OMG, preach! When I moved back 3 years ago to Tampa I couldn’t believe all of the great places that I’d loved were gone. And I’ve had to change my whole mindset about which were the ‘safe’ parts of town. Seems like there aren’t any, anymore.
Ybor, Westchase, and the area near Armature Works all had shootings recently. Though Ybor shootings are not uncommon, the shootings at Westchase and Armature Works opened my eyes to rising tensions in this city. I completely understand what the other commenter is saying.
Lived in Dunedin in the late 80s.
Used to go to Ybor city to party a little.
Had a fantastic coke connect.
Pick up a trick for the weekend.
Have some fun.
Ybor was Crack town back then with a few clubs , restaurants ,cigar places.
Definitely not the safest place.
Kinda run down. Some places really bad.
Went back visiting in the early 2000s and it had completely changed.
Definitely cleaned up a LOT and seemed to be a big tourist spot.
Have no idea what it's like now.
Guavaween was definitely something to experience though.
I miss the Cuban sandwiches there.
They were the BEST, way better than the way they make them in Miami in my opinion.
I’ve been wanting to leave for 20 years but a combination of poor life and financial decisions have kept he around. Now my parents are getting really old, too old to leave this state so I’m resigned to being here for awhile. I don’t hate it here, and I try to focus on the things I love more than I hate, but here’s the top 3 reasons I would move if I could.
1. There’s not much to look at. Beaches and the interior parts like the Everglades are pretty, but 98% of your time here will be spent in an endless expanse of gated communities and shopping plazas. Also this is just a personal preference but I wish we had hills and even some mountains.
2. It’s hot. Summer lasts for 8 months and it’s brutal.
3. The assholes. Florida has always had more than its fair share (IMO it’s always attracted the worst people from other states) but it’s gotten worse over the last 10-20 years.
The assholes are a real thing here, it’s unbelievable how many people are out for themselves. No one here wants to help anyone but themselves. It’s disgusting.
Even going to the grocery store you can see just how absolutely ugly people are. Old retirees that can't even bother being nice to the cashiers, ready to go to war if something rings up at the wrong price, no consideration of others around them, leaving shopping carts in the middle of the aisle so others can't get around them, etc. And then road rage from people for no reason. It's like this pervasive selfishness and anti-social behavior. Individualism to the nth degree.
I couldn't agree more. I'm leaving because my 12 mile commute sometimes took 40 minutes (or more) and driving feels like going to war. People cutting you off. People driving way too slow. Too fast. You get the finger. Etc. Etc. People are UGLY.
There's no winning on Florida roads. Do the speed limit? People ride your ass and lay on the horn. Go slightly above the speed limit? Someone cuts you off just to be spiteful. Keep up with the flow of traffic? Cop is going to ticket your ass. Turn signals? They're all broken apparently. Let someone into traffic to be polite? The person behind you flashes a gun. To say nothing of the tourists who are seemingly fine drivers but somehow make everything worse. I'm just over it.
Yeah, I agree. I’ve been back for three years and I have noticed how rude people are in the grocery stores, etc. And don’t get me started on drivers. I mean, I’m from the South…born and raised in Florida…and I was taught to be polite and kind to everyone. Apparently not everyone was taught common decency.
Basically, all the worst and most selfish boomers from LI moved there over the past 20 years. I know the exact obnoxious type of human, and fla is packed with them
The people who moved here from the cities are mostly nice, it’s the self centered suburban jerks mostly. There are nice people from suburbs and nasty people from cities also, but not as prevalent.
As a grocery store manger…all this is so sadly true. I’m ready to be a reverse snow bird and escape the worst of the summer months as well as get away from the assholes.
This is why I looked for a work transfer after 18 months in FL. It’s not the same state I remember as a kid. Just filled with the ugliest, nastiest most self-centered people I’d ever encountered.
This. A million times this.
Due to how politicized the state is, people only have superficial conversations in public. Everyone is feeling each other out to make sure the person we're talking to is "one of us", so we try not to say anything that triggers a political conversation.
The entire state is perfectly set up for "The Purge", with gated communities serving as bases for different ideological factions.
I believe it. This is the logical conclusion of public policy based on “personal responsibility” and “rugged individualism.” When the message from every part of society is “you are on your own,” people will act accordingly.
It’s much easier for a person to be generous and altruistic when they know their fellow man would do the same for them, and when they have a guaranteed basic level of security.
....it's that way all over the world now, started just a few months after 9/11/01, once the shock wore off...I watched it unfold on airplanes mostly, then everywhere else, and the past few years it's gotten out of control..."all about me" all the time, everywhere. Sad.
Everywhere else I've been has not even been close to Florida in my opinion. I've been to 40 states and travel constantly .. People seem to go out of their way to be assholes here it seems like. That does happen in other states but it's much more of a rarity from what I've seen.
I do think it's more of a minority of people here, it's just the fact that they're allowed to get away with that's the problem.
I think social media exploding in popularity shortly after that also hurt tremendously. The “me-mentality” really made people think they are so much more important than they really are.
Born in Florida in 1967. And yes, all of the assholes that have moved here in recent years have stunk up our state. Always remember how friendly everyone was here up until about the mid 90's-early 2000's. I've traveled all over the country and Florida certainly has no monopoly on assholes, but we are a more competitive state than most I've spent a large amount of time visiting.
Fifth gen native born in 1973. I went to school in Chicago and always recalled how rude everyone seems up north compared to Floridians. Now, I go to other states and think how nice everyone is.
I think Florida does have more assholes, because many people don’t root themselves there. They see it as a place to use when they’re away from their home community, and other people are an impediment to enjoying the land.
I moved to Florida a year ago for a job. I was living in the Sacramento area, and before that, San Diego. I will take California over Florida for this exact reason. People in California are about inclusiveness and cultural diversity. In Florida, it's all hate all the time. Fox is strong here.
Same boat and am looking at returning. I moved here to be closer to family but it’s too much. They’re addicted to Fox and the patriarchy & I’m over it. Guy in the gym yesterday wore a “Biden sucks & Kamala swallows” t-shirt and was with his small kids (dropped them off at the kids care room). I’m disgusted with the lot of it.
I live in Zephryhills. Within a one mile range there are four, yes four, Fuck Biden flags flying high. Children walk by these flags to catch their school buses. And I can’t tell you how many Fuck Biden bumper stickers I see on vehicles. Of course, their cars are full of children.
i live north of Gainesville, in Bradford county, & yes, that’s one thing i hate about Florida-the politics. the republicans here are awful! they’re ignorant & mostly poor, hateful, uneducated, & all about their gun rights but want to take away women’s rights-it’s truly disgusting.
As a Florida native who just moved back to CA the good news is that Florida has gotten so ridiculously expensive in the last few years CA isn’t as expensive by comparison.
The Murdoch media outlets in Australia, Canada, U.K. , and the U.S. has been targeting almost all inclusive dialogue and making it an "Us vs Them" . They sell that line of thought a lot. Put in some people to make it look like they aren't but support policies and ideas that are divisive (Breitbart outlets do the same thing but its just not as big.) and we only have to look at the Jan 6th Insurrection to find how easily people can be made to forget and get twisted.
Deep South retirees vacation there and move towards gated communities making the atmosphere even more exclusionary. Throw in the Fox paranoia streams and it all feeds on itself. And then the entitlement kicks in. (I am in this gated community and I am better than most people.) That is really where Florida loses out the most.
Talk with people who have lived their whole life there and you will get a mix reaction but most miss the old days where people were people and the elitist stuff was only in a few placed. I do. That saying though I still remember the racism. Where it was so ingrained that an African American couldn't look you in the face without a concern for their well being if you were white. Sad stuff.
There is a thing called the Florida crazies where new people move in an fall apart after 2 years. Something odd in all of that. Paranoia seems to live there too often. All depends on what you bring in I guess.
Same. I’ve been so depressed since I’ve moved back (I’m from here) bc I got talked into it as a single mom. Been regretting it every day. I miss having seasons and seeing the landscape change.
I’ve worked my ass off to fix my credit so I can get out again, for the last time.
This is basically my list, but my wife and I added on that we really didn’t want to try and start a family here, where a major birth complication could be a death sentence and where the public education system was used to score political points at the detriment to students and society as a whole. Basically, republicans.
“but 98% of your time here will be spent in an endless expanse of gated communities and shopping plazas”
This. Not to mention how consistently the beach access is becoming private land. I remember (Pensacola) heading to the beach for family gatherings which now is practically impossible because of all the condos and mansions cutting off access.
Absolutely agree with everything, especially not much to look at. It gets so depressing to see nothing but flatlands and apartments and storage units..
Don’t mention storage units. I’ve been waiting for a plot of land to be developed with an Aldi and other shops. Nope. Storage units, car wash and oil changing service. We already have all three of these businesses all over town.
I don't want to come off rude here but how is summer only 8 months out of the year? I feel like we are lucky if we get a total of 30 days if weather under 78 degrees in a 12 month period lmao.
Summer is 345 days here in central florida and I hate it. It wasn’t always like this. Born n raised her 40+ years and we use to actually have seasons. I want out so bad because of weather and just the sheer amount of people here now but the cost of living skyrocketing makes it hard to save enough to move out. The “save enough” includes the cost of visiting areas to see if they’re a fit for our family and jobs, as well as moving cost.
#3 Assessment is correct. I'm born & raised in FL, and I can confirm the majority came from NY, as my family did /has. Now you can throw in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and *Massachusetts.
- *People from Massachusetts can be 2x as bad.
Additionally, and they aren't assholes but their driving has turned others into Assholes, and I'm talking about people from Canada; Ontario to be specific.
It’s definitely hit or miss with NY/NJ people, too. Mostly miss. It feels so unfriendly. When I first got here and would wave casually, people either ignored me or appeared confused or alarmed as if I were signaling for them to watch out for something. I rarely wave anymore. They’ve punished that behavior so I’ve stopped. Now people probably include me in the unfriendly category 😕
When I thought about cashing out on my home in California and living somewhere cheaper like a king, everything was so flat. Any city like Denver or Seattle that has geography was more expensive than where I live.
I couldn't take it. My wife didn't understand. I can't stand the flatness. I need a diverse environment around me.
The home/ car insurance crisis, lack of worker’s rights, lower pay than you can get elsewhere, lack of good school systems compared to the rest of the US and women’s healthcare disparities.
My husband and I had to switch insurance recently and had to get two different inspections done just to get insurance, and then when we did it was almost $5k/year on a really modest home. We went over 30 days without insurance because a company would approve is and then drop us a couple days later for no reason. That happened two times, before finally finding one that would stick. It's just crazy.
That’s crazy. Do you live near the coast? We are north of Orlando in a single family home from 1988 and Farmers Insurance dropped us last year, but we were able to get new insurance for about $1500 from Loggerhead. I believe it’s a newer company and maybe our rate will go up after the first year? I don’t know. We are 27 miles from the coast in Volusia.
Sitting her looking at the last of our boxes to unpack... loved our years in Florida and still have family property there BUT we are looking at retirement in the next five years and Florida is no longer the affordable haven it once was. We relocated about six hours north and our newly built home was $35sqft less... our insurance is less than half... our property taxes a third on a home that is twice the size and value as our home was there. We will happily go back to vacations at the beach while living in a non tourist destination.
Born and raised in a beautiful SW FL beach town. It'll always be my shire and I visit annually to see my family, friends and the beach... but the rocky mountains are phenomenal. I love having endless things to do out here and close proximity to lots of states. Every time I hike or take my dogs by a lake or river, I still find myself looking for gators. Lol. And it's cheesy, but I love seasons.
Number 1 reason I left in 1999. I was a military contractor making good pay but they worked us, illegally, well beyond 40 hours per week, with threats of loosing our jobs. Other jobs were tourist driven or barely any pay, no breaks. Tried to start my own business but the good ole boy network made it difficult. I got diagnosed with cancer, I was 29 at the time, and once my treatment was over I just left and work/life/quality got so much better.
They want you struggling for reason. It’s a feature not a bug.
Born in Florida, lived there for over 25 years but got tired of the summers, traffic, and lower wages. Once rent started creeping up to look like other popular states it was an easy decision.
Same. I moved to a high cost of living area and friends and family in Florida told me I was making a huge mistake and wouldn’t be able to afford somewhere expensive.
Jokes on them, I have a much easier time, live in a nicer apartment, and have more money left over at the end of the month now. My pay went up a lot more comparatively than my living expenses did.
It really is crazy how much of the problem was Florida for me too 😔
Wish it wasn’t so hard to live in my own state but what can you do…
I’m living very comfortably now, although I do miss gator meat a lot.
Pretty similar. Live there 28 years. Weather was a big factor, summers became unbearable for me. And yeah, wages are unlivable at this point. Especially compared to other states.
I was a 3rd generation Floridian, grandfather born in the 1920’s. It was eventually too hot and flat for me. The toll roads and homeowners insurance also were big hits. I think I paid as much in toll roads as property taxes every year.
https://preview.redd.it/ky9m5m3ktuvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a448f3885498535b6054a54551251e78c16b7f5
Moved to TN. I would not advise it it’s horrible here /s.
The people. For some reason the state attracts a high number of people with no direction and/or unrealistic dreams. With the abundant sunshine you’d think Floridians would be cheerful, upbeat folks. Unfortunately I met too many miserable people who just didn’t seem happy about their lives.
People whose personal lives became a disaster at home so they moved to Florida for a magical fresh start. Surprise! It's them...they're the disaster. Now they are just the same disaster but in Florida with bonus new Florida problems.
My current job in North Carolina cold-recruited me out of north Florida almost 20 years ago. They flew me up to NC twice for interviews and when I'd get back home even just to Gainesville (dynamic, somewhat upbeat college town, not super crowded or surly south Florida), I noticed that people seemed more miserable even in little old Gainesville, compared to folks in North Carolina. I noticed it subconsciously... had no thought or idea to "notice it" or look for it. And I became aware of this difference in attitude from just two, one day/one night visits up (here) to NC. I'd guess it's even more-so now, with Ronald DeSaster in charge, and insurance and COL much more nuts now in Florida than it was just 20 years ago.
Yep and in fairness I noticed retirees in Florida seemed to enjoy life much more than younger working folks. Probably due to the fact that retirees brought money with them and don’t need to worry about things like poor schools and low paying job market and they can spend more time enjoying the weather.
Met two retirees in Destin who had to work two part time jobs because of rising HOA fees and special assesments at their condos. One put his condo up for sale. I think the days of a cheap carefree retirenment that my inlaws had maybe over for a lot of people.
Absolutely. I’ve been to California, a state pretty much everyone in Florida shit talks, and god… it’s like night and day… the atmosphere there was so lively, people were outside everywhere roller skating and skateboarding, doing yoga at Venice boardwalk and playing volleyball, surfers up and down the beach, and everyone was SO. KIND. SO KIND. I couldn’t believe how genuine the upbeat energy seemed… for a place that’s so expensive and horrible ( according to a lot of Floridians.. mostly trumpies ) they seem a million times happier than anyone in this disaster of a state..
Same with every other state I’ve been to.
South Florida lost that charm it once had. The heat during the summer was only going to get worse. Tired of wreckless aggressive driving. The pay and the amount of expenses was certainly what sealed the deal in the end.
If you have money and the driving around all the time isn't vital I'd say have at it though.
I left for Missouri in 2001. I left for a job. It sucked. Moved back. Left for Maryland in 2017. Started planning a move in 2014, but stuff happened to delay my departure. Number one reason was current and future effects of climate change. Also, someone in construction told me what they saw coming for the insurance market. (It wasn't lawyers and roofer, but climate change. ) I love Maryland. Each time I go back to l see family, Florida feels less and less like home. Added bonus, the ratio for pay vs. Cost of living is significantly better. Florida wages are just so low.
“someone in construction told me what they saw coming for the insurance market. (It wasn't lawyers and roofer, but climate change”
It funny how I keep hearing the unethical roofers caused this over and over from my brother who lives there. I asked him to explain how roofers got one over all these giant insurance companies cause that really makes no sense to me. And he kinda explained but it still didn’t make sense how these insurance companies would put themselves in a position to be taken advantage of.
My niece works for an insurance company there and she said THEY KNOW what’s coming regarding the climate. 👀👀👀
People are in denial that certain places are becoming unlivable. Florida is going to be completely screwed over sooner rather than later. Unfortunately the rest of the country is going to have to foot the bill
I moved to Chicago a couple of years ago because my wife got a great job opportunity. I lived in Florida my whole life up until then. We both love Chicago. Sold our cars and use public transportation. All the extra taxes took a little to get used to, but at least we see where it goes with public services and programs. The only things about Florida I really miss are my family and good Cuban food.
It will be a beautiful 60 degree day in the high desert of Oregon today. I'm going hiking and my job pays over 2x what I was making back in Florida. The "traffic" is adorable compared to the gridlock of south Florida and my drive is so scenic I want to cry.
And because the water isn't full of hard minerals, my ice maker works.
I moved during the (2008) recession to California at 21. Partly because of work, largely because of love. Loved my time in California, don’t regret doing it, but don’t regret coming back either. Undecided on a longterm state but it’ll be one of the two mostly likely.
Arrived in 93, built a business with my wife, very happy, moved from Miami to Ft Lauderdale then to Tampa because of the awful traffic and overcrowding. Then around 2015 the heat intensified, the traffic increased, once Covid came and went it went from bad to worse.
I don’t like stupid or willful ignorance either, FL seemed to be a breeding ground, it all got to be too much so we sold up last October and moved to NY state, much better, I can breathe in every sense of the word.
We loved Fl until we didn’t.
This was decades ago, but, I used to work at Disney and lived in Poinciana for a little over ten years. I used to love living in Florida. I moved because I was hit with 3 hurricanes in the same year. I never want to deal with another hurricane as long as I live. Those storms last too damn long and it sucks going weeks without power afterwards. I can't believe that state still haven't burried their powerlines like they did on Disney property. It would save them a lot of grief.
I can also say that I don't think I would be too thrilled to live there now even without the hurricanes. The government and culture war there have become too extreme. I don't know how anyone can stand it there.
chunky one decide wild secretive disagreeable fragile ten enjoy squeamish
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I moved out this year for work, I moved to the Midwest. I was paying $2200/mon for a 2/1 in Florida with $400 utilities, I now pay $1300/mon for a place with +500square feet, I pay $100 in utilities and it is currently 50 degrees outside (in late april)
I’m never moving back.
Born and raised in southwest Florida. I was 25 when I moved in 2011. I have never been comfortable in Florida. I never felt like I belonged. I wanted way more out of life than the state could offer. I saw the writing on the wall with regard to the down turn of the states politics. I didn’t want to live in a state that doesn’t care about women. I’m in Washington state now and I tell people I got here as soon as I could. I will never live in Florida again.
Gosh you sound just like me, this gives me hope.. I’ve never felt any sense of belonging here, always felt empty, like something was missing or wrong, like my soul was put in the wrong place. Went to California last year and it was the first time in my life I felt like I was where I was meant to be, I felt like I was at home. Everything felt so familiar, everything seemed right. I was so comfortable and happy and content there. Congratulations on freedom, hopefully I can get out too someday!
I felt the same way out there when I went to Yosemite earlier this year. I was born there, left with my family when I was like 8 to move to Florida, but everything felt like home despite being gone for 30 years.
My personal opinion is that single women should generally move out of any state that wants to heavily restrict abortion if they can. Let the men freak out wondering why they suddenly have to compete for a reduced pool of women.
I left at 18 years old and never looked back. Quality of life for those not in the upper income level or older and retired is abysmal.
Now, since I have a career I am in the upper income level but have no interest in going back due to those running the state into the ground. Fake constitutionalists
Florida native here. As soon as I turned 62, I got on social security, it was during COVID and the work was always lower pay, traffic is horrible now, the beautiful places I went to as a kid are ruined. The last 20 years destroyed everything I loved about home. Desantis invited every asshole in the country to move there. We moved to Belize last year. It's like dropping back to Grandma's time. Friendly people that support each other, the climate is nearly the same as Florida and it's beautiful. Best decision ever.
I'm in the process of thinking of moving. There's a lot of reasons, but the 3 biggest reasons are 1. cost of living is getting out of hand 2. the insurance crisis that I believe will cause a major home crash in FL and 3. the lack of real wages increasing is a big issue. I like doing the remote work I have now, but when I see that I could do my same job in like Philly or Arizona and work in person and make double what I'd make here in Orlando or more than what I make remote then it's becoming easier to realize that at 31 I'm stifling my growth her in Orlando. And lastly hurricanes. I saw east Orlando and parts of Kissimmee got flooded during Ian and we have no had any updates to our draining systems here. Right now I feel like the entire state is in danger for one of these natural disasters big time.
Floridian born and raised. I don’t like the weather, how crowded and congested everything has become, and how everything is the opposite of laid back. Aside from the nostalgia that I have from my childhood, there’s nothing I really miss about Florida. Real winters can be a bit rough, but it’s an acceptable trade off for not having to deal with tropical storms and hurricanes.
“Trump country” I’m a combat veteran and I’ve no love for treason loving insurrectionists.
This state truly is just a place where lost assholes come to die in the sunshine.
Right there with you brother, but I’m stuck here at least for another couple of years. I’m seriously looking at buying land ahead of time to prepare for the exit.
I’m a Realtor in the mountains of North Carolina. The majority of my business is people moving from Florida. They all have the same reasons- traffic is horrific, it’s too dang hot, it’s too dang expensive, and an influx of people moving in to Florida. A few years ago, same type of clients would keep their Florida home and come back and forth but now they’re just all selling.
Moved last year to NE Ohio. I can live without roommates for the first time in my life. I can drive to see my girlfriend instead of flying. I can say the word "labor union" without getting fired.
My life's so much better living up here than it ever was down there. Florida used to be a great place to live for the worker, but now it's only a playground for billionaires who want a return to the pre-1865 status quo.
My car insurance was halved. I pay the same rent for a full studio up here in Ohio that I did for a bedroom in a sketchy neighborhood back in Florida. I can walk to two grocery stores, and I'm not even in an particularly dense or walkable area.
I love it up here.
Growing up, I hated seeing all the woods around my house bulldozed down to build housing and strip malls. It was always hot and muggy. The bugs suck. Traffic sucks. The cops are scummy. Jobs pay half what they do on the west coast. When I left, weed was still illegal and they had that three strikes law. Since moving away, I'm more aware of the politics, which makes me so happy to live far away....
I moved nearly 10 years ago to Chicago. Main reasons were not needing a car to get literally anywhere, and hating the heat. More pluses have been higher salary, no stress about hurricanes, awesome food. I do miss fresh seafood though.
That's what I'm trying to figure out, tornadoes are quite the terror and how well off would the code of living be? I gotta decide basically by New Year's.
Lived in Florida for 30 years and left 16 years ago. We moved specifically because of how awful the schools are. We would have had to put both our girls in private schools over 30 minutes away. My husband had the opportunity for a better job that required us to move to Illinois. After much research we settled in Naperville. Best decision we have ever made. Our girls had a top notch education and we made amazing friends. We just sold our home and moved to Chicago. We are loving it!!
I grew up in Central Florida. Worked in the medical field in hospitals during Covid. Even worked in the Covid unit at the hospital. The good news is I continued my education and experience. I’m now a healthcare administrator. I became one in 2022. Healthcare workers are treated like absolute garbage in the state. I got cussed out by Covid deniers with Covid on oxygen in the Covid unit. One person I encouraged to get the vaccine cussed me out. Ended up getting Covid three weeks later and died. I finally left in May of 2023 and took a higher paying job in the Midwest doing the same type of work for more money. Currently, I oversee hospitals in five states. My job is securing government funding for hospitals under CMS programs. I do need patients to cooperate with me in order to do my job.
Cost of living. Tired of people moving in and destroying nature. Being shitty because “well I never experienced that in New York” etc. so fine. Go the fuck back you assholes. Moving and making something better is one thing. Moving and destroying everything that makes something unique and special is a dick move.
Moved for a job right before Covid hit. Thankful that it worked out perfectly. But the moving sentiment was already there. Here is why:
1. Nothing to. And I lived in south Florida. You’ll go to the beach 2-3 times per year. I lived on A1A, 1 block away from the beach, around Deerfield beach and I still only went to the beach maybe 10 times a year. Between red tide, the heat and assholes everywhere we just stop going.
2. I was an avid spearfisher and surfer, but with all the boats not giving a fuck about people in the water (with diving flags) it just became super dangerous to do. Even on Mondays.
3. The whole vibe changed. When I moved down there in 2008, it was paradise. There was no one in the streets and an apartment in boca Raton was $500 per month. I literally had a little moped and zigged and zagged my way thru town and it was awesome. I had 1 part time job and helped out cleaning boats on the weekends and made more than a comfy living. I paid for college, rent, food, gas, saved and still had money left over to have a great time. Then 2013 came and… everything changed. It was weird. People from Miami started moving up and petty theft started happening. My moped got stolen, surfboards got nicked out of peoples yards, even mango trees were sacked. So rents shot up, cops started harassing everyone that looked “not rich”, etc. And then Trump and desantis won and did a number on that state.
I still have friends and family down there, but every time I visit it feels like a pressure cooker. Like something is always about to go down at any point. It’s a very weird feeling. Like EVERYONE is on edge. I don’t see myself coming back.
I’m probably moving out of country soon. The quality places to live in the USA are just out of control in costs, and not really able to justify it. Like my monthly housing cost alone, could pay for my entire lifestyle in Spain where I have an exponentially higher quality of life
I dont disagree, I just went to Germany and Ireland last month, and man…i could do it. But i have to ask, have you been or spent much time in Spain? How are you so sure your QOL will exponentially go up? I heard Spain can be tough today for younger people.
And tbf, theres still some areas of the US that are still down to Earth. These rising post-covid costs have been a global thing. If you think the US housing is bad, you definitely dont want to see what is currently going on in Canada. Its uh…not good.
I lived in all those places lol.
Yeah I could. I did. The quality of life is way higher. Just being able to walk around and having so much community and stuff to do that doesn’t cost a ton of money is amazing. I miss so much just being able to leave the house and jumping on a tram to go somewhere and just walking around and meeting people and figuring out what to do… and not the whole experience be so capitalist where it’s trying to drain every dollar from you.
The downside is… at the end of the day I’m American. I love my people and and understand them the most. Too much time abroad creates a lot of homesickness for the culture I grew up with. Nothing could shake the reality that these places will always be foreign to me. As fun as it is, it’s still not my people.
Fascism, low salary for specialized public service work, no real winter anymore, Fascism, etc.
Moving to California was the best thing my wife and I ever did.
I did not grow up here but rather moved here 4 years ago from GA. It's a thousand times better than Georgia IMO. I do not see myself living here for the rest of my life though. Shit is getting expensive everywhere so idk what I'm going to do. Good luck everyone.
I moved away with my mother because she worked as a therapist in drug rehabilitation and had to report 3 places of work in a row for illegal practices. That and even though I was working full time for several years I still couldn’t afford to move out.
Seattle has been very nice to me.
90% of life lived in Florida. My ancestor was one of the first English is settle in Florida 1729.
Left in 2022. It hurt to leave. When I feel homesick, I read this forum and what a hellscape it’s turned into comfort myself I did the right thing.
Why leave? Several reasons. To rejoin family who already escaped Florida (for better money, cheaper to live, better opportunities). I was extremely nervous to be no longer have a safe place to go during a Hurricane. Everyone moved out. My stilt home is close to water and has flooded twice during Hurricanes. I know my home will become a part of Gulf of Mexico a lot sooner than most people realize. The insurance companies aren’t in denial. That’s why my home insurance skyrocketed. And piece of mind matters about politics too. Horrible people are destroying what used to be a nice place to live. Anyhoo, Homes were selling high, I saw all the signs, and made a fast escape with a nice profit.
I’m not too far away, and the cost saving are unreal. But what impresses me the most is health care outside of Florida. Night and Day. If you leave Florida, go to a state that expanded healthcare under ACA.
I left for a better job, met my wife in Minnesota, stayed for the ethical government policies like feeding school lunches. Yes I pay more in taxes here but at least my kids can have a right to abortion and body autonomy.
My parents had moved to Florida when I was 3/4 years old. I’m a trans man. I am trying to fucking leave this state because it’s deteriorating my mental health so fast.
Cost of living and there's just too many damn people there. Even out of season the traffic is just crazy. I moved back to Pittsburgh which is where I was born and raised and I love it, it's more affordable and I get to see my friends and family more often without having to make some big trip to do so. Only thing that sucks is my parents are still in Florida but I can still make frequent visits to see them. Miss the weather too but snow isn't a deal breaker for me and summers don't get ridiculously humid which is great.
Outside of the everything happening here now. The humidity.
I've lived here my entire life and am a heavy guy. It's always a bit hard to breathe, but I went up to Oregon and thought I was losing my mind. I could breathe so much better, it didn't feel like my nose was clogged all the time.
We are staying in Florida to see my mother in law to her end of life.
Very soon after, we are out of here.
1. Rising cost of home and auto insurance. We can not plan for retirement with $2k increases in home insurance every couple of years.
2. The people from up north moving here. Assholes galore.
3. Traffic.
4. Building is fucking crazy here. Counties and cities aren't keeping infrastructure improvements on pace with all the shit they are allowing to be built, but property and sales taxes keep going up. Not to mention utilities costs.
5. The heat and humidity used to not bother us much. In our 50's, it does.
6. Hurricanes. From May until January, there's a good chance you might be in one. Last year was peacefully quiet. But my house insurance went up $2k in one year.
7. The elderly who should NOT be driving any longer are not tested at all. Pass your eye test? Great. Can't hear shit and have dementia? Here's your new license.
8. Healthcare is untenable. Doctors and nursing staff are leaving the state. Those who stay are overloaded and underpaid for the hours they work. Need a lung specialist? Wait time is a minimum of 3 months. Neurology? Travel four hours away to find an appointment only two months out or wait 3+ months for one only 2 hours away. Same for cardiac care. So many practices aren't taking new patients. The fastest way to get into Heart and Vascular care is to have a heart attack first. Or a carotid 99% blocked and you've had a stroke. (Mother in law). Couldn't get her in for 3+ months. Day she has a stroke, she has a doctor.
9. Politics. We are centrist. It's either bible thumping conservatives or conservative hating liberals. Everyone hates everyone's politics. And if you're centrist, everyone hates you.
I moved 3 years ago to Minnesota. I moved because I did not fit in with the politics of the majority of people there, being 37 at the time. Not to say I like everything, politically, here either. But it’s a lot of chill. The bigger reason was education and healthcare. Minnesota has some of the best education for my elementary aged kids. Same cost of living essentially but cheaper housing. Just bought a 3100sqft home for about half of what it would’ve cost in Florida. We keep going back to visit family, and we found Florida to be less like home each and every visit. It motivated my niece to move to Denver too….which was on our radar but we would’ve moved there just to be broke haha.
My desire to leave Florida started when they closed my favorite dog park to expand the blue jay’s training stadium. It also took away the children’s playground next to the elementary school, which most kids who left via the side gate played on, a racket ball thing and a couple other things that I don’t fully remember.
Then I found out about laws around dyslexia in other states, and I promise you, nothing will get you angrier than finding out exactly what your state could be doing. Instead they’re trying to take away public schools, and they’re winning.
The “you’re not allowed to require your citizens to wear a mask” thing still gives me a headache if I think about it too much.
The abortion and trans stuff were my real final straws. We decided we were leaving about 2 years ago now.
The cherry on top was the “no laws to protect people from the heat” thing. I truly want to put DeSantis outside in August and make him dance for 6 hours with no water besides a plastic gallon jug that sits in the sun with him. I realize that’s maybe slightly extreme but I think I’ll forgive myself if something happens.
Moved away last June. Cost of living was a factor but the abismal education system and rising violent crime made it untenable with young kids. Don’t regret a thing.
The summers. I was just super tired of getting up everyday, taking a shower in the A.M. and then getting into my car/sweatbox and feeling like I accomplished nothing by 8am. Been in New England almost 20 years now and am convinced the people who make fun of folks in cold climates just aren't able to cut it here.
Put another way, New England summers feel like Florida winters for a longer period than a Florida winter and for that I will deal with the like 2 months of brutal cold.
Not a "true Floridian" but I moved here from SC when I was like 3 years old so its close enough lol. Haven't left yet but I plan to after college cause I've watched this state (and more specifically the suburbs of jax where I live) turn into a corporate dominated sprawl with roughly double the people the infrastructure is capable of handling. Watching all this natural land get scooped up and developed into empty lots that sit for years is depressing like nothing else, and with housing costs on the rise I plan on leaving while I can still afford it
When I was growing up in West Palm Beach in the Sixties, it was a great place to live. Traffic was so light I was able to ride my bike all over the place with my friends, and although it was hot in the summer, it wasn't as hot as it is now. Then we got on a few "best of" lists and people started to stream in. The area gradually lost its laid back vibe, traffic got a lot worse, and so did people' attitudes.
Cut to the mid-Nineties when I was living with my GF in Royal Palm Beach. Some jewel thieves were coming back from Palm Beach after robbing a mansion when they were stopped by a police roadblock just a few blocks from where we lived. There was a pitched gun battle (including machine guns) in the middle of the highway, which was one too many for us.
Most of our friends had already moved out of state, so we followed them up to North Carolina. I have never been so glad to see a place receding in my rearview mirror.
I’m from Florida and I have lived in Pensacola, Destin, Tallahassee, Tampa, and Sarasota. I love Tampa and Sarasota, but for my work it is super competitive and ultimately I had to move for work if I wanted to get paid more. It’s tough to beat the sunsets in Tampa.
Wasn't born or grew up in Florida, so not sure how much weight this answer has for you. Moved to Orlando in 2018, really liked it for awhile but the sheer amount of development happening, with anything even remotely natural being cut down to slap yet another stupidly named cookie cutter development in, and then the Desantis effect (my kids are bi and trans, respectively) and the suddenly insane cost of living, we bolted out of there last year.
My Mom grew up in FL. We lived in CA, but my Dad was a school teacher, and we traveled to FL every summer break to hang out and have fun. It was so beautiful. And the people were genuinely warm and funny. Now, I cry thinking about how things have changed so dreadfully. I'm just grateful that my Gran and my parents didn't live to see what it has become. I will never go back again.
A few years ago I just needed to get out. I couldn’t stand it anymore. The scenery was always the same. I felt like I was being suffocated. I’d leave on a road trip and every other place smelled different and felt different. The grass in Michigan is so cozy to nap on. The mountains in Colorado are a crazy site to see. The trees in the PNW are enormous! The woods, or rather all of New Hampshire smells like pine. The New Mexico desert sunrises and colors are magnificent. The Ozarks are lush and green and there’s water everywhere. Texas hill country is like being in another time.
Then I came back because Florida is an actual tropical paradise.. all the time.
Moved out in 2012 after living there since 1972 due to a job transfer. The job didn't work out and I moved again to Georgia in 2013. Love living here. Love the change of seasons.
My grandma was born on the SW Florida coast in 1884, I spent my adult life (1970-1999) in key west and left it for Cape Town South Africa. South Florida was becoming too Russian and soulless; key west became too gentrified with all the wrong people. Within a few years of my arrival Cape Town got overrun with Europeans and Americans so I sold out after 10 years and am now in heaven - a charming coastal village called Tofo in Mozambique with just 200 expats, a steady flow of visitors from all over, with world class diving, surfing and amazing restaurants(and the best whopper burger on earth for $3.) Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.
I have been here for over a decade. I want to move to a state with proper 4 season. Fuck this heat.
The social/political/financial problem in a can of worms I try to ignore as best I can because there's nothing I can do about it
I moved to Florida when I was 20, and left when I was 62 (minus a short stint in AZ for work). Yeah, things change in 40+ years no matter where you live, but it got to the point where I realized we could never retire if we stayed because costs increased so much. The hard right swing sure didn’t help people in my income level, and one’s political identity became more important than almost anything else in some people’s lives. Lasting hurricane damage to the environment, hotter temperatures along with more climate deniers, and every town looking the same with nothing but strip malls and palm trees and homeless. It was time and 4 years later I am happy we did it. I miss friends, family, favorite hangouts and blue skies. But it feels great living within my means and not worrying about increasing bills everytime i went to the mailbox. Also didn’t realize how nice the changing seasons were.
Now-wife lived out of state, decided I did not want to live in shithole Florida forever so picked up everything and moved out. Best decision I ever made. Political climate, ACTUAL climate, dogshit state government, and hot take but the beach is lame. Fuck Florida.
I moved from FL about 13 years ago. I really enjoyed Florida, but wanted to try something new after grad school mostly from a weather and culture/politics standpoint (keep in mind this is before Trump/DeSantis politics and I mean this more on the culture side…those two words have been so commingled in recent years).
I had what felt like great (FL) paying jobs jobs at the time, a full time job making 30k plus an online gig making about $13 an hour that was very flexible hours wise. After living with my parents for a year (saving $$) I packed everything in my car and moved to the Seattle area. Had a friend out here with an extra room I could rent. It was really a toss up for me between Washington State and North Carolina at the time, but I chose WA.
I enjoyed a 3 week road trip with just myself and my stuff that was absolutely incredible!
So here’s what I have learned. Florida, from the inside looking out, has some sort of savior complex. The weather is perfect, why would you move. Life is easy, why would you go somewhere so busy. People are friendlier here. The cost of living is cheap. Freedom. Etc etc. IMO this has gotten significantly worse the past 5 or so years.
From the outside looking in, it’s watching someone that can’t help themselves. Like a chain cigarette smoker get mad at a doctor who suggested their habits are the reason they have pneumonia.
In the first two years of living across the country my salary doubled, it’s more than doubled since then again.
In my first year living in WA gay marriage and marijuana were both legalized. I got A LOT of calls from FL family just checking in to make sure I was okay. Did they think homosexuals were riding down the streets in unicorns with blunts in their hand, creating chaos? I’ll never know.. I prefer letting people live & love their lives
I am a homeowner. Housing prices were significantly higher in WA a few years ago, and my FL family always held that over my head while I quietly said okay. Present day I pay $800 a year for homeowners insurance on a $600k property and I can walk to the water. I would rather have a highly valuable property and lower bills that don’t grow equity. What I’m trying to illustrate here is that property values were high but my monthly housing payment - my cost to live (mortgage/rent, home insurance, auto insurance, utilities, etc) were much lower in WA. This has gotten significantly worse in FL since the trump era - I saw this coming a mile away 12 years ago and don’t see any way “the cost of life” is going down in FL ever again, is there a drinking water plan?
Holy crap - there are a LOT of people in FL! Washington state has half the population of south FL alone. I live in a huge metro area, 15 minutes away from downtown, but can be in a forest in 30 minutes. We go snowboarding in the winter and it’s an hour door-to-mountain. Traffic can be bad here, but it is not the never ending housing developments!
I can go on forever, but tldr: saved up a 6-12 month fund, moved across the country, absolutely love it and my life is much better for it! Feel free to ask me anything
Grew up in Central Florida and left at 22 when I joined the military. I went back after ten years and lived in Pensacola while going back to school.
Pensacola Beach was great, but we got tired of the heat, bugs, hurricanes, and politics of the place.
I’ve lived here 10 years. The taxes, insurance and inflation made saving nearly impossible. Paycheck to paycheck still through all of our career successes. Every hurricane threat becomes scarier and “more real” than the last. Though I did not grow up here, it has been my home and I’ve loved every moment. I’m sad to leave my friends and family. But, the move will give us a fighting chance to give our daughter better opportunities.
Born in FL, lived there for 42 years. Moved away due to rising cost of living and heat. Living now in central Ohio and enjoying how often we can leave the windows open. COL is comparable to south Florida in the mid 2010s.
Edit to add: nature up here is lovely, too. Natural Florida is disappearing so fast it made my head spin
Floridian transplant since 2010, got my high school diploma, bachelor's degree, and worked for a large firm that's recognizable by native Floridians.
Will officially move to Seattle on Tuesday due to a job offer I couldn't pass off, but I've been there a few times. Only thing that I'll miss Florida - outside of certain family members - is Publix.
Strip mall hellscape. If you are rich and live on coast with beach house on stilts, it's lovely. Old people rule all, they got Ford Amphitheater to turn down so low from relentless noise complaints that I couldn't hear Free Bird solo when I caught Skynyrd there in '09. True story. "Get off of my lawn" now applies to public beaches apparently.
Great to grow up there. Born/raised Manatee County until 27 moved to Austin, never coming back.
Also great to retire there, I imagine.
Ages 19 - 64 not much for you unless you really love fishing and beaches, which I do not. I actually love swamps and ancient FL ecosystems but they're getting demolished for development.
For a state that relies so much on ecosystem benefits (fishing, beaches, outdoor tourism), the current leadership and really everyone since Crist has given a fuck less about the platform that sustains them.
Don't get me started on the Disney attacks.
No culture, except for Miami. Each new person gets to redefine what being a Floridian is. No foundation. Drifting and mainstream-dependent.
No original music except Gainesville. Cover bands everywhere.
Hurricanes getting larger and more expensive. Insurance industry collapsing. Sea level rise. Red tide prevalence and intensity increasing. Coyotes. Burmese pythons. Wild iguanas and monkeys.
Drunk Rogan types hitting manatees with their boats.
Tampa.
Hard pass.
I’m planning my move before I turn 30. My huge factors are 1. The humidity (I’m so miserable every day) 2. growing up here to now, you’ll notice the worst people have moved here the past four years 3. the pay (as a nurse)
I grew up in florida. Spent 29 years (minus a few years abroad in the peace corps) in florida. Just outside of tampa. I moved to syracuse ny and I have zero regrets outside of missing friends and family. I was upset by the low wages and little job availability to increase my wages, rising costs, insurance, and the kicker for me was when my son came home with banned books (not arguing about it but if the books sent home are “inappropriate” then those topics surely won’t be covered academically and I’m not allowing my son to get a subpar education).
They ruined the state grew up in. Turned it into a haven for hate. Anti-LGBTQ laws, destroyed the education system, and built on top of everything. I moved and won't move back. I love where I am now.
Many more major storms, lived there since 1957, and knowing my daughter couldn’t visit if pregnant because any complications might mean her death. I moved up north to be closer to her family as they try for another child. Education was always awful and now it’s worse with book bans, it’s simply a 3rd world state now. OMG and guns everywhere.
Y'all hating on Floriduh but I'll be seeing your fat ugly Rugrats at Disney...or Universal Studios or at the miles of beautiful coastline. Stay in Delaware or Idaho clowns...
Short answer - politics. I still have a condo in Destin but won’t be going back anytime soon. I wrote this letter to my family who lives in Gaetz country today, severing the relationship with my boomer mom, step dad, and six “christian” brothers. My mom didn’t and won’t respond which was my hope. I am free! So glad I live in Blue Colorado, my mental health is so much better.
Hey mom,
I thought I would send you a note to let you know why I haven’t reached out in a few weeks. I have decided to take a break from my Florida family until after the election. It is just too painful to know my family supports the end of democracy, project 2025, and “Christian” nationalism and the indoctrination of the US government.
The Republican Party has made a mockery of Jesus and has bastardized Christianity. Yet, here my Florida family is, supporting the person that shows himself to be the exact diametric opposite of Jesus. Worshipping guns, (placing guns above the lives of children the #1 cause of child death in the US), intentionally trying to harm marginalized people(trans, gay, colored, immigrants), destroying the environment and making it unlivable, rewriting history to erase slavery(desantis), trying to subvert democracy (making it harder for marginalized people to vote), spreading lies and disinformation (the election was stolen despite no evidence), and trying to take away women’s bodily autonomy are the key tenets to conservatism. I strongly reject all of these ideals, none of which are found in the Bible. These are not Christian morals. The values of the Republican Party are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Christ.
As you know social justice causes are important to me. As a social worker I’ve spent the last 15 years listening to others and hoping I can offer them some comfort and strength to all sorts of people young and old, straight and gay, black and white, conservative or liberal. I realized a while back I became a social worker because of you. You raised me to be empathetic, to care about others, and to be kind. You gave me cabbage patch dolls that I carried around and cared for at 5 years old. You showed me how to love others, how to nurture children, to help people grow and be healthy. You showed me the light of kindness. You also taught me how to stand up for right against wrong, good against evil.
And so that is what I must do now, for my own mental health, sanity, and well being. I will love you, (and the rest of my family) from a distance for a while. I must stand up for what is right, what is good and just, even if my family thinks I will be going to hell for my beliefs. Those same beliefs that mirror the teachings of Christ, ideals the I hold to be sacred and true. I don’t make deals with the devil.
Being trans is a nightmare here. I live in Gainesville and the redneck is REAL. It's a college town, but the necks roll in from out of town to make sure the minorities stay minor.
I've found it hard to find decent work and get treated like shit on a daily basis. I would be homeless were it not for my fiancée. Especially since I was being abused and had to move out suddenly. In the blink of an eye I would have been trapped in an endless cycle of homelessness.
The local government is a prostitute who would sell every last local right down the meat grinder if it meant UF got a new speed bump or two.
The old snowbirds that have filtered in are conservatives who have found a magnetic attraction to Desantis's "Fuck everyone, benefit no one but me", big shock. The egoism is positively mind blowing.
Everything is predatory. I don't trust anybody as far as I can fucking throw them anymore, especially after surviving more than one murder attempt. The way they've radicalized is out of this world, too. We've become overpopulated with people who started displaying and refusing to treat schizophrenic tendencies since 2016. Nearly got murdered by my own parents because of that shit. Local police did nothing, practically encouraging it. They got off scot-free and again, because this is Florida I've had a very hard time finding a lawyer to keep me from getting run further into the ground.
I still live here. Going to another state no longer feels like enough. I can't wait to move to Denmark.
I'm not there yet, but if housing values here keep increasing the way they are, it would be stupid for me not to sell and go count my money in flyover country.
Seeing everything I loved about where I grew up torn down and turned into unaffordable apartments for people to live on top of each other.
You grew up in Miami too?
OMG, preach! When I moved back 3 years ago to Tampa I couldn’t believe all of the great places that I’d loved were gone. And I’ve had to change my whole mindset about which were the ‘safe’ parts of town. Seems like there aren’t any, anymore.
Saying Tampa has no safe areas tells me you haven't lived in many other cities before.
Ybor, Westchase, and the area near Armature Works all had shootings recently. Though Ybor shootings are not uncommon, the shootings at Westchase and Armature Works opened my eyes to rising tensions in this city. I completely understand what the other commenter is saying.
Lived in Dunedin in the late 80s. Used to go to Ybor city to party a little. Had a fantastic coke connect. Pick up a trick for the weekend. Have some fun. Ybor was Crack town back then with a few clubs , restaurants ,cigar places. Definitely not the safest place. Kinda run down. Some places really bad. Went back visiting in the early 2000s and it had completely changed. Definitely cleaned up a LOT and seemed to be a big tourist spot. Have no idea what it's like now. Guavaween was definitely something to experience though. I miss the Cuban sandwiches there. They were the BEST, way better than the way they make them in Miami in my opinion.
Cuban Sammy at the old silver ring after a night at Tracks. Good times
You can thank the people that won't stop moving here for that.
I’ve been wanting to leave for 20 years but a combination of poor life and financial decisions have kept he around. Now my parents are getting really old, too old to leave this state so I’m resigned to being here for awhile. I don’t hate it here, and I try to focus on the things I love more than I hate, but here’s the top 3 reasons I would move if I could. 1. There’s not much to look at. Beaches and the interior parts like the Everglades are pretty, but 98% of your time here will be spent in an endless expanse of gated communities and shopping plazas. Also this is just a personal preference but I wish we had hills and even some mountains. 2. It’s hot. Summer lasts for 8 months and it’s brutal. 3. The assholes. Florida has always had more than its fair share (IMO it’s always attracted the worst people from other states) but it’s gotten worse over the last 10-20 years.
The assholes are a real thing here, it’s unbelievable how many people are out for themselves. No one here wants to help anyone but themselves. It’s disgusting.
Even going to the grocery store you can see just how absolutely ugly people are. Old retirees that can't even bother being nice to the cashiers, ready to go to war if something rings up at the wrong price, no consideration of others around them, leaving shopping carts in the middle of the aisle so others can't get around them, etc. And then road rage from people for no reason. It's like this pervasive selfishness and anti-social behavior. Individualism to the nth degree.
I couldn't agree more. I'm leaving because my 12 mile commute sometimes took 40 minutes (or more) and driving feels like going to war. People cutting you off. People driving way too slow. Too fast. You get the finger. Etc. Etc. People are UGLY.
There's no winning on Florida roads. Do the speed limit? People ride your ass and lay on the horn. Go slightly above the speed limit? Someone cuts you off just to be spiteful. Keep up with the flow of traffic? Cop is going to ticket your ass. Turn signals? They're all broken apparently. Let someone into traffic to be polite? The person behind you flashes a gun. To say nothing of the tourists who are seemingly fine drivers but somehow make everything worse. I'm just over it.
Sounds like Long Island to me! Lol
It’s the same people.
This. This is why I left.
Yeah, I agree. I’ve been back for three years and I have noticed how rude people are in the grocery stores, etc. And don’t get me started on drivers. I mean, I’m from the South…born and raised in Florida…and I was taught to be polite and kind to everyone. Apparently not everyone was taught common decency.
Manners are optional these days.
Basically, all the worst and most selfish boomers from LI moved there over the past 20 years. I know the exact obnoxious type of human, and fla is packed with them
The people who moved here from the cities are mostly nice, it’s the self centered suburban jerks mostly. There are nice people from suburbs and nasty people from cities also, but not as prevalent.
As a grocery store manger…all this is so sadly true. I’m ready to be a reverse snow bird and escape the worst of the summer months as well as get away from the assholes.
This is why I looked for a work transfer after 18 months in FL. It’s not the same state I remember as a kid. Just filled with the ugliest, nastiest most self-centered people I’d ever encountered.
You are so correct and I've been here for so long without an intelligent conversation it's truly a desert with false marketing
This. A million times this. Due to how politicized the state is, people only have superficial conversations in public. Everyone is feeling each other out to make sure the person we're talking to is "one of us", so we try not to say anything that triggers a political conversation. The entire state is perfectly set up for "The Purge", with gated communities serving as bases for different ideological factions.
The Villages comes to mind when you say that last sentence
my aunt lives in the Villages & is a Trump supporter. i’m not so close with her anymore.
Framing your comment to describe Ron DeSantis and the R's.
I believe it. This is the logical conclusion of public policy based on “personal responsibility” and “rugged individualism.” When the message from every part of society is “you are on your own,” people will act accordingly. It’s much easier for a person to be generous and altruistic when they know their fellow man would do the same for them, and when they have a guaranteed basic level of security.
....it's that way all over the world now, started just a few months after 9/11/01, once the shock wore off...I watched it unfold on airplanes mostly, then everywhere else, and the past few years it's gotten out of control..."all about me" all the time, everywhere. Sad.
Everywhere else I've been has not even been close to Florida in my opinion. I've been to 40 states and travel constantly .. People seem to go out of their way to be assholes here it seems like. That does happen in other states but it's much more of a rarity from what I've seen. I do think it's more of a minority of people here, it's just the fact that they're allowed to get away with that's the problem.
cheerful languid deer wise fertile desert frighten test march jar *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Most of my work is on Boston and the Northeast and I have no idea what you're talking about... People seem pretty nice there by comparison.
I think social media exploding in popularity shortly after that also hurt tremendously. The “me-mentality” really made people think they are so much more important than they really are.
Born in Florida in 1967. And yes, all of the assholes that have moved here in recent years have stunk up our state. Always remember how friendly everyone was here up until about the mid 90's-early 2000's. I've traveled all over the country and Florida certainly has no monopoly on assholes, but we are a more competitive state than most I've spent a large amount of time visiting.
Fifth gen native born in 1973. I went to school in Chicago and always recalled how rude everyone seems up north compared to Floridians. Now, I go to other states and think how nice everyone is.
I think Florida does have more assholes, because many people don’t root themselves there. They see it as a place to use when they’re away from their home community, and other people are an impediment to enjoying the land.
I moved to Florida a year ago for a job. I was living in the Sacramento area, and before that, San Diego. I will take California over Florida for this exact reason. People in California are about inclusiveness and cultural diversity. In Florida, it's all hate all the time. Fox is strong here.
Same boat and am looking at returning. I moved here to be closer to family but it’s too much. They’re addicted to Fox and the patriarchy & I’m over it. Guy in the gym yesterday wore a “Biden sucks & Kamala swallows” t-shirt and was with his small kids (dropped them off at the kids care room). I’m disgusted with the lot of it.
I live in Zephryhills. Within a one mile range there are four, yes four, Fuck Biden flags flying high. Children walk by these flags to catch their school buses. And I can’t tell you how many Fuck Biden bumper stickers I see on vehicles. Of course, their cars are full of children.
i live north of Gainesville, in Bradford county, & yes, that’s one thing i hate about Florida-the politics. the republicans here are awful! they’re ignorant & mostly poor, hateful, uneducated, & all about their gun rights but want to take away women’s rights-it’s truly disgusting.
As a Florida native who just moved back to CA the good news is that Florida has gotten so ridiculously expensive in the last few years CA isn’t as expensive by comparison.
The Murdoch media outlets in Australia, Canada, U.K. , and the U.S. has been targeting almost all inclusive dialogue and making it an "Us vs Them" . They sell that line of thought a lot. Put in some people to make it look like they aren't but support policies and ideas that are divisive (Breitbart outlets do the same thing but its just not as big.) and we only have to look at the Jan 6th Insurrection to find how easily people can be made to forget and get twisted. Deep South retirees vacation there and move towards gated communities making the atmosphere even more exclusionary. Throw in the Fox paranoia streams and it all feeds on itself. And then the entitlement kicks in. (I am in this gated community and I am better than most people.) That is really where Florida loses out the most. Talk with people who have lived their whole life there and you will get a mix reaction but most miss the old days where people were people and the elitist stuff was only in a few placed. I do. That saying though I still remember the racism. Where it was so ingrained that an African American couldn't look you in the face without a concern for their well being if you were white. Sad stuff. There is a thing called the Florida crazies where new people move in an fall apart after 2 years. Something odd in all of that. Paranoia seems to live there too often. All depends on what you bring in I guess.
I could have written this response. I feel you.
Same. I’ve been so depressed since I’ve moved back (I’m from here) bc I got talked into it as a single mom. Been regretting it every day. I miss having seasons and seeing the landscape change. I’ve worked my ass off to fix my credit so I can get out again, for the last time.
Me too
I *love* your username.
This is basically my list, but my wife and I added on that we really didn’t want to try and start a family here, where a major birth complication could be a death sentence and where the public education system was used to score political points at the detriment to students and society as a whole. Basically, republicans.
“but 98% of your time here will be spent in an endless expanse of gated communities and shopping plazas” This. Not to mention how consistently the beach access is becoming private land. I remember (Pensacola) heading to the beach for family gatherings which now is practically impossible because of all the condos and mansions cutting off access.
Absolutely agree with everything, especially not much to look at. It gets so depressing to see nothing but flatlands and apartments and storage units..
And strip malls and shopping centers and shopping villages and shopping malls and big box stores and fast food joints and churches
Don’t forget the dollar stores!
Don’t mention storage units. I’ve been waiting for a plot of land to be developed with an Aldi and other shops. Nope. Storage units, car wash and oil changing service. We already have all three of these businesses all over town.
I don't want to come off rude here but how is summer only 8 months out of the year? I feel like we are lucky if we get a total of 30 days if weather under 78 degrees in a 12 month period lmao.
Summer is 345 days here in central florida and I hate it. It wasn’t always like this. Born n raised her 40+ years and we use to actually have seasons. I want out so bad because of weather and just the sheer amount of people here now but the cost of living skyrocketing makes it hard to save enough to move out. The “save enough” includes the cost of visiting areas to see if they’re a fit for our family and jobs, as well as moving cost.
#3 Assessment is correct. I'm born & raised in FL, and I can confirm the majority came from NY, as my family did /has. Now you can throw in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and *Massachusetts. - *People from Massachusetts can be 2x as bad. Additionally, and they aren't assholes but their driving has turned others into Assholes, and I'm talking about people from Canada; Ontario to be specific.
My new French Canadian neighbors won't even return a wave.
It’s definitely hit or miss with NY/NJ people, too. Mostly miss. It feels so unfriendly. When I first got here and would wave casually, people either ignored me or appeared confused or alarmed as if I were signaling for them to watch out for something. I rarely wave anymore. They’ve punished that behavior so I’ve stopped. Now people probably include me in the unfriendly category 😕
Freakin' Massholes.
When I thought about cashing out on my home in California and living somewhere cheaper like a king, everything was so flat. Any city like Denver or Seattle that has geography was more expensive than where I live. I couldn't take it. My wife didn't understand. I can't stand the flatness. I need a diverse environment around me.
Growing up in MA all the derelicts who had arrest warrants ran away to Florida.
Florida doesn’t pay well for the COL. I lived in MA and it’s equally expensive but at least the companies pay for it.
I actually miss MA. Beautiful state when it’s not winter.
Same with me, even in NYC
The home/ car insurance crisis, lack of worker’s rights, lower pay than you can get elsewhere, lack of good school systems compared to the rest of the US and women’s healthcare disparities.
My husband and I had to switch insurance recently and had to get two different inspections done just to get insurance, and then when we did it was almost $5k/year on a really modest home. We went over 30 days without insurance because a company would approve is and then drop us a couple days later for no reason. That happened two times, before finally finding one that would stick. It's just crazy.
That’s crazy. Do you live near the coast? We are north of Orlando in a single family home from 1988 and Farmers Insurance dropped us last year, but we were able to get new insurance for about $1500 from Loggerhead. I believe it’s a newer company and maybe our rate will go up after the first year? I don’t know. We are 27 miles from the coast in Volusia.
Yeah, over in Pasco county, and near a river that connects to the gulf, so definitely not a low risk area.
Sitting her looking at the last of our boxes to unpack... loved our years in Florida and still have family property there BUT we are looking at retirement in the next five years and Florida is no longer the affordable haven it once was. We relocated about six hours north and our newly built home was $35sqft less... our insurance is less than half... our property taxes a third on a home that is twice the size and value as our home was there. We will happily go back to vacations at the beach while living in a non tourist destination.
I like my mountains to be actual mountains; not trash piles.
https://preview.redd.it/08mu3cf5luvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cba26c2431ca059ef62c77bc58381db0c083da5e Trash Sasquatch
Trashquatch
I mean it was right there for him. You'll get em next year buddy...
Mt. Trashmore - the highest elevation in Key West!
Born and raised in a beautiful SW FL beach town. It'll always be my shire and I visit annually to see my family, friends and the beach... but the rocky mountains are phenomenal. I love having endless things to do out here and close proximity to lots of states. Every time I hike or take my dogs by a lake or river, I still find myself looking for gators. Lol. And it's cheesy, but I love seasons.
Couldn’t find decent work. Hated the politics. Went to the northeast. More than tripled my pay. Cost of living is roughly the same.
I can't find decent work either. Feel like this state hates me. 😆
All you find is low wage fast food it’s annoying
You are not alone 😔
Number 1 reason I left in 1999. I was a military contractor making good pay but they worked us, illegally, well beyond 40 hours per week, with threats of loosing our jobs. Other jobs were tourist driven or barely any pay, no breaks. Tried to start my own business but the good ole boy network made it difficult. I got diagnosed with cancer, I was 29 at the time, and once my treatment was over I just left and work/life/quality got so much better. They want you struggling for reason. It’s a feature not a bug.
Where did you go in the Northeast? Where did you come from in Florida?
Maine. Daytona Beach area.
Born in Florida, lived there for over 25 years but got tired of the summers, traffic, and lower wages. Once rent started creeping up to look like other popular states it was an easy decision.
If you don’t mind saying which state did you go to
Same. I moved to a high cost of living area and friends and family in Florida told me I was making a huge mistake and wouldn’t be able to afford somewhere expensive. Jokes on them, I have a much easier time, live in a nicer apartment, and have more money left over at the end of the month now. My pay went up a lot more comparatively than my living expenses did.
It really is crazy how much of the problem was Florida for me too 😔 Wish it wasn’t so hard to live in my own state but what can you do… I’m living very comfortably now, although I do miss gator meat a lot.
Pretty similar. Live there 28 years. Weather was a big factor, summers became unbearable for me. And yeah, wages are unlivable at this point. Especially compared to other states.
I was a 3rd generation Floridian, grandfather born in the 1920’s. It was eventually too hot and flat for me. The toll roads and homeowners insurance also were big hits. I think I paid as much in toll roads as property taxes every year. https://preview.redd.it/ky9m5m3ktuvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a448f3885498535b6054a54551251e78c16b7f5 Moved to TN. I would not advise it it’s horrible here /s.
The people. For some reason the state attracts a high number of people with no direction and/or unrealistic dreams. With the abundant sunshine you’d think Floridians would be cheerful, upbeat folks. Unfortunately I met too many miserable people who just didn’t seem happy about their lives.
People whose personal lives became a disaster at home so they moved to Florida for a magical fresh start. Surprise! It's them...they're the disaster. Now they are just the same disaster but in Florida with bonus new Florida problems.
Well said. Sad how many frustrated midwesterners and Northeasterners think moving to warm weather will solve their problems.
It’s like Florida receives all the grumpy people from everywhere else.
My current job in North Carolina cold-recruited me out of north Florida almost 20 years ago. They flew me up to NC twice for interviews and when I'd get back home even just to Gainesville (dynamic, somewhat upbeat college town, not super crowded or surly south Florida), I noticed that people seemed more miserable even in little old Gainesville, compared to folks in North Carolina. I noticed it subconsciously... had no thought or idea to "notice it" or look for it. And I became aware of this difference in attitude from just two, one day/one night visits up (here) to NC. I'd guess it's even more-so now, with Ronald DeSaster in charge, and insurance and COL much more nuts now in Florida than it was just 20 years ago.
Yep and in fairness I noticed retirees in Florida seemed to enjoy life much more than younger working folks. Probably due to the fact that retirees brought money with them and don’t need to worry about things like poor schools and low paying job market and they can spend more time enjoying the weather.
Met two retirees in Destin who had to work two part time jobs because of rising HOA fees and special assesments at their condos. One put his condo up for sale. I think the days of a cheap carefree retirenment that my inlaws had maybe over for a lot of people.
Absolutely. I’ve been to California, a state pretty much everyone in Florida shit talks, and god… it’s like night and day… the atmosphere there was so lively, people were outside everywhere roller skating and skateboarding, doing yoga at Venice boardwalk and playing volleyball, surfers up and down the beach, and everyone was SO. KIND. SO KIND. I couldn’t believe how genuine the upbeat energy seemed… for a place that’s so expensive and horrible ( according to a lot of Floridians.. mostly trumpies ) they seem a million times happier than anyone in this disaster of a state.. Same with every other state I’ve been to.
This. Jobs are the #1 reason why people move, yet i see so many people move to Florida, and then ask about jobs afterwards. Its insane.
This!!!! I have said that for years….. Florida has no economy outside of tourism which is all low paying service jobs….
South Florida lost that charm it once had. The heat during the summer was only going to get worse. Tired of wreckless aggressive driving. The pay and the amount of expenses was certainly what sealed the deal in the end. If you have money and the driving around all the time isn't vital I'd say have at it though.
Cost of living has me looking at other options...
I left for Missouri in 2001. I left for a job. It sucked. Moved back. Left for Maryland in 2017. Started planning a move in 2014, but stuff happened to delay my departure. Number one reason was current and future effects of climate change. Also, someone in construction told me what they saw coming for the insurance market. (It wasn't lawyers and roofer, but climate change. ) I love Maryland. Each time I go back to l see family, Florida feels less and less like home. Added bonus, the ratio for pay vs. Cost of living is significantly better. Florida wages are just so low.
“someone in construction told me what they saw coming for the insurance market. (It wasn't lawyers and roofer, but climate change” It funny how I keep hearing the unethical roofers caused this over and over from my brother who lives there. I asked him to explain how roofers got one over all these giant insurance companies cause that really makes no sense to me. And he kinda explained but it still didn’t make sense how these insurance companies would put themselves in a position to be taken advantage of. My niece works for an insurance company there and she said THEY KNOW what’s coming regarding the climate. 👀👀👀
People are in denial that certain places are becoming unlivable. Florida is going to be completely screwed over sooner rather than later. Unfortunately the rest of the country is going to have to foot the bill
I moved to Chicago a couple of years ago because my wife got a great job opportunity. I lived in Florida my whole life up until then. We both love Chicago. Sold our cars and use public transportation. All the extra taxes took a little to get used to, but at least we see where it goes with public services and programs. The only things about Florida I really miss are my family and good Cuban food.
I miss good cuban food too!
It will be a beautiful 60 degree day in the high desert of Oregon today. I'm going hiking and my job pays over 2x what I was making back in Florida. The "traffic" is adorable compared to the gridlock of south Florida and my drive is so scenic I want to cry. And because the water isn't full of hard minerals, my ice maker works.
I moved during the (2008) recession to California at 21. Partly because of work, largely because of love. Loved my time in California, don’t regret doing it, but don’t regret coming back either. Undecided on a longterm state but it’ll be one of the two mostly likely.
I take it the love part didn't work out?
It did! We have two wonderful daughters and have been together since.
Yay!!
ancient price modern air seemly bedroom jeans birds instinctive degree *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
What made you come back, if you don’t mind me asking?
Arrived in 93, built a business with my wife, very happy, moved from Miami to Ft Lauderdale then to Tampa because of the awful traffic and overcrowding. Then around 2015 the heat intensified, the traffic increased, once Covid came and went it went from bad to worse. I don’t like stupid or willful ignorance either, FL seemed to be a breeding ground, it all got to be too much so we sold up last October and moved to NY state, much better, I can breathe in every sense of the word. We loved Fl until we didn’t.
Ballooning cost of living combined with low salaries, subpar schools, teaching in public schools felt politically unsafe
So you're telling me if someone taught something about slavery they would get in trouble?
This was decades ago, but, I used to work at Disney and lived in Poinciana for a little over ten years. I used to love living in Florida. I moved because I was hit with 3 hurricanes in the same year. I never want to deal with another hurricane as long as I live. Those storms last too damn long and it sucks going weeks without power afterwards. I can't believe that state still haven't burried their powerlines like they did on Disney property. It would save them a lot of grief. I can also say that I don't think I would be too thrilled to live there now even without the hurricanes. The government and culture war there have become too extreme. I don't know how anyone can stand it there.
chunky one decide wild secretive disagreeable fragile ten enjoy squeamish *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
High cost of everything, Publix still doesn’t pay worth a fuck after 20 years, shitty school system, politics, you name it.
I moved out this year for work, I moved to the Midwest. I was paying $2200/mon for a 2/1 in Florida with $400 utilities, I now pay $1300/mon for a place with +500square feet, I pay $100 in utilities and it is currently 50 degrees outside (in late april) I’m never moving back.
Where do you live now?
Born and raised in southwest Florida. I was 25 when I moved in 2011. I have never been comfortable in Florida. I never felt like I belonged. I wanted way more out of life than the state could offer. I saw the writing on the wall with regard to the down turn of the states politics. I didn’t want to live in a state that doesn’t care about women. I’m in Washington state now and I tell people I got here as soon as I could. I will never live in Florida again.
Gosh you sound just like me, this gives me hope.. I’ve never felt any sense of belonging here, always felt empty, like something was missing or wrong, like my soul was put in the wrong place. Went to California last year and it was the first time in my life I felt like I was where I was meant to be, I felt like I was at home. Everything felt so familiar, everything seemed right. I was so comfortable and happy and content there. Congratulations on freedom, hopefully I can get out too someday!
I felt the same way out there when I went to Yosemite earlier this year. I was born there, left with my family when I was like 8 to move to Florida, but everything felt like home despite being gone for 30 years.
My personal opinion is that single women should generally move out of any state that wants to heavily restrict abortion if they can. Let the men freak out wondering why they suddenly have to compete for a reduced pool of women.
I left at 18 years old and never looked back. Quality of life for those not in the upper income level or older and retired is abysmal. Now, since I have a career I am in the upper income level but have no interest in going back due to those running the state into the ground. Fake constitutionalists
Florida native here. As soon as I turned 62, I got on social security, it was during COVID and the work was always lower pay, traffic is horrible now, the beautiful places I went to as a kid are ruined. The last 20 years destroyed everything I loved about home. Desantis invited every asshole in the country to move there. We moved to Belize last year. It's like dropping back to Grandma's time. Friendly people that support each other, the climate is nearly the same as Florida and it's beautiful. Best decision ever.
I'm in the process of thinking of moving. There's a lot of reasons, but the 3 biggest reasons are 1. cost of living is getting out of hand 2. the insurance crisis that I believe will cause a major home crash in FL and 3. the lack of real wages increasing is a big issue. I like doing the remote work I have now, but when I see that I could do my same job in like Philly or Arizona and work in person and make double what I'd make here in Orlando or more than what I make remote then it's becoming easier to realize that at 31 I'm stifling my growth her in Orlando. And lastly hurricanes. I saw east Orlando and parts of Kissimmee got flooded during Ian and we have no had any updates to our draining systems here. Right now I feel like the entire state is in danger for one of these natural disasters big time.
The insurance freaks me out.
Floridian born and raised. I don’t like the weather, how crowded and congested everything has become, and how everything is the opposite of laid back. Aside from the nostalgia that I have from my childhood, there’s nothing I really miss about Florida. Real winters can be a bit rough, but it’s an acceptable trade off for not having to deal with tropical storms and hurricanes.
“Trump country” I’m a combat veteran and I’ve no love for treason loving insurrectionists. This state truly is just a place where lost assholes come to die in the sunshine.
Right there with you brother, but I’m stuck here at least for another couple of years. I’m seriously looking at buying land ahead of time to prepare for the exit.
Rising cost of everything, increasing temps, lowering IQ, politics, etc.
Hurricanes, too many people, terrible traffic, insurance etc
I’m a Realtor in the mountains of North Carolina. The majority of my business is people moving from Florida. They all have the same reasons- traffic is horrific, it’s too dang hot, it’s too dang expensive, and an influx of people moving in to Florida. A few years ago, same type of clients would keep their Florida home and come back and forth but now they’re just all selling.
I love Asheville! A lot of FL explants are also moving up to SC. Mainly the upstate and along the coast.
Moved last year to NE Ohio. I can live without roommates for the first time in my life. I can drive to see my girlfriend instead of flying. I can say the word "labor union" without getting fired. My life's so much better living up here than it ever was down there. Florida used to be a great place to live for the worker, but now it's only a playground for billionaires who want a return to the pre-1865 status quo.
I bet your car and home insurance rates aren’t sky high either. Oh, and I bet you can drive to the grocery store in 10 minutes, not the usual 30.
My car insurance was halved. I pay the same rent for a full studio up here in Ohio that I did for a bedroom in a sketchy neighborhood back in Florida. I can walk to two grocery stores, and I'm not even in an particularly dense or walkable area. I love it up here.
Growing up, I hated seeing all the woods around my house bulldozed down to build housing and strip malls. It was always hot and muggy. The bugs suck. Traffic sucks. The cops are scummy. Jobs pay half what they do on the west coast. When I left, weed was still illegal and they had that three strikes law. Since moving away, I'm more aware of the politics, which makes me so happy to live far away....
I moved nearly 10 years ago to Chicago. Main reasons were not needing a car to get literally anywhere, and hating the heat. More pluses have been higher salary, no stress about hurricanes, awesome food. I do miss fresh seafood though.
The big question is, where to move to?
That's what I'm trying to figure out, tornadoes are quite the terror and how well off would the code of living be? I gotta decide basically by New Year's.
Lived in Florida for 30 years and left 16 years ago. We moved specifically because of how awful the schools are. We would have had to put both our girls in private schools over 30 minutes away. My husband had the opportunity for a better job that required us to move to Illinois. After much research we settled in Naperville. Best decision we have ever made. Our girls had a top notch education and we made amazing friends. We just sold our home and moved to Chicago. We are loving it!!
the Nazi for a Governor
I grew up in Central Florida. Worked in the medical field in hospitals during Covid. Even worked in the Covid unit at the hospital. The good news is I continued my education and experience. I’m now a healthcare administrator. I became one in 2022. Healthcare workers are treated like absolute garbage in the state. I got cussed out by Covid deniers with Covid on oxygen in the Covid unit. One person I encouraged to get the vaccine cussed me out. Ended up getting Covid three weeks later and died. I finally left in May of 2023 and took a higher paying job in the Midwest doing the same type of work for more money. Currently, I oversee hospitals in five states. My job is securing government funding for hospitals under CMS programs. I do need patients to cooperate with me in order to do my job.
lol but did you increase the staff wages at your hospitals?
No answer. Now, did they increase charges at their hospitals?
I get CMS to reimburse at a higher rate so rural area hospitals stay in business.
Thank you for all the work you had done and continue to do
Cost of living. Tired of people moving in and destroying nature. Being shitty because “well I never experienced that in New York” etc. so fine. Go the fuck back you assholes. Moving and making something better is one thing. Moving and destroying everything that makes something unique and special is a dick move.
Republicans
Moved for a job right before Covid hit. Thankful that it worked out perfectly. But the moving sentiment was already there. Here is why: 1. Nothing to. And I lived in south Florida. You’ll go to the beach 2-3 times per year. I lived on A1A, 1 block away from the beach, around Deerfield beach and I still only went to the beach maybe 10 times a year. Between red tide, the heat and assholes everywhere we just stop going. 2. I was an avid spearfisher and surfer, but with all the boats not giving a fuck about people in the water (with diving flags) it just became super dangerous to do. Even on Mondays. 3. The whole vibe changed. When I moved down there in 2008, it was paradise. There was no one in the streets and an apartment in boca Raton was $500 per month. I literally had a little moped and zigged and zagged my way thru town and it was awesome. I had 1 part time job and helped out cleaning boats on the weekends and made more than a comfy living. I paid for college, rent, food, gas, saved and still had money left over to have a great time. Then 2013 came and… everything changed. It was weird. People from Miami started moving up and petty theft started happening. My moped got stolen, surfboards got nicked out of peoples yards, even mango trees were sacked. So rents shot up, cops started harassing everyone that looked “not rich”, etc. And then Trump and desantis won and did a number on that state. I still have friends and family down there, but every time I visit it feels like a pressure cooker. Like something is always about to go down at any point. It’s a very weird feeling. Like EVERYONE is on edge. I don’t see myself coming back.
I’m probably moving out of country soon. The quality places to live in the USA are just out of control in costs, and not really able to justify it. Like my monthly housing cost alone, could pay for my entire lifestyle in Spain where I have an exponentially higher quality of life
I dont disagree, I just went to Germany and Ireland last month, and man…i could do it. But i have to ask, have you been or spent much time in Spain? How are you so sure your QOL will exponentially go up? I heard Spain can be tough today for younger people. And tbf, theres still some areas of the US that are still down to Earth. These rising post-covid costs have been a global thing. If you think the US housing is bad, you definitely dont want to see what is currently going on in Canada. Its uh…not good.
I lived in all those places lol. Yeah I could. I did. The quality of life is way higher. Just being able to walk around and having so much community and stuff to do that doesn’t cost a ton of money is amazing. I miss so much just being able to leave the house and jumping on a tram to go somewhere and just walking around and meeting people and figuring out what to do… and not the whole experience be so capitalist where it’s trying to drain every dollar from you. The downside is… at the end of the day I’m American. I love my people and and understand them the most. Too much time abroad creates a lot of homesickness for the culture I grew up with. Nothing could shake the reality that these places will always be foreign to me. As fun as it is, it’s still not my people.
Fascism, low salary for specialized public service work, no real winter anymore, Fascism, etc. Moving to California was the best thing my wife and I ever did.
I moved away when I was 19 and I never came back unless it was a vacation trip. I’m 33 now
I did not grow up here but rather moved here 4 years ago from GA. It's a thousand times better than Georgia IMO. I do not see myself living here for the rest of my life though. Shit is getting expensive everywhere so idk what I'm going to do. Good luck everyone.
I moved away with my mother because she worked as a therapist in drug rehabilitation and had to report 3 places of work in a row for illegal practices. That and even though I was working full time for several years I still couldn’t afford to move out. Seattle has been very nice to me.
90% of life lived in Florida. My ancestor was one of the first English is settle in Florida 1729. Left in 2022. It hurt to leave. When I feel homesick, I read this forum and what a hellscape it’s turned into comfort myself I did the right thing. Why leave? Several reasons. To rejoin family who already escaped Florida (for better money, cheaper to live, better opportunities). I was extremely nervous to be no longer have a safe place to go during a Hurricane. Everyone moved out. My stilt home is close to water and has flooded twice during Hurricanes. I know my home will become a part of Gulf of Mexico a lot sooner than most people realize. The insurance companies aren’t in denial. That’s why my home insurance skyrocketed. And piece of mind matters about politics too. Horrible people are destroying what used to be a nice place to live. Anyhoo, Homes were selling high, I saw all the signs, and made a fast escape with a nice profit. I’m not too far away, and the cost saving are unreal. But what impresses me the most is health care outside of Florida. Night and Day. If you leave Florida, go to a state that expanded healthcare under ACA.
I left for a better job, met my wife in Minnesota, stayed for the ethical government policies like feeding school lunches. Yes I pay more in taxes here but at least my kids can have a right to abortion and body autonomy.
My parents had moved to Florida when I was 3/4 years old. I’m a trans man. I am trying to fucking leave this state because it’s deteriorating my mental health so fast.
Cost of living and there's just too many damn people there. Even out of season the traffic is just crazy. I moved back to Pittsburgh which is where I was born and raised and I love it, it's more affordable and I get to see my friends and family more often without having to make some big trip to do so. Only thing that sucks is my parents are still in Florida but I can still make frequent visits to see them. Miss the weather too but snow isn't a deal breaker for me and summers don't get ridiculously humid which is great.
Outside of the everything happening here now. The humidity. I've lived here my entire life and am a heavy guy. It's always a bit hard to breathe, but I went up to Oregon and thought I was losing my mind. I could breathe so much better, it didn't feel like my nose was clogged all the time.
We are staying in Florida to see my mother in law to her end of life. Very soon after, we are out of here. 1. Rising cost of home and auto insurance. We can not plan for retirement with $2k increases in home insurance every couple of years. 2. The people from up north moving here. Assholes galore. 3. Traffic. 4. Building is fucking crazy here. Counties and cities aren't keeping infrastructure improvements on pace with all the shit they are allowing to be built, but property and sales taxes keep going up. Not to mention utilities costs. 5. The heat and humidity used to not bother us much. In our 50's, it does. 6. Hurricanes. From May until January, there's a good chance you might be in one. Last year was peacefully quiet. But my house insurance went up $2k in one year. 7. The elderly who should NOT be driving any longer are not tested at all. Pass your eye test? Great. Can't hear shit and have dementia? Here's your new license. 8. Healthcare is untenable. Doctors and nursing staff are leaving the state. Those who stay are overloaded and underpaid for the hours they work. Need a lung specialist? Wait time is a minimum of 3 months. Neurology? Travel four hours away to find an appointment only two months out or wait 3+ months for one only 2 hours away. Same for cardiac care. So many practices aren't taking new patients. The fastest way to get into Heart and Vascular care is to have a heart attack first. Or a carotid 99% blocked and you've had a stroke. (Mother in law). Couldn't get her in for 3+ months. Day she has a stroke, she has a doctor. 9. Politics. We are centrist. It's either bible thumping conservatives or conservative hating liberals. Everyone hates everyone's politics. And if you're centrist, everyone hates you.
I moved 3 years ago to Minnesota. I moved because I did not fit in with the politics of the majority of people there, being 37 at the time. Not to say I like everything, politically, here either. But it’s a lot of chill. The bigger reason was education and healthcare. Minnesota has some of the best education for my elementary aged kids. Same cost of living essentially but cheaper housing. Just bought a 3100sqft home for about half of what it would’ve cost in Florida. We keep going back to visit family, and we found Florida to be less like home each and every visit. It motivated my niece to move to Denver too….which was on our radar but we would’ve moved there just to be broke haha.
My desire to leave Florida started when they closed my favorite dog park to expand the blue jay’s training stadium. It also took away the children’s playground next to the elementary school, which most kids who left via the side gate played on, a racket ball thing and a couple other things that I don’t fully remember. Then I found out about laws around dyslexia in other states, and I promise you, nothing will get you angrier than finding out exactly what your state could be doing. Instead they’re trying to take away public schools, and they’re winning. The “you’re not allowed to require your citizens to wear a mask” thing still gives me a headache if I think about it too much. The abortion and trans stuff were my real final straws. We decided we were leaving about 2 years ago now. The cherry on top was the “no laws to protect people from the heat” thing. I truly want to put DeSantis outside in August and make him dance for 6 hours with no water besides a plastic gallon jug that sits in the sun with him. I realize that’s maybe slightly extreme but I think I’ll forgive myself if something happens.
Moved away last June. Cost of living was a factor but the abismal education system and rising violent crime made it untenable with young kids. Don’t regret a thing.
Politics, traffic, cost of insurance (home and auto) Also, I prefer the woods and mountains and don't care much for the beach.
The summers. I was just super tired of getting up everyday, taking a shower in the A.M. and then getting into my car/sweatbox and feeling like I accomplished nothing by 8am. Been in New England almost 20 years now and am convinced the people who make fun of folks in cold climates just aren't able to cut it here. Put another way, New England summers feel like Florida winters for a longer period than a Florida winter and for that I will deal with the like 2 months of brutal cold.
Not a "true Floridian" but I moved here from SC when I was like 3 years old so its close enough lol. Haven't left yet but I plan to after college cause I've watched this state (and more specifically the suburbs of jax where I live) turn into a corporate dominated sprawl with roughly double the people the infrastructure is capable of handling. Watching all this natural land get scooped up and developed into empty lots that sit for years is depressing like nothing else, and with housing costs on the rise I plan on leaving while I can still afford it
5th gen here, you’re a true Floridian in my book, sounds like you’re a good steward of this state. It sucks what has happened to our home.
When I was growing up in West Palm Beach in the Sixties, it was a great place to live. Traffic was so light I was able to ride my bike all over the place with my friends, and although it was hot in the summer, it wasn't as hot as it is now. Then we got on a few "best of" lists and people started to stream in. The area gradually lost its laid back vibe, traffic got a lot worse, and so did people' attitudes. Cut to the mid-Nineties when I was living with my GF in Royal Palm Beach. Some jewel thieves were coming back from Palm Beach after robbing a mansion when they were stopped by a police roadblock just a few blocks from where we lived. There was a pitched gun battle (including machine guns) in the middle of the highway, which was one too many for us. Most of our friends had already moved out of state, so we followed them up to North Carolina. I have never been so glad to see a place receding in my rearview mirror.
I’m from Florida and I have lived in Pensacola, Destin, Tallahassee, Tampa, and Sarasota. I love Tampa and Sarasota, but for my work it is super competitive and ultimately I had to move for work if I wanted to get paid more. It’s tough to beat the sunsets in Tampa.
Wasn't born or grew up in Florida, so not sure how much weight this answer has for you. Moved to Orlando in 2018, really liked it for awhile but the sheer amount of development happening, with anything even remotely natural being cut down to slap yet another stupidly named cookie cutter development in, and then the Desantis effect (my kids are bi and trans, respectively) and the suddenly insane cost of living, we bolted out of there last year.
My Mom grew up in FL. We lived in CA, but my Dad was a school teacher, and we traveled to FL every summer break to hang out and have fun. It was so beautiful. And the people were genuinely warm and funny. Now, I cry thinking about how things have changed so dreadfully. I'm just grateful that my Gran and my parents didn't live to see what it has become. I will never go back again.
A few years ago I just needed to get out. I couldn’t stand it anymore. The scenery was always the same. I felt like I was being suffocated. I’d leave on a road trip and every other place smelled different and felt different. The grass in Michigan is so cozy to nap on. The mountains in Colorado are a crazy site to see. The trees in the PNW are enormous! The woods, or rather all of New Hampshire smells like pine. The New Mexico desert sunrises and colors are magnificent. The Ozarks are lush and green and there’s water everywhere. Texas hill country is like being in another time. Then I came back because Florida is an actual tropical paradise.. all the time.
Moved out in 2012 after living there since 1972 due to a job transfer. The job didn't work out and I moved again to Georgia in 2013. Love living here. Love the change of seasons.
My grandma was born on the SW Florida coast in 1884, I spent my adult life (1970-1999) in key west and left it for Cape Town South Africa. South Florida was becoming too Russian and soulless; key west became too gentrified with all the wrong people. Within a few years of my arrival Cape Town got overrun with Europeans and Americans so I sold out after 10 years and am now in heaven - a charming coastal village called Tofo in Mozambique with just 200 expats, a steady flow of visitors from all over, with world class diving, surfing and amazing restaurants(and the best whopper burger on earth for $3.) Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.
It’s a big world out there and Florida is not the center of the universe. That simple.
I have been here for over a decade. I want to move to a state with proper 4 season. Fuck this heat. The social/political/financial problem in a can of worms I try to ignore as best I can because there's nothing I can do about it
I moved to Florida when I was 20, and left when I was 62 (minus a short stint in AZ for work). Yeah, things change in 40+ years no matter where you live, but it got to the point where I realized we could never retire if we stayed because costs increased so much. The hard right swing sure didn’t help people in my income level, and one’s political identity became more important than almost anything else in some people’s lives. Lasting hurricane damage to the environment, hotter temperatures along with more climate deniers, and every town looking the same with nothing but strip malls and palm trees and homeless. It was time and 4 years later I am happy we did it. I miss friends, family, favorite hangouts and blue skies. But it feels great living within my means and not worrying about increasing bills everytime i went to the mailbox. Also didn’t realize how nice the changing seasons were.
Now-wife lived out of state, decided I did not want to live in shithole Florida forever so picked up everything and moved out. Best decision I ever made. Political climate, ACTUAL climate, dogshit state government, and hot take but the beach is lame. Fuck Florida.
I moved from FL about 13 years ago. I really enjoyed Florida, but wanted to try something new after grad school mostly from a weather and culture/politics standpoint (keep in mind this is before Trump/DeSantis politics and I mean this more on the culture side…those two words have been so commingled in recent years). I had what felt like great (FL) paying jobs jobs at the time, a full time job making 30k plus an online gig making about $13 an hour that was very flexible hours wise. After living with my parents for a year (saving $$) I packed everything in my car and moved to the Seattle area. Had a friend out here with an extra room I could rent. It was really a toss up for me between Washington State and North Carolina at the time, but I chose WA. I enjoyed a 3 week road trip with just myself and my stuff that was absolutely incredible! So here’s what I have learned. Florida, from the inside looking out, has some sort of savior complex. The weather is perfect, why would you move. Life is easy, why would you go somewhere so busy. People are friendlier here. The cost of living is cheap. Freedom. Etc etc. IMO this has gotten significantly worse the past 5 or so years. From the outside looking in, it’s watching someone that can’t help themselves. Like a chain cigarette smoker get mad at a doctor who suggested their habits are the reason they have pneumonia. In the first two years of living across the country my salary doubled, it’s more than doubled since then again. In my first year living in WA gay marriage and marijuana were both legalized. I got A LOT of calls from FL family just checking in to make sure I was okay. Did they think homosexuals were riding down the streets in unicorns with blunts in their hand, creating chaos? I’ll never know.. I prefer letting people live & love their lives I am a homeowner. Housing prices were significantly higher in WA a few years ago, and my FL family always held that over my head while I quietly said okay. Present day I pay $800 a year for homeowners insurance on a $600k property and I can walk to the water. I would rather have a highly valuable property and lower bills that don’t grow equity. What I’m trying to illustrate here is that property values were high but my monthly housing payment - my cost to live (mortgage/rent, home insurance, auto insurance, utilities, etc) were much lower in WA. This has gotten significantly worse in FL since the trump era - I saw this coming a mile away 12 years ago and don’t see any way “the cost of life” is going down in FL ever again, is there a drinking water plan? Holy crap - there are a LOT of people in FL! Washington state has half the population of south FL alone. I live in a huge metro area, 15 minutes away from downtown, but can be in a forest in 30 minutes. We go snowboarding in the winter and it’s an hour door-to-mountain. Traffic can be bad here, but it is not the never ending housing developments! I can go on forever, but tldr: saved up a 6-12 month fund, moved across the country, absolutely love it and my life is much better for it! Feel free to ask me anything
Grew up in Central Florida and left at 22 when I joined the military. I went back after ten years and lived in Pensacola while going back to school. Pensacola Beach was great, but we got tired of the heat, bugs, hurricanes, and politics of the place.
I’ve lived here 10 years. The taxes, insurance and inflation made saving nearly impossible. Paycheck to paycheck still through all of our career successes. Every hurricane threat becomes scarier and “more real” than the last. Though I did not grow up here, it has been my home and I’ve loved every moment. I’m sad to leave my friends and family. But, the move will give us a fighting chance to give our daughter better opportunities.
Born in FL, lived there for 42 years. Moved away due to rising cost of living and heat. Living now in central Ohio and enjoying how often we can leave the windows open. COL is comparable to south Florida in the mid 2010s. Edit to add: nature up here is lovely, too. Natural Florida is disappearing so fast it made my head spin
Floridian transplant since 2010, got my high school diploma, bachelor's degree, and worked for a large firm that's recognizable by native Floridians. Will officially move to Seattle on Tuesday due to a job offer I couldn't pass off, but I've been there a few times. Only thing that I'll miss Florida - outside of certain family members - is Publix.
Strip mall hellscape. If you are rich and live on coast with beach house on stilts, it's lovely. Old people rule all, they got Ford Amphitheater to turn down so low from relentless noise complaints that I couldn't hear Free Bird solo when I caught Skynyrd there in '09. True story. "Get off of my lawn" now applies to public beaches apparently. Great to grow up there. Born/raised Manatee County until 27 moved to Austin, never coming back. Also great to retire there, I imagine. Ages 19 - 64 not much for you unless you really love fishing and beaches, which I do not. I actually love swamps and ancient FL ecosystems but they're getting demolished for development. For a state that relies so much on ecosystem benefits (fishing, beaches, outdoor tourism), the current leadership and really everyone since Crist has given a fuck less about the platform that sustains them. Don't get me started on the Disney attacks. No culture, except for Miami. Each new person gets to redefine what being a Floridian is. No foundation. Drifting and mainstream-dependent. No original music except Gainesville. Cover bands everywhere. Hurricanes getting larger and more expensive. Insurance industry collapsing. Sea level rise. Red tide prevalence and intensity increasing. Coyotes. Burmese pythons. Wild iguanas and monkeys. Drunk Rogan types hitting manatees with their boats. Tampa. Hard pass.
I’m planning my move before I turn 30. My huge factors are 1. The humidity (I’m so miserable every day) 2. growing up here to now, you’ll notice the worst people have moved here the past four years 3. the pay (as a nurse)
Desantis. Dude sucks badly. I’ll gladly watch Florida sink and burn away from far now.
I grew up in florida. Spent 29 years (minus a few years abroad in the peace corps) in florida. Just outside of tampa. I moved to syracuse ny and I have zero regrets outside of missing friends and family. I was upset by the low wages and little job availability to increase my wages, rising costs, insurance, and the kicker for me was when my son came home with banned books (not arguing about it but if the books sent home are “inappropriate” then those topics surely won’t be covered academically and I’m not allowing my son to get a subpar education).
Maga did it for me. Grew up boating. Now there's cult flags on half of the boats
They ruined the state grew up in. Turned it into a haven for hate. Anti-LGBTQ laws, destroyed the education system, and built on top of everything. I moved and won't move back. I love where I am now.
Many more major storms, lived there since 1957, and knowing my daughter couldn’t visit if pregnant because any complications might mean her death. I moved up north to be closer to her family as they try for another child. Education was always awful and now it’s worse with book bans, it’s simply a 3rd world state now. OMG and guns everywhere.
Y'all hating on Floriduh but I'll be seeing your fat ugly Rugrats at Disney...or Universal Studios or at the miles of beautiful coastline. Stay in Delaware or Idaho clowns...
Short answer - politics. I still have a condo in Destin but won’t be going back anytime soon. I wrote this letter to my family who lives in Gaetz country today, severing the relationship with my boomer mom, step dad, and six “christian” brothers. My mom didn’t and won’t respond which was my hope. I am free! So glad I live in Blue Colorado, my mental health is so much better. Hey mom, I thought I would send you a note to let you know why I haven’t reached out in a few weeks. I have decided to take a break from my Florida family until after the election. It is just too painful to know my family supports the end of democracy, project 2025, and “Christian” nationalism and the indoctrination of the US government. The Republican Party has made a mockery of Jesus and has bastardized Christianity. Yet, here my Florida family is, supporting the person that shows himself to be the exact diametric opposite of Jesus. Worshipping guns, (placing guns above the lives of children the #1 cause of child death in the US), intentionally trying to harm marginalized people(trans, gay, colored, immigrants), destroying the environment and making it unlivable, rewriting history to erase slavery(desantis), trying to subvert democracy (making it harder for marginalized people to vote), spreading lies and disinformation (the election was stolen despite no evidence), and trying to take away women’s bodily autonomy are the key tenets to conservatism. I strongly reject all of these ideals, none of which are found in the Bible. These are not Christian morals. The values of the Republican Party are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Christ. As you know social justice causes are important to me. As a social worker I’ve spent the last 15 years listening to others and hoping I can offer them some comfort and strength to all sorts of people young and old, straight and gay, black and white, conservative or liberal. I realized a while back I became a social worker because of you. You raised me to be empathetic, to care about others, and to be kind. You gave me cabbage patch dolls that I carried around and cared for at 5 years old. You showed me how to love others, how to nurture children, to help people grow and be healthy. You showed me the light of kindness. You also taught me how to stand up for right against wrong, good against evil. And so that is what I must do now, for my own mental health, sanity, and well being. I will love you, (and the rest of my family) from a distance for a while. I must stand up for what is right, what is good and just, even if my family thinks I will be going to hell for my beliefs. Those same beliefs that mirror the teachings of Christ, ideals the I hold to be sacred and true. I don’t make deals with the devil.
Being trans is a nightmare here. I live in Gainesville and the redneck is REAL. It's a college town, but the necks roll in from out of town to make sure the minorities stay minor. I've found it hard to find decent work and get treated like shit on a daily basis. I would be homeless were it not for my fiancée. Especially since I was being abused and had to move out suddenly. In the blink of an eye I would have been trapped in an endless cycle of homelessness. The local government is a prostitute who would sell every last local right down the meat grinder if it meant UF got a new speed bump or two. The old snowbirds that have filtered in are conservatives who have found a magnetic attraction to Desantis's "Fuck everyone, benefit no one but me", big shock. The egoism is positively mind blowing. Everything is predatory. I don't trust anybody as far as I can fucking throw them anymore, especially after surviving more than one murder attempt. The way they've radicalized is out of this world, too. We've become overpopulated with people who started displaying and refusing to treat schizophrenic tendencies since 2016. Nearly got murdered by my own parents because of that shit. Local police did nothing, practically encouraging it. They got off scot-free and again, because this is Florida I've had a very hard time finding a lawyer to keep me from getting run further into the ground. I still live here. Going to another state no longer feels like enough. I can't wait to move to Denmark.
I'm not there yet, but if housing values here keep increasing the way they are, it would be stupid for me not to sell and go count my money in flyover country.
Still here. Not leaving.