go to the beach whenever they want too.
In addition, what lures the Seniors from cold climates, is also the type of housing provided: Lots of friends to make, and the feeling that one is never lonely, lots of activities, within the housing to share, etc., etc. I live in New York City, have traveled back and forth to Florida, for 2 1/2 months per year to avoid the snow and dreary days for over forty years. But, I enjoy living the rest of the year at home, near my family, and ALL that NYC has to offer.
Eighty-eight degrees can be hot as hell, if the Humidity is HIGH.
Read my post. I said 88 degrees was Orlando's max heat index in the last 72 hours, humidity already factored in. The real temperature was lower than 88 degrees. Heat index is temperature plus the humidity factor.
While Phoenix had a max heat index of 103 in the past 72 hours.
Phoenix gets higher heat indexes than Florida, often much higher.
Why is it usually people from New York and the Upper Midwest who move to Florida and not vice versa?
Real estate may be cheaper in Florida, but not always. Miami is expensive, yet still many snowbirds moving there. Then you need hurricane insurance, which is far more expensive than any insurance you'll need up North for the blizzards. Oh, and sinkholes.
Sales taxes in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Maine are lower than Florida. New Hampshire has no sales tax. Why don't Northerners retire to a small New Hampshire or Michigan city instead of Florida?
Zero state income taxes, maybe? Retirees still have passive income, so they want to avoid capital gains taxes?
Overall, it doesn't seem like Florida is much cheaper than many Northern states except along the Boston-Washington DC corridor.
So my theory is that, contrary to popular opinion, people aren't moving from the North to Florida for the lower COL. The COL in Florida can be just as high due to hurricane insurance and property damage from hurricanes or sinkholes. They move to Florida for warmer weather. They move to Florida because they hate blizzards more than hurricanes. They move to Florida because Florida actually has awesome weather aside from hurricanes.
The maximum heat index these past 72 hours in Orlando was only 88 degrees. That's quite nice. Phoenix got a max heat index of 103 degrees.
That's an easy question to answer! The snow belt winters! The high taxes, and other problems that go along with living in a solid blue state. The overall cost of living in Florida is 80% of the cost of living in Minnesota, unless you live out in the "sticks" in Minnesota or you live near the expensive coastlines of Florida. Hurricanes are relatively rare events. There's plenty of warning too. There's no warning for earthquakes in California. In the winter, you basically are inside for over 6 months a year, every year. You minimize the time from inside to your car and from your car to the inside. The car takes at least ten minutes to warm up. Driving in snow and ice is no joy. Walking in snow and on ice, and shoveling snow is no joy. Probably only 5% of the snow belt population enjoy winter and outdoor winter activities. The vast majority of the population dislike winters to varying degrees, hunker down inside as much as possible, and are very happy when another winter is over. Each year, there's about 4 months of decent weather in Minnesota, when you can get outside and do things without dressing up like the Michelin man. Some of those 4 nice months are very hot, humid, and sometimes chocked with large, very aggressive mosquitos, so you have to spray yourself down with mosquito spay.
Florida has no state income tax. That's a huge factor if you've saved up a lot of money in your lifetime of working. Just the increase in value of all the accounts is often higher than two high income jobs. All the pre-tax retirement money is going to be taxed when it comes out of the account. Virtually, your entire retirement income stream is taxed in Minnesota. The auto insurance is double in Florida. The insurance for your home is usually higher in Florida. There's CCD and HOA fees in Florida. There's a lot of other fees in Florida. But overall, the cost of living in Florida is significantly lower, if you do not live in a high cost area, like near the coastline in Florida. We would never, ever consider living in the Miami area. The desert SW is like sticking your head inside a hot oven and leaving it there. The dry weather in the desert SW also causes havoc with your skin.
Not everyone that lives in the snow belt are in a good financial situation, but there are a lot of people who are in that situation. It's no accident to get in that position by educating yourself to have the job skills so you can earn a high income. At the same time, you live well below your means, and save a lot of money. That's how people become "everyday millionaires" according to Dave Ramsey. You start from nothing and can retire comfortably. We considered moving to Florida before we retired, but our incomes in the IT industry would have been half the income that we made in Minnesota. Our earning potential would have been much higher in California or the east coast, working in the IT industry.
But when you retire, you want to escape the horrible high taxes and oppression that is ruining your life. There is very little to show for paying all those high taxes. Most of the tax money is wasted on totally unnecessary things or handed out to able body people who are simply too lazy to work, want handouts, and are simply milking the system. The freeloaders.
That's some of the reasons why so many people are moving from the northern states to Florida during their retirement years.
I moved here because hubby passed away, and I had to make a choice to either live in the Pocono mountains of Pa, or here. We were snowbirds, but when he passed, I could no longer hold 2 homes, so a choice had to be made. I chose Florida. It was a good decision for me because of all the reasons listed above. I would never go back to the northern winters for all the money in the world. I was always a summer person, and when I was younger, shoveling snow, I swore that I would move south someday. So here I am. For me it was the right decision.
It's said that one should never move to Florida for the sunny weather and beaches, but I did just that. Yes its hot for long periods of time, but it's very manageable to me because everything literally is super air conditioned. I love and have always loved summer and summer clothing. We are all different, and if we weren't, we'd all be living in the same place.
Why is it usually people from New York and the Upper Midwest who move to Florida and not vice versa?
Real estate may be cheaper in Florida, but not always. Miami is expensive, yet still many snowbirds moving there. Then you need hurricane insurance, which is far more expensive than any insurance you'll need up North for the blizzards. Oh, and sinkholes.
Sales taxes in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Maine are lower than Florida. New Hampshire has no sales tax. Why don't Northerners retire to a small New Hampshire or Michigan city instead of Florida?
Zero state income taxes, maybe? Retirees still have passive income, so they want to avoid capital gains taxes?
Overall, it doesn't seem like Florida is much cheaper than many Northern states except along the Boston-Washington DC corridor.
So my theory is that, contrary to popular opinion, people aren't moving from the North to Florida for the lower COL. The COL in Florida can be just as high due to hurricane insurance and property damage from hurricanes or sinkholes. They move to Florida for warmer weather. They move to Florida because they hate blizzards more than hurricanes. They move to Florida because Florida actually has awesome weather aside from hurricanes.
The maximum heat index these past 72 hours in Orlando was only 88 degrees. That's quite nice. Phoenix got a max heat index of 103 degrees.
In retirement I don`t care to walk through ice, snow potholes, and taking the chance of falling on black ice. I love the warm and sunshine. Also go onZillow and check out prices of homes, and what you get for the same price NH vs FL.
In retirement I don`t care to walk through ice, snow potholes, and taking the chance of falling on black ice. I love the warm and sunshine. Also go onZillow and check out prices of homes, and what you get for the same price NH vs FL.
Yes, but after you account for the fact you need extra homeowners insurance for hurricanes and sinkholes in Florida that you don't need in NH, then the difference isn't that big.
But then again, NH just has high property taxes. So why, then, don't more retirees move to Phoenix? Low property taxes, and houses are cheap because you don't need hurricane or sinkhole insurance. You can drive two hours and be in the mountains. Can't do that in Florida.
I'm guessing it's because as much as people might not want to admit, even the heat and humidity of Orlando is nice compared to the brutal desert heat of Phoenix. Even without humidity, Phoenix still feels hotter according to the heat index than Florida's heat and humidity.
Yes, but after you account for the fact you need extra homeowners insurance for hurricanes and sinkholes in Florida that you don't need in NH, then the difference isn't that big.
But then again, NH just has high property taxes. So why, then, don't more retirees move to Phoenix? Low property taxes, and houses are cheap because you don't need hurricane or sinkhole insurance. You can drive two hours and be in the mountains. Can't do that in Florida.
I'm guessing it's because as much as people might not want to admit, even the heat and humidity of Orlando is nice compared to the brutal desert heat of Phoenix. Even without humidity, Phoenix still feels hotter according to the heat index than Florida's heat and humidity.
Am I right? PHX heat feels hotter than Florida?
That's true that some costs are higher in Florida, like insurance for your home and cars, plus there are other fees too. For example, it costs about $400 to $600 to transfer your auto registration to Florida. But that's jus a one time fee, but an example of a large fee in Florida. But the lack of a state income tax is huge! Your pensions, Social Security, all the money in our pre-tax retirement accounts, and your other income streams, like interest and dividends have no state income taxes. The more you saved during your working years, and accumulated wealth, the better Florida looks.
The desert SW does have occasional dust storms from my understanding. I've heard that if you breathe too much of that dust during a dust storm, that it can damage your lungs permanently. If you've ever visited the desert SW in the middle of the summer, experiencing the extremely high heat, you probably would not want to live there. Nevada has no state income tax, so you could live there. But if you live in the desert SW, you have to like the brown color everywhere, instead of the lush green color in the landscaping of Florida.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
sasie 123
