We may only be less than two weeks into April, but plenty of New Yorkers are getting a head start on their relocation plans while the getting is still good.
So far, over 10,000 New Yorkers have pulled up stakes and moved to Florida in 2023 alone.
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That's according to a recent data pull by the Florida Department of Highway Safety, which says 10,824 people in total have traded their New York State drivers licenses for Florida ones.
And while that number is still massive, this time last year (Q1 2022), 14,834 New Yorkers moved to Florida over the same period. Some Floridians think New Yorkers are fleeing a high cost of living, rising crime rates, and colder weather in the hopes for a more relaxed pace of life in the Sunshine State.
“They come in every day,” a Jacksonville DMV staffer told The New York Post. “I hear all the complaints. I feel like a therapist sometimes."
The staffer said some New Yorkers mention high taxes, along with a less enjoyable quality of life in the Big Apple.
Everybody Wants to Move to Florida
In 2022, a total of 64,577 New Yorkers moved to Florida. The previous year, 61,728 moved there. Changing migration patterns have always shaped America; many of us get antsy and yearn for a new way of life, wide open spaces, or making it big time in a large city. But even this movement seems unprecedented.
In fact, with the growing presence of big banks, like Goldman Sachs and Blackstone, in Florida, the state has earned the nickname "Wall Street South."
"Successful people with big businesses ... want to create their residency in Florida to save on taxes," Miami-based Douglas Elliman agent Jackie Bild says. "Many jobs have become more flexible, and you no longer need to go into the office and be in the cold. And it’s more affordable than New York."
"Florida is still affordable – for New Yorkers," Bild added.
It's not showing much sign of slowing down, either.
According to a recent Siena College poll, nearly 1/3 (27%) of New Yorkers say they want to move from their home state within the next five years. 60% said New York was not a good place to retire, and 67% said New York was not affordable.
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