why so many people move from Florida to Tennessee? (Memphis: sales, insurance)

[melovescookies]

I'm a little late to the party but I thought I'd chime in anyway. I've lived in Florida all of my adult life and desperately want to leave. My sister is moving to Chattanooga in a few months and if all goes well for her, I might make the move myself in a few years.

I can't speak for all Floridians but for myself and my sister the main draw of Tennessee is the climate and mountains.

I hate hot weather and love to be outdoors but the extreme heat and humidity keeps me inside most of the year. I grew up in the north east and would love to experience the four seasons again, especially the Fall.
I can deal with the heat if it only lasts 3 or 4 months. I also don't mind a little snow in the winter.

I would love to live near the mountains. I enjoy hiking and just being out in nature.(when it's not 90 plus degrees out.) The beach does nothing for me. I actually hate the sand and the salt water. I live 45 minutes from it now and have been maybe 3 times in the last 10 years. I'm not much of a water person but if I do swim, I prefer fresh water (preferably without alligators.)

In general, I'd like to find a smaller town with nice people, less crime and a decent job market. From what I read unemployment might be slightly higher up there but good jobs are hard to find anywhere.

Sure if you have a lot of money and enjoy the heat and the beach, Florida probably is a paradise to you. For me, it's just a sauna with a lot of bugs and thugs. Tennessee might not be any better, I really don't know but I can't see how it could be much worse.

I know Florida lovers can get really defensive when you criticize their beloved state so let me emphasize that these are just my options and your free to love Florida all you like.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by melovescookies

I'm a little late to the party but I thought I'd chime in anyway. I've lived in Florida all of my adult life and desperately want to leave. My sister is moving to Chattanooga in a few months and if all goes well for her, I might make the move myself in a few years.

I can't speak for all Floridians but for myself and my sister the main draw of Tennessee is the climate and mountains.

I hate hot weather and love to be outdoors but the extreme heat and humidity keeps me inside most of the year. I grew up in the north east and would love to experience the four seasons again, especially the Fall.
I can deal with the heat if it only lasts 3 or 4 months. I also don't mind a little snow in the winter.

I would love to live near the mountains. I enjoy hiking and just being out in nature.(when it's not 90 plus degrees out.) The beach does nothing for me. I actually hate the sand and the salt water. I live 45 minutes from it now and have been maybe 3 times in the last 10 years. I'm not much of a water person but if I do swim, I prefer fresh water (preferably without alligators.)

In general, I'd like to find a smaller town with nice people, less crime and a decent job market. From what I read unemployment might be slightly higher up there but good jobs are hard to find anywhere.

Sure if you have a lot of money and enjoy the heat and the beach, Florida probably is a paradise to you. For me, it's just a sauna with a lot of bugs and thugs. Tennessee might not be any better, I really don't know but I can't see how it could be much worse.

I know Florida lovers can get really defensive when you criticize their beloved state so let me emphasize that these are just my options and your free to love Florida all you like.

Then you would like near Knoxville better and about 2 hours to Chattanooga, so you can easily visit.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by bluffcity

I live in West Tennessee for almost 10 years now and thinking of moving to Orlando area. but see so many people move from Florida to Tennessee, wonder why? in my opinion, Florida has beach, more shopping options and low taxes similar to TN. except job is hard to find, why people are leaving FL?

I've heard from a couple of people who have relocated from Florida to Tennessee. Florida's job market is pretty lousy. Once you get away from the coast--within 10 miles or so--Florida is a sticky, flat, rather unattractive landscape, that has swampy terrain and super tropical--mostly anyhow.

There are also a ton of reptiles, huge insects and awful humidity.

Tennessee offers gorgeous countryside, more temperate weather, and certainly less insects. Being non-tropical, but still somewhat mild, with a taste of a bit of snow in winter, it's more ideal for a lot of people, from what I've heard.

[JRR]

To give you an idea of Central Florida summer weather, at 11:20 PM our temperature is 85 and the heat index is 93. I stepped outside and it felt like a hot blanket being thrown over me.

Whatever weather I would get at Cookeville would have to be better than this.

[snikt1]

Originally Posted by JRR

To give you an idea of Central Florida summer weather, at 11:20 PM our temperature is 85 and the heat index is 93. I stepped outside and it felt like a hot blanket being thrown over me.

Whatever weather I would get at Cookeville would have to be better than this.

Nashville 5-day forecast.

91
93
97
96
100

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by snikt1

Nashville 5-day forecast.

91
93
97
96
100

First, the person you are replying to was saying it was 85°F with a heat index of 93 at 11:20PM. At night. At almost midnight. The temperatures you posted are for the peak temperatures in the afternoon, AND it's during a heat wave. We'll have 2-5 heat waves in a summer lasting a week or so (we're currently on number 3 in July, so it's a hot summer this year), but in Florida those temps last all summer long.

Basically, unless you live right on the coast with the coastal breeze, add 5-10 degrees to the TN temp and max out the relative humidity.

[Lanadana]

I live in Florida and would move to East Tennessee tomorrow if I could. To really enjoy Florida you have to love the beach,
boating, only two seasons(hot and cool), humidity and heat and touristy restaurants. I was born here and hate all those things. I lived in Lenoir City, tn for about 4 years and loved it. Only thing I did not like was the people being so clannish. If you are not kinfolk you are not going to get a dinner invite. However, I live in a community that has mostly people from the Northeast and that is not ideal either.

[Postal77]

I've lived in Florida all my life. My wife, 4 kids and I are strongly considering relocating there. I am self employed and work from home, so job market isn't an issue.

We want cooler weather. We want mountains. And we want some snow. Florida has none of this. I'm sick of Florida.

The southern culture is attractive as I live in Northwest Florida where it's basically Alabama. But my one big concern is the cold shoulder you can get from some southern areas.

I do like the beach. I may miss it. But I can always visit. I need mountains. I'm sick of heat, humidity and congested cities.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by Postal77

I've lived in Florida all my life. My wife, 4 kids and I are strongly considering relocating there. I am self employed and work from home, so job market isn't an issue.

We want cooler weather. We want mountains. And we want some snow. Florida has none of this. I'm sick of Florida.

The southern culture is attractive as I live in Northwest Florida where it's basically Alabama. But my one big concern is the cold shoulder you can get from some southern areas.

I do like the beach. I may miss it. But I can always visit. I need mountains. I'm sick of heat, humidity and congested cities.

There is still a lot of heat and humidity here in Tennessee. The summer temps can be as bad or worse than Florida, but you should see less humidity here because of our distance from the ocean. In the winter our weather is definitely cooler, however this is not the north. You will not find a lot of snow unless you go up into the mountains. We get 4-6 inches of snow in an entire year on average. True cold snowy places like the upper Great Lakes get hundreds of inches of snow. Just making the point that this is no where near far enough north for a winter experience. We have a cool winter, not really a cold one. Southern culture??? You will find that here, but a different version than deep south Alabama. This is the mountain south culture here and it is a bit different than deep south culture. If you want mountains then we have plenty of them, they are beautiful. Sounds like you should visit.

[Drake744]

I grew up in Nashville and IMO Florida is constantly seen by outsiders as a lovely place that people would be crazy not wanting to be there. I've been to Florida (mainly Orlando area and Pinellas County) more times than I can count and I lived in Deerfield Beach for about a year and it was fine but nothing amazing. I have a friend born and raised in Palm Beach County and she can't wait to leave. I also know a guy who lived for over 20 years all across South Florida from Naples to Jupiter to Key Largo and he moved up here about 5 years ago and likes it here more than there. Seeing water and palm trees greatly increases the positive perception of a place for someone who isn't used to seeing them, even if it's not as great as it seems.