[PeteU]

Florida is great. I loved it even before I moved here permanently. It's just a beautiful state.

The only major problem is that those who move here who don't appreciate Florida for Florida's sake, and simply come down here for the scenery, the tax breaks or the weather. If you are going to move here, you've got to appreciate the state for what it is. Don't try to make it into where you lived before, because there's a reason you moved, after all. (No, I'm not a native, but I think it's important to preserve and celebrate everything uniquely Floridian about the state. And places like Walt Disney World are not uniquely Floridian and are really a detriment to the state.)

The other major problem simply is that developers and homebuilders seem to run this state and every local government within it. And they have a vision of plastering the beauty of this state with acres of gated subdivisions and strip malls galore. Florida needs to really tighten its belt on these crooks and predators before it causes too much long term damage.

But the state itself? I love it. I'm only leaving if you carry me out in a pine box.

[NativeFloridan]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

i think alot of people that are complaining about florida are stuck in time and want florida to be the way it was "back in the day"

those days are gone, not coming back.

But overall, its a pretty great state. The only real negative to me is the hurricanes...

never say never

[chopchop0]

how many panhandle folks are there in relation to people in the big cities along and in the peninsula?

I suspect not that many. It may not be 5% as the other poster was saying, but it's probably not a whole lot more

[vaughanwilliams]

Originally Posted by Jojo1313

We have been reading these forums and everything is so negative. Areas are bad, cant sell houses, school system is screwy, crime is high, everything is expensive...jeez!

Heres the deal. We are getting married in Sept and moving OR PLANNED ON MOVING lol down there in Jan / Feb . We are both 30 something and looking into the Port Saint Lucie area.

Is there anything postive you guys can tell us...especially about PSL?

The state IS pretty messed up, but you may like it. Not my cup of tea, though.

[**NoodLes**]

Florida has been in second place of most people moving out for years, only second to California.
Here's your proof:

Movers.com - Moving Trends: An Exploration

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

Florida has been in second place of most people moving out for years, only second to California.
Here's your proof:

Movers.com - Moving Trends: An Exploration

Wrong.

Overall, Florida's net migration was 607,023 through 2000, and this trend basically continued until the recent recession and housing crisis.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/censr-8.pdf

Between 1995 and 2000, 308,000 people moved from New York to Florida, creating the largest state-to-state flow in the United States

New York’s net domestic outmigration of 874,000 was the largest of any state, and it extended to every state except Nebraska and the District of Columbia.

High net domestic inmigration states gained many migrants from California, New York, and Illinois—a trio of “gateway” states that simultaneously lost migrants to other states while gaining migrants from abroad.

That in a nutshell explains why NY and CA have been still eeking out population gains over the years. They've been losing people to other states, but have been making it up with new immigrants.

[**NoodLes**]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Wrong.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/censr-8.pdf

That in a nutshell explains why NY and CA have been still eeking out population gains over the years. They've been losing people to other states, but have been making it up with new immigrants.

How about you give us stats that aren't more than 10 years old. No, you're wrong ***MOD CUT***

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

How about you give us stats that aren't more than 10 years old. No, you're wrong ***MOD CUT***

you made the claim. you back it up.

Nothing changed between 2000-2007 btw, unless you have something to suggest otherwise.

Florida QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

[**NoodLes**]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

you made the claim. you back it up.

Nothing changed between 2000-2007 btw, unless you have something to suggest otherwise.

Florida QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

I already provided the link, ***MOD CUT***

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

I already provided the link, ***MOD CUT***

ah so Im supposed to believe some random moving company's website. Got it

But if you want something more recent, here's the Pew Research center's data:

Maps: Migration Flows in the United States - Pew Social & Demographic Trends

It still shows FL gaining population internally between 2005-2007, while places like CA, NY and NJ have had negative migration.

State Population Growth Trends Since 2000

FL has been in the top 10 states for pop growth since 2000.

Florida grew by 15.52% while California has seen total population growth of 8.73% since 2000, while New York has seen its population grow by less than 3%.

Florida :: Population

Florida has the fourth largest population in the United States, estimated at 18.5 million in 2009. Since Census 2000, Florida has added nearly 2.6 million residents, an increase of 16%. Over this same period, the total U.S. population grew by about 9%.

http://www.demographia.com/db-2005statepop.pdf

The fastest growing states in percentage terms are Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and
Utah between 2000-2005.

Seriously, you should do some real research before you jump to conclusions. FL's population growth has only started hitting a wall since 2007 or so. Until then, it was one of the growth leaders in the country along with Texas and the southwest.