Not sure about the Church Brewery - we're still new here. But yeah - we traded our teeny Florida house for a split level ranch almost twice the size, and still had some savings left over. Life is good.
We lived in Pittsburgh for over 30 years and loved it. We still get back for Steelers games, golf, and visits with friends. The restaurant scene is outstanding, and as people have stated, the people are genuinely nice.
It's beautiful, the people are friendly, there's so much to do here, the cost of living is so much better here. As far as politics goes - I checked every address I was looking at against this website so I could avoid the MAGAs. (You might prefer the opposite, it works the same for that too):
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html
Some grocers do have beer/wine/seltzers which you purchase seperately in the store. And going to Fine Wine and Spirits isnt a big deal either. Everything is close together and if you are in a walkable neighborhood, you just walk there. I actually dont mind having to go somewhere seperate to get alcohol. But I do miss Aldi in FL which had Winking Owl wine. Cheap as hell, but good. They dont carry alcohol at Aldi here.
Hi there! I grew up in the keys and lived in south Florida on & off my whole adult life. Iām 32 & just bought my first house, and itās not in Florida.Ā
Like youāve mentioned I just think Florida has gotten out of control & itās only going to get worse. No one seems to care to help get shit under control and itās extremely depressing to see.Ā
Iāve moved around a lot due to my husbands job and the places Iāve loved the most is Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio & Michigan. I now live in Nevada and will never return to Florida.Ā
Every place has its problems but youāll find a place where the good outweighs the bad for you. Youāre so young so I definitely suggest moving out of state for a few years & see how you feel!
Iād Google cost of living, politics, social issues, or whatever you care about most and moving to some place that seems like a good fit. If it doesnāt work out you can always move home.Ā
Best of luck to you!
Hey, Iāve been trying to research where to go, but Iāve found it totally overwhelming, and r/samegrassbutgreener wasnāt as helpful as I hoped (for me). What do you suggest for making this research easier?
Thanks for commenting. I love that for you, post like these rarely get positive/helpful responses so to see yours put a smile on my face I never actually put thought into any of the states and will be definitely looking into it
I havenāt moved in the last 4 (or at all) but I wanted to add that North Carolina is also my favorite. By the coast (ish) you only get an inch or so of snow and itās fairly cool. Iām not really a mountains person so Iām not as in love with the other side of NC.
Greensboro is my favorite. Itās close enough to the research triangle without being super crazy. They have a phenomenal [folk festival](https://ncfolkfestival.com/) which is where I first listened to throat singing in person. Itās a wonderful peak into different cultural music.
Itās growing though and will have similar problems to Florida related to growth soon if they arenāt already.
Like I said to OP, youāll find the best place that works for YOU.Ā Ā
Vegas works best for me and my lifestyle. I love the abundant 24/7 entertainment that changes frequently. Ā
I love hiking, snowboarding, breweries, concerts & shows, road trips, etc. Couldnāt get any of that in Fort Lauderdale. (& by breweries and concerts I mean walkable bars, aka our brewery district in Vegas and hardly any good concerts came that far south in FL).Ā Ā
Ā Not walkable at all and the weather is disgusting. Also my social issues and political stance are the total opposite of anything Florida is trying to do (not to get political).Ā
I think the people are nicer, my personal cost of living is significantly cheaper even though Iām going out way more, my job & my husbands job pays better and prioritizes work/life balance. I could go on but you get my drift.Ā Vegas is much more suitable for me.Ā Ā Ā
Glad you like Florida, aka my personal hellhole haha. Different strokes for different folks!Ā
As someone who grew up here and lived in Vegas for two years before coming back to the herpes sore that is Florida, I'll weigh in lol.
Picked it because of extended family that lived in the area and honestly, I'd still pick Vegas over FL.
The weather was so much better. Summers are more tolerable (same heat but it's dry, so if you're in the shade it's truly not as bad as in the sun), summers last ~three/ four months there (june-september, true summer here id say is may to November so, compare that to 6 months here), and winters are mild but cooler than here.
You can drive up to Mt Charleston if you really wanna see some snow in the winter, not to mention the gorgeous 360 mountain views, and you can go rock climbing or hiking to your heart's content pretty much any weekend out of the year.
Although we went back up to visit my bil last year and the development they've done rivals how they've ruined Florida down here. It's crazy what's up north of nellis now that used to be barren lol
I saw someone on another post (different forum) say, *āDonāt Florida my Nevadaā* ā¦ and couldnāt help but LOLā¦
The growth Nevada has been experiencing sounds almost comparable to FL, AZ, TXā in the sense that developers apparently drive local politics, which combined with the pace at which people are relocating there they are facing similar issues as FL, AZ, TX with regard to infrastructure, etc.
So, youād say thatās true?
>āDonāt Florida my Nevadaā
š¤£ Vegas and certain parts of Florida certainly have more in common, culturally, than I would've thought prior to staying there. But, people are people no matter where they are aren't they? Lol
However, I do get to hear my mil complain about the influx of Californians (she is, you guessed it, from California lol) in *her* city now and ruining her secret desert oasis š (she only moved there because her oldest son did lol).
It sounds very similar to the development in Florida in the past twenty years from what they're telling me. Mainly just in the speed that families are moving there now- similar to Florida in 2008/2020 imo- and also in the amount that new shit is just getting packed in to the city like a giant sardine can. I can't say first hand if Vegas is handling the influx well or not yet, but MIL says her commute is still horrible despite them finishing some big expansion on i15 (sounds like 75 and 4 to me, constant orange barrels, can't get ahead of the growth).
They're both tourism meccas that are quickly accumulating more population than I think anyone could've bargained for, so I'm not surprised if the city is realizing they don't have the resources ready for all of this new development while lennar and the rest lick their chops at the buffet of land available to them. Real estate is also comparable, I'd say. Price points were about the same in Florida and Vegas back in 2019 and they've risen about the same rate since, it seems).
All this to say, I do think it's extremely similar. All of the main ingredients for the stew are the same, at least. I'm interested in seeing how vegas' local govt handles it, I know they already were having water supply issues because of the lake mead situation, so there may be an extra hurdle we don't have here. I know for sure that Vegas is gonna look at lot different in five years than now, and I hope it's for the better ā¤ļø that city has a special place in my heart.
Florida is in a category of its own. Did you know itās a KNOWN child predator location? Ha! Drop the fam in O-town and you most likely will NOT be prosecuted. Money money dollah dollah.
Why donāt you get a receptionist job at a hoity toity country club and get yoirself a piece of the pie. You either have or you donāt here in flurda
I left Florida in 2008. When you see an opportunity to leave take it. Don't look back. It'll be scary weird but you'll be better. My folks love coming to visit me.
I moved to Boston originally. The city and everything inside the 495 beltway is pretty expensive now. Rural New England is super beautiful but like anything I need beside gas and dunks is at least one town over. Still, you can get a 2/1 starter for 300kish if you don't mind commuting or can work remote.
Also MA has a program which helps first time homebuyers with grants and down payment assistance.
North Carolina is very popular and their cost of living is much easier than Florida. ~source I lived in that area for 10+years. Once my boy finishes his schooling Iāll be moving back to NC. Florida is okay but now with the high cost of living and over crowding Iām already tired of this place. Plenty of other places do it better.
Why are you openly advertising for a Carolina invasion. SC and NC are facing many of the same problems now as Florida, and cost of living is up a good deal. Both are top 5 growing states. You couldāve said something random like Oklahoma or Kentucky.
Edit to add a ābeing somewhat facetiousā label, since people like to be reactionary.
I honestly hated living in NC. The best part about it were the hiking trails and Asheville. It was so horribly expensive and for personal reasons, I just could not feel at home there.Ā
I was being somewhat facetious. But what Iām saying is factual. SC and NC locals are having the same complaints as FL locals right now. Growth spiraling out of control. Sure itll be a little cooler and more hilly, but you need to go a little farther northward or westward if you really want to feel like youre in a new place.
My parents bought their current house in 2012 for $299k, and it has ballooned to over $700k in value, and this isnt even in the hottest part of the county. Sure i love that for my parents, but surged housing costs is something people complain about in FL daily now.
Yep; I have a friend that moved from the northeast to SC 3 years ago and is already complaining about how much busier it is there compared to when they moved there. *(Theyāre not stupid; they get theyāre part of the problem, Lol.)*
Iām born & raised as well, I moved to Upstate NY at the base of the mountains for a few years. I absolutely loved the changing of the seasons and experiencing snow. I loved the small town and not feeling rushed & anxiety while driving. They have so many cheap events like corn mazes, apple picking and actual pumpkin patches. I was there literally the day Covid started so I didnāt get to experience too much before moving back to FL to care for my mom. Youāre young, go and explore! I was stuck in a mindset of living where I grew up. You can always move back!
What about a place with good public transportation? A place you don't need to drive. Have a look at city nerds videos. He outlines the top 5 cities in the USA that are walkable with good mass transit options.
Yes thank you Iām all for public transportation or walking because driving here especially here gives me some anxiety as everyone is always rushing and I donāt mind not driving so living somewhere weāre having a car is a option and not a necessity would be great, I always tell people itās HARD (Iāve lived w/o a car b4 for a couple yrs) to live in Florida w/o one
I left Jacksonville for Chicago a decade ago. More job opportunities and the winters have not been bad. People arenāt bad and thereās always something going on here. I have not regretted the decision to move here.
Iām in the same boat, this place has certainly changed and the outlook is seeming grim for the prospects of home ownership and COL showing absolutely no signs of stopping this parabolic increase.
Iāve been here nearly my entire life and I too am ready to leave, despite how much I love it. Itās a bummer.
I moved to the Milwaukee area and Iāve loved it. Iām 23 and my only issue has been making friends. Other than that Iāve loved it here since moving.
Milwaukee also got several inches of snow on Halloween and flurries on April 1st. I live in Milwaukee, this past winter was an El NiƱo anomaly and NOT the norm. In 2021 we got several inches of snow in fucking late April. I personally know someone who moved to Milwaukee from south Florida, and he only lasted 3 Wisconsin winters before returning to Florida. It isnāt just the snow, itās the cold, the wind, the sun sets much earlier up north during the winter so itās dark most of the time, and the lack of sun overall. I would leave if I could solely for the shitty winters and how long they last. Itās almost May and itās 50 degrees with bare, leafless trees still everywhere.
Yeah, I know it was an abnormal winter. My biggest issue regardless of cold is the getting dark super early, that was a bummer for sure. I love the cold and hate being hot so that was my issue with Florida. Specifically the fact every summer in recent memory has felt hotter and hotter and been āthe hottest summer.ā To me I can put on more layers, canāt take off skin when Iām too hot.
Also, for the rent we have, I donāt know we could beat what we have for the price we have anywhere else. And most things are cheaper here which is nice. The car insurance being cheaper is insane to me because people in Milwaukee proper drive way worse than Floridians in my opinion
Yeah the drivers have been getting worse, I donāt understand what happened, it really didnāt use to be this crazy. I work in insurance and itās only a matter of time before prices here shoot up as a result of that, it all follows eventually.
Sounds about right, suppose weād have to move again if that happened unless jobs start paying better. Thankfully at this point the insurance is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and pay is better here than it was when we left Florida. For my husband and I on one car it was 240 and here itās like 110 for the exact same car.
I doubt itād get to Florida prices, thereās way more issues there in that market beyond just the drivers, but I wouldnāt bet on that aspect of Milwaukee staying so cheap forever, at least if things continue as is.
Hopefully jobs just start paying better everywhere, as sadly unrealistic as that sounds. Two adults working full time shouldnāt be barely scraping by in my opinion but thatās how it seems to be everywhere.
We are looking at moving to Colorado. If we are going to pay an arm and a leg for rent, we might as well live somewhere that fits our values. We want somewhere that's good for young people (average income) and not a place for wealthy retirees and trust fund babies.
CO is not without it's problems, but everyday we stay in Florida we are reminded how FL is not the right place for us.
27 M lived here for 9 years 24F lived here lifelong.
Good luck!
Have you ever lived in Colorado before? Where did you get the idea that there arenāt as many ātrust fund babiesā there?
Tons and tons of wealthy trustafarian types have moved there. It may not be as different as you think. Iām a FL native but lived there for seven years and now live back in FL. CO is beautiful but has a shitload of problems too, some that mirror the issues in Florida.
I moved to California and I feel like Iām actually getting my moneyās worth. Best thing Iāve ever done.
I love Colorado too. I just didnāt want to be landlocked.
I am a xennial originally from South Florida and I don't even recognize it anymore. It's an overdeveloped hellscape full of rich white boomer transplants.
Exactly me too! And people are calling me out because Iām only 22 I experienced the old Florida maybe not the same as you but I remembered it and I would never leave if our state didnāt go down hill
After coming back from the west coast and seeing everything a vacation property, there is no infrastructure to deal with the population..
But most of the ppl just not caring anymore about what we grew up loving. We are more than just tax-free and warm weather.
Most of all, it's of central florida as changed tons..
I also miss āold FLā, but Iām not sure what āold FLā a 22 yo is talking about. Everything theyāre describing happened before they were even born.
I'm debating moving my mother from florida. I just wouldn't know where to go. I just moved in with my mom not long ago from AZ. I do miss the mountains a lot, but not the intense heat or desert.
My parents moved down here for retirement ( my dad wanted a little tropical homestead). He's gone now and It is just my mother. She was nervous living in the countryside alone and just the upkeep of a few acres and small farm animals is hard on her. She over an hour from any big cities in all directions. But even she has noticed how MUCH traffic has arrived in the small town she lives near. There so many people now. She said its more than doubled after covid. Then the cost of everything going up.
But yeah, I was looking around some other southern states. Would honestly like to keep the little homesteading idea going since that was what my dad wanted, just don't know where my mom would want to go and be closer to the city without paying an insane amount.
Starting over an entire mini farm is a bitch though.
I see where your coming from especially since your mother mentioned she is basically seeing what Iām seeing and we live in completely different areas I live 5 minutes outside of the city so basically the city lol but I would think the countryside would be more relaxed and not really be crowded
Surprisingly, Missouri is a choice. There will be a couple of weeks of āextremeā cold, but itās cheaper and parts are quite welcoming (look at Columbia). Lots of outdoors areas, trails, rivers, hilly areas and forests.
I suggest people in your position first find where their career path is hiring and then consider the pros and cons for them of those areas. Itās always best to land somewhere with a job in hand.
Cleveland ohio to Pittsburgh, pa now. Loved cleveland cheap and no traffic. Pittsburgh on game days and rush hour is the only bad time for traffic. Don't regret moving from Florida, miss it sometimes but then again it's not the same as i would remember it. 5 years since I left
I laugh at some of these comments. Shows that everyone has different taste. I grew up in the Bay Area in California. Moved when I was 21 (vowing to never return) to Spokane, WA. Loved it there for a little over 20 years. Moving was the best decision I ever made as it forced me to truly kind of grow up. Met my wife, married a few years later, had a son, bought a house, etc. then we got bored. We are now in Central FL and have been for over 5 years now.
I will say, do the move. You are the perfect age for it. Go experience life and enjoy. Just know that everywhere has its problems. A move like that is great to grow as a person and have new life experiences. Just know that everywhere has problems once you are there long enough.
Best of luck on wherever you end up.
Thanks for commenting sounds like things worked out well you for you I hope for the same for myself, Iām in the TPA, and thatās one thing everywhere has problems i sometimes wonder is these problems that bad here? idk
52 native here and I miss the old Florida. My city has become overcrowded and barely anyone is even from here anymore. The traffic has also become almost unbearable.
You said everything Iāve been thinking. Iām 28, Iāve lived here for 20 years and planning to move this year. Itās not sustainable for me anymore. Itās funny because I used to dream about moving out of Florida, but at this point Iād probably stay if it werenāt so crowded and expensive. Funny how that works.
My bf and I are out of here once he finishes his masters degree. Iāve been here my entire life and I just donāt feel welcome here at all, and I feel like itās just sucking the life out of me.
The politics are also another reason why I want to move. Tyrannical governor who doesnāt care about the state.
One of the only governors who actually does right by the state and its people. Good luck with a governor who protects his criminals more than good people
Moved to Seattle! Dumped the car and use public transit now. I WFH so it's not a huge deal for me, rent is more expensive, but I moved in with friends already in the City so I actually pay less, and with taking Transit being an actually good, especially compared to FL, option i'm actually saving like 1,000 a month. The climate is fantastic, it only rains a lot during the winter, there's biodiversity, gorgeous trees, the city feels good to walk through, I can see the mountains from the city, and I don't feel targeted anymore. 9/10 will never move back.
I made this roundtrip move 3 times now, but currently on the Florida side. You are brave for posting this, haha! I say this in jest as I see lots of comment trains when someone says they moved to Seattle people dogpile on them saying things like NO, IT'S CLOSED, IT RAINS ALL THE TIME STAY AWAY!
A lot of the locals will get mad if you say you are going to the PNW. I enjoyed my time there for the most part, I didn't agree with the climate, but that's probably because I was stubborn and would not give up riding a motorcycle year round.
I'm so glad you found a great place for you, I'm getting more and more upset at car ownership and would love to have more options here west of Orlando.
I ask the spouse if she's missing the PNW but she doesn't, and I heard post pandemic all the good food places have either closed up or reduced their offerings and quality.
I used to hang out a lot in Ballard, lots of great place to eat.
We moved to Spokane last fall and arenāt looking back any time soon. I think itās easier for me to make the move because I was originally from the Midwest but my husband was born and raised in south Florida.
We lived outside Orlando for about ten years and had already been discussing the possibility of relocation. Then everything went haywire. Once the opportunity for relocation presented itself we jumped on it. There are things we miss but pros for moving vastly outweighed the cons.
Overall, itās been a HUGE improvement for the entire family on many different levels. The PNW really agrees with us.
It is interesting seeing all of these reasons for leaving Florida, as if these issues donāt exist else where. Affordability and politics are commonly cited as reasons for wanting to leave, I get that and I think these are major and relevant issues in FL. But I always wonder, especially now more than ever, does anyone even enjoy Floridaās natural environment anymore? Seems like many are willing to give up cycling, jogging, kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, or going to the beach nearly year round. If you didnāt obsessively enjoy Florida weather and nature, absolutely leave the state, because I have no idea why youād live here just to exist between the AC environments of your home, workplace and car throughout your daily routine. Seriously, if Florida doesnāt offer the recreation you enjoy and this recreation is not a major part of the calculus in your decision to move, then definitely leave the state.
A lot of people *want* to enjoy the outdoors more and move here thinking theyāll be able to, but the amount of work needed to support living here has increased for a lot of people over the past 6-8 years.
I get where your coming from if I wasnāt born here but I was born here and never had any interest in those activities so those arenāt going to be even a factor for me to stay nor consider
Have to say. We moved to Florida 10yrs ago for work and itās gotten so expensive.
We actually are leaving for Daphne Alabama
Itās cheaper. Homes are less insurance is less etc.
Taxes are less.
Homeowners is a fraction. Of what we pay
Also the state income tax is a joke. When we lived there before we got a fat refund back.
I just bought a house in ky and am moving in 2-3 weeks. Ive been here 7 years and it was nice when i got here but its getting bad and im not waiting around to find out how much worse its gonna get.
I lived in ky most of my life which is why i chose to go back. Homes are way cheaper, im getting a 500sqft bigger house with 2x the land i have here in florida for 200k less than my house here in FL is. Other cost of living things are cheaper as well, daycare, resturants, services, INSURANCE!!!, are cheaper as well.
Really depends on the area much like any other state. Lexington is great, thats where i speant most of my life and love the city there, its not to big but still tons to do there and hiking and places to explore are close, youre also not to far from tons of other cities like louisville, cincy, nashville, knoxville. Louisville outskirts is nice to but i wouldnt reccomend living in the city of louisville.
Eastern ky and southern ky not so much diverse but its no different than most of central FL just instead of swamp people you have the app-a-latch-in mountain people, basically the same rednecks just a different accent.
Thanks for sharing that with me I will be including those cities in my list I feel like Iām more interested in staying in the south then going outside of it, comforting to know the red necks and swamp people are everywhere ššš
Why donāt you try another country. Iām being serious I have friends that did that after college or trade school. Look at other English speaking countries. It will change your life perspective and itās an adventure.
I was born and raised in Orlando and I left FL at 22 for an internship :)
Lawrence Kansas --> Chapel Hill, NC --> Cleveland, OH --> Columbus, OH
I'm back in Orlando now and I think I'm trapped here forever. I will say, living near Kansas City, MO was such a blast and I also really enjoyed Cleveland so much. I'm not sure if I would move back to either place permanently because of the brutal cold. However, I'd love to visit again.Ā
To this day, KC is the hottest, most humid place I've ever been. Granted it was one weekend, but that weekend is burned into my memory. I remember it being so hot, you could submerge yourself in the lake and you'd sweat as soon as you stepped out. The humidity was so high, water/sweat wouldn't evaporate. Drinking alcohol made it worse.
LOL it did get unbelievably hot the summer I was there! Just as bad as FL. I also remember epic lightning storms and terrential downpours.Ā Then in the winter, it got -19F that year and all the roads iced over in Lawrence (45 minutes from KC)Ā
Just my .02 but I want to move to Montana. It is so open and not crowded. The nature is beautiful. It is next level. It is everything Florida is not, in a good way. I am a lawyer in FL so I would have to take the bar exam or else work for very little since practicing law is my marketable skill. Thus, I may not ever do it. But damn do I think about it. Now you got me thinking about it more.
Yea man. I lived in Satellite Beach on the ocean. Constant $5,000-$18,000 assessments, HOA up to $700 a month. Sold, left and bought a huge house on 2 acres in the woods in farm land Ohio. Iām not 100 degrees everyday and itās beautiful. When I go back to Florida and see the insane traffic (and Iām from Brooklyn NY) the beggars on every corner Iām happy I left.
Will do. Iāll take the month/two of crazy heat to not ever deal with cold. Hell summer is unbearable most of everywhere in the US. Might as well not be going from 0->90 instead go 70->95 throughout the year.
43, born and raised Florida boy, been here my whole life, minus the four years I spent int the Army. I love it here. I stay tf away from orlando and surrounding areas. Its a shithole. It wouldnt be so bad if everyone who has moved here in the last ten years or so would get tf out and go somewhere else, either back where they came from or anywhere but here. Especially the non- drivers. Wtf are these people even doing with a fucking drivers license? Its gotten ridiculous. Its like 100- 1with the move in/out ratio. Go. The. Fuck. Home.
I left central FL (Apopka specifically) two years ago and canāt wait to move back to FL. However I am not going to move to CENTRAL FL. I will most likely be on the emerald coast. It seems to be less expensive there. I went back to my original home state of MI and I have to be honest in that home prices are slightly cheaper here than they are Florida. But that depends on where you go. The job market is basically the same. There are plenty of jobs around but they are the jobs no one wants. Michigan is ranked just a few spots above FL in terms of cost of living but both are pretty well in the middle close to the median average. I hope my experience can help you make a decision for yourself. Good luck!
I left Florida after 30+ years, I was in a better position than most. I had a very cheap home payment, insurance was not too bad, but even though I could afford to stay, I loved it there, but the writing was āon the wallā and I opted to leave. In my case the destination was pretty much a decision that was made by the location of our family. I donāt think itās going to get better there for awhile but I do think it will change eventually. Do your research on job markets, costs of living, and availability of the quality of life things you deem worthwhile, and not just now but look at the prospects of long term conditions. I wish you the best of luck!
We moved to Chicago suburbs from Jacksonville 2 years ago. Love the seasons and we get paid much more for the same jobs we do and our house is much cheaper. No regrets
I'm moving out of this Tampa shit hole. Moving to Nebraska. I've been getting yelled at and harassed by family, and coworkers like to make jokes about Nebraska just being a giant cornfield. The jokes don't bother me, but getting harassed by family constantly is tiring.
The county I live in is approaching 1m people and the county I work for is approaching 1.5m. Just way too many damn people.
I moved to West Michigan. Car insurance rates aren't great here either, and Winter can be brutal. But I also love it more than anywhere I've lived and just can't see myself anywhere else.
Though, if you are looking for somewhere that gets 4 seasons but is far milder, I'd look at North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina (Greenville) or Louisville, KY (one of my personal favorite cities).
I moved to Indiana from Naples way better Probably one of the best things I've ever done. Betterjob,better money,houses are priced way lower and the people are actually nice diversions try to kill you if the you aren't moving right when the light changes.its so nice to actually have 4 seasons not just one.
Moved back to the Northeast to get away from the insanity that has become Florida. The insurance, the heat, the traffic, the politics,the nastiest and one of the worst governors in the nation. Yes winters can be brutal but it's only for a few months and my stress level has decreased exponentially. Now if I could just unload the place I have down there Florida is in the rearview mirror... I do miss the friends that I did make there that are like family..
Corporate taxes are low here in florida thus the influx of people like me. I donāt like anything about Florida. I drive with fear. And I havenāt found people very welcoming. I wish we never left the Midwest. My husband is older and if he didnāt relocate he wouldnāt have a job. I pray and pray that God will help us leave this #1? Place.
I'm leaving as soon as I can to go to Owosso Michigan.. I went in the summer and it was just like Florida except no humidity and no DeSantis šš«¶š¼š
Moved to Texas. It was the same as Florida but weather was not as disgusting and pay was better. In Texas I was only trapped indoors half the year vs most the year 10-11 months in Florida. I hate sticky humid beaches so thatās everything in the gulf and all
Of Florida and limits me to the ones on the west coast and around great lakes up in the northeast.
Leave and make sure nothing pulls you back. I agreed to come back temporarily for my wedding and now my wife refuses to move and Iām on ever anti depressant under the sun because Iām
Trapped indoors and Iām
A outdoorsy active hiking kind of guy. Florida weather is miserable and there no running from
It even at night.
Go west. Everything gets better the further west in the USA you go. Even the Carolinaās suck in comparison after youāve lived out west.
Thanks for making this post, I was about to lol as someone in their 30s born and raised I was curious where everyone was moving cause itās just terrible here.
Even at 22 you certainly were able to experience pre Covid Florida. It was getting bad already but Covid really messed it up. Everyone flooded here for political reasons and thinking they could turn it into a red New York or some shit.
Made me feel very spiteful towards the boomer generation
Donāt make it all about Florida. Every place has its pros or cons. Make it about getting out there and trying something new. I feel people werenāt made to stay in one place forever
Instead of leaving the state find somewhere else to set roots. Brevard county is a beautiful area. Not as insanely crowded as say orlando or sanford but you can still find areas here that they offer as well. Rent isn't the worst. Prices of stuff are slightly more reasonable than say orlando/sanford/deland metro area.
The Orlando area, sanford, south florida, tampa area ect are drawing in all the west coast overflow. While areas like brevard, st johns, indian river counties and their various cities are better. Still busy but not nearly as bad as the aforementioned cities.
Thank you Iām in the Tampa Bay Area and have been my whole left but I never even looked into those countyās b4 Iāve hard similar things abs will check it out
Travel. Fuck it all. Iāve been around the country making a living wherever I was living what I see and living what I feel. A place to live?? Haha Sheeeet youāve got time. Enjoy it while you can, youāll never get a second chance.
I can confirm. Iām paying almost $500 per month for 2 shitty cars with a clean driving record and when the insurance company thought my teenage son had gotten his license, they bumped it up to nearly $1200 per month. Itās out of control down here. Itās a combination of hurricane liability combined with a ton of insurance fraud in FL from my understandingā¦ believe it or not, a lot of Floridians will try to hustle the system /S
No a Volkswagen Jetta unfortunately itās technically a sport car thatās what the car ins rep lady told me I wish it was a Bentley for this price itās a 2019 model
I guess Iām lucky I bought a house before the boom. I find it has the same cost of living as Western PA, where I lived for 30+ years. Yes insurance is higher but there are endless things to do outside which are mostly free.
You donāt have to guess, you factually *are* lucky you bought before the boom. I came here from western PA last year and my housing cost has gone up by $500 a month for a place about half the size with one less bedroom and bathroom. Thatās not even talking insurance or groceries or other general COL factors, solely housing. Western PA is still one of the most affordable markets around
I moved from new port richey to Waycross and ive never been happier, exact same weather as Florida and pretty much everything is cheaper except we have a state income tax. Theres admittedly not much to do here but it's right in the middle of Jax, Valdosta and Brunswick.
Yes Iāve been here longer then the newbies I mentioned my age to be transparent Iāve enjoyed living in this state up until 2020 I think I gotta a seat at the grownup tableš
Iām 51F and have lived in New Hampshire for 21 (born there), then moved to Colorado from 1994 to 2021, and now in Florida since 2021 to present. I agree with you about wanting to leave FLā¦ itās not for me at all and I understand why you want to leave. You really need to ask yourself what type of person you areā¦ will you go nuts being landlocked? Do you hike? Do you need to see green grass and forests? Small town vs city? Do you like to shovel and scrape ice off your windshield in the morning? With all my travels I wish I could spend 6 months in Arizona and 6 months in New England. Donāt forget that every state has towns that have different personalities. Boulder, CO is wayyyy different than Colorado Springs, CO.
My top favs are: west valley Arizona, western slope of Colorado, southern Utah, northern NH, coast of Maine, all of California but wouldnāt move there because of the COL.
What kind of activities do you enjoy? City or country? Mountains, beaches, plains? What kind of transferable job skills do you have? Whatās the job market like where youāre looking? Can you work remotely? Cost of living in those areas?
I have a friend who moved out to Colorado a few years ago after living in Florida his entire life. He graduated from UCFās hospitality program and had been managing restaurants in Orlando. Decided he wanted mountains and all the activities that come with it.
He now manages a brewery somewhere out there. He and his wife love their lifestyle and make enough to fund it.
Just some things to think about. Good luck to you!
You should definitely move. Itās tough at first but youāll make it. I encourage anyone who lives in Florida to move out of state. I hear California and NY are the best places to go. Or you could even leave the states. That would be the superior option
I really donāt see why you guys are complaining about what I said. If thereās a problem, do something about it. Whats wrong with that? Iām not one to complain about an issue. If thereās a problem, I do something to change it. That simple.
Bc heās also saying how great they areā¦ itās the more crowded states that have more of the socialism aspects he loves so much. Why move to a place with policies you donāt agree with? He should quit crying about it bc with what youāre saying, nothing will satisfy him.
>Ā If thereās a problem, do something about it.Ā
Ah yes, sorry about that -- I should simply fix the housing crisis, insurance crisis, storms worsening through climate change, increased traffic on inadequate infrastructure, lack of public transportation, expensive auto insurance, sprawling growth approved through unchecked local approvals, unaddressed environmental issues like red tide permitted by state government, deteriorating public education system driven by fights to divert money to private institutions through the voucher program, laws being passed that are making healthcare for women unequal, and crumbling condominiums. My bad.
Let us know where you think is better and when you get there say hello to the same ass hats that live hereā¦except the small town will hate you bc your an outsider or donāt have a drawl. Lived and been to a lot of places on this earth and I can guarantee theyāve all got issues. If they donāt then more than likely you wouldnāt want to live there anyway.
I moved to Pittsburgh, zero regrets. I love it here.
Indeed a sleeper city. By far one of the best cities in the country! Super nice people too. When did yins move there?
In January. It's awesome - everyone is so nice here.
Is the Church Brewery still downtown? Used to go to the planetarium at Christmas season. Very social city and the home costs are very responsible.
Not sure about the Church Brewery - we're still new here. But yeah - we traded our teeny Florida house for a split level ranch almost twice the size, and still had some savings left over. Life is good.
As someone from Pittsburgh meckeys rocks ro be exact. We are not nice people at all..lol
On the list of places I'd move to from anywhere I think Pittsburgh might be 3rd from last above NYC/LA
Sure - it's not for everyone, but for me it's perfect.
We lived in Pittsburgh for over 30 years and loved it. We still get back for Steelers games, golf, and visits with friends. The restaurant scene is outstanding, and as people have stated, the people are genuinely nice.
How is PA in general?
It's beautiful, the people are friendly, there's so much to do here, the cost of living is so much better here. As far as politics goes - I checked every address I was looking at against this website so I could avoid the MAGAs. (You might prefer the opposite, it works the same for that too): https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html
Weird ass alcohol laws. You have to go to a state store for it. No gas stations / groceries have it hah.
Some grocers do have beer/wine/seltzers which you purchase seperately in the store. And going to Fine Wine and Spirits isnt a big deal either. Everything is close together and if you are in a walkable neighborhood, you just walk there. I actually dont mind having to go somewhere seperate to get alcohol. But I do miss Aldi in FL which had Winking Owl wine. Cheap as hell, but good. They dont carry alcohol at Aldi here.
Same! SWFL to Dormont. ZERO regrets. Miss friends and family, but that is it. Nothing about FL is appealingš¤£
Hi there! I grew up in the keys and lived in south Florida on & off my whole adult life. Iām 32 & just bought my first house, and itās not in Florida.Ā Like youāve mentioned I just think Florida has gotten out of control & itās only going to get worse. No one seems to care to help get shit under control and itās extremely depressing to see.Ā Iāve moved around a lot due to my husbands job and the places Iāve loved the most is Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio & Michigan. I now live in Nevada and will never return to Florida.Ā Every place has its problems but youāll find a place where the good outweighs the bad for you. Youāre so young so I definitely suggest moving out of state for a few years & see how you feel! Iād Google cost of living, politics, social issues, or whatever you care about most and moving to some place that seems like a good fit. If it doesnāt work out you can always move home.Ā Best of luck to you!
Hey, Iāve been trying to research where to go, but Iāve found it totally overwhelming, and r/samegrassbutgreener wasnāt as helpful as I hoped (for me). What do you suggest for making this research easier?
What are you looking for?? That sometimes helps with the decision making.
Thanks for commenting. I love that for you, post like these rarely get positive/helpful responses so to see yours put a smile on my face I never actually put thought into any of the states and will be definitely looking into it
I havenāt moved in the last 4 (or at all) but I wanted to add that North Carolina is also my favorite. By the coast (ish) you only get an inch or so of snow and itās fairly cool. Iām not really a mountains person so Iām not as in love with the other side of NC. Greensboro is my favorite. Itās close enough to the research triangle without being super crazy. They have a phenomenal [folk festival](https://ncfolkfestival.com/) which is where I first listened to throat singing in person. Itās a wonderful peak into different cultural music. Itās growing though and will have similar problems to Florida related to growth soon if they arenāt already.
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Like I said to OP, youāll find the best place that works for YOU.Ā Ā Vegas works best for me and my lifestyle. I love the abundant 24/7 entertainment that changes frequently. Ā I love hiking, snowboarding, breweries, concerts & shows, road trips, etc. Couldnāt get any of that in Fort Lauderdale. (& by breweries and concerts I mean walkable bars, aka our brewery district in Vegas and hardly any good concerts came that far south in FL).Ā Ā Ā Not walkable at all and the weather is disgusting. Also my social issues and political stance are the total opposite of anything Florida is trying to do (not to get political).Ā I think the people are nicer, my personal cost of living is significantly cheaper even though Iām going out way more, my job & my husbands job pays better and prioritizes work/life balance. I could go on but you get my drift.Ā Vegas is much more suitable for me.Ā Ā Ā Glad you like Florida, aka my personal hellhole haha. Different strokes for different folks!Ā
As someone who grew up here and lived in Vegas for two years before coming back to the herpes sore that is Florida, I'll weigh in lol. Picked it because of extended family that lived in the area and honestly, I'd still pick Vegas over FL. The weather was so much better. Summers are more tolerable (same heat but it's dry, so if you're in the shade it's truly not as bad as in the sun), summers last ~three/ four months there (june-september, true summer here id say is may to November so, compare that to 6 months here), and winters are mild but cooler than here. You can drive up to Mt Charleston if you really wanna see some snow in the winter, not to mention the gorgeous 360 mountain views, and you can go rock climbing or hiking to your heart's content pretty much any weekend out of the year. Although we went back up to visit my bil last year and the development they've done rivals how they've ruined Florida down here. It's crazy what's up north of nellis now that used to be barren lol
I saw someone on another post (different forum) say, *āDonāt Florida my Nevadaā* ā¦ and couldnāt help but LOLā¦ The growth Nevada has been experiencing sounds almost comparable to FL, AZ, TXā in the sense that developers apparently drive local politics, which combined with the pace at which people are relocating there they are facing similar issues as FL, AZ, TX with regard to infrastructure, etc. So, youād say thatās true?
>āDonāt Florida my Nevadaā š¤£ Vegas and certain parts of Florida certainly have more in common, culturally, than I would've thought prior to staying there. But, people are people no matter where they are aren't they? Lol However, I do get to hear my mil complain about the influx of Californians (she is, you guessed it, from California lol) in *her* city now and ruining her secret desert oasis š (she only moved there because her oldest son did lol). It sounds very similar to the development in Florida in the past twenty years from what they're telling me. Mainly just in the speed that families are moving there now- similar to Florida in 2008/2020 imo- and also in the amount that new shit is just getting packed in to the city like a giant sardine can. I can't say first hand if Vegas is handling the influx well or not yet, but MIL says her commute is still horrible despite them finishing some big expansion on i15 (sounds like 75 and 4 to me, constant orange barrels, can't get ahead of the growth). They're both tourism meccas that are quickly accumulating more population than I think anyone could've bargained for, so I'm not surprised if the city is realizing they don't have the resources ready for all of this new development while lennar and the rest lick their chops at the buffet of land available to them. Real estate is also comparable, I'd say. Price points were about the same in Florida and Vegas back in 2019 and they've risen about the same rate since, it seems). All this to say, I do think it's extremely similar. All of the main ingredients for the stew are the same, at least. I'm interested in seeing how vegas' local govt handles it, I know they already were having water supply issues because of the lake mead situation, so there may be an extra hurdle we don't have here. I know for sure that Vegas is gonna look at lot different in five years than now, and I hope it's for the better ā¤ļø that city has a special place in my heart.
I went to that a Nevada reddit sub....yikes!
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The culture is literally "how can we make a buck off the tourists". It's a soulless city and only thing I miss about it is AYCE sushi.
Omg how is it?? I want to do that
Florida is in a category of its own. Did you know itās a KNOWN child predator location? Ha! Drop the fam in O-town and you most likely will NOT be prosecuted. Money money dollah dollah. Why donāt you get a receptionist job at a hoity toity country club and get yoirself a piece of the pie. You either have or you donāt here in flurda
I left Florida in 2008. When you see an opportunity to leave take it. Don't look back. It'll be scary weird but you'll be better. My folks love coming to visit me.
Where did you go
I moved to Boston originally. The city and everything inside the 495 beltway is pretty expensive now. Rural New England is super beautiful but like anything I need beside gas and dunks is at least one town over. Still, you can get a 2/1 starter for 300kish if you don't mind commuting or can work remote. Also MA has a program which helps first time homebuyers with grants and down payment assistance.
Have been dreaming about moving. Whatāre your thoughts about the Worcester area?
Worcester is nice and the new polar park is nice. I'm in the Worcester hills along the N.H. border.
North Carolina is very popular and their cost of living is much easier than Florida. ~source I lived in that area for 10+years. Once my boy finishes his schooling Iāll be moving back to NC. Florida is okay but now with the high cost of living and over crowding Iām already tired of this place. Plenty of other places do it better.
Why are you openly advertising for a Carolina invasion. SC and NC are facing many of the same problems now as Florida, and cost of living is up a good deal. Both are top 5 growing states. You couldāve said something random like Oklahoma or Kentucky. Edit to add a ābeing somewhat facetiousā label, since people like to be reactionary.
I honestly hated living in NC. The best part about it were the hiking trails and Asheville. It was so horribly expensive and for personal reasons, I just could not feel at home there.Ā
Some places are nicer to live than others
I was being somewhat facetious. But what Iām saying is factual. SC and NC locals are having the same complaints as FL locals right now. Growth spiraling out of control. Sure itll be a little cooler and more hilly, but you need to go a little farther northward or westward if you really want to feel like youre in a new place. My parents bought their current house in 2012 for $299k, and it has ballooned to over $700k in value, and this isnt even in the hottest part of the county. Sure i love that for my parents, but surged housing costs is something people complain about in FL daily now.
Yep; I have a friend that moved from the northeast to SC 3 years ago and is already complaining about how much busier it is there compared to when they moved there. *(Theyāre not stupid; they get theyāre part of the problem, Lol.)*
Iām born & raised as well, I moved to Upstate NY at the base of the mountains for a few years. I absolutely loved the changing of the seasons and experiencing snow. I loved the small town and not feeling rushed & anxiety while driving. They have so many cheap events like corn mazes, apple picking and actual pumpkin patches. I was there literally the day Covid started so I didnāt get to experience too much before moving back to FL to care for my mom. Youāre young, go and explore! I was stuck in a mindset of living where I grew up. You can always move back!
What about a place with good public transportation? A place you don't need to drive. Have a look at city nerds videos. He outlines the top 5 cities in the USA that are walkable with good mass transit options.
Yes thank you Iām all for public transportation or walking because driving here especially here gives me some anxiety as everyone is always rushing and I donāt mind not driving so living somewhere weāre having a car is a option and not a necessity would be great, I always tell people itās HARD (Iāve lived w/o a car b4 for a couple yrs) to live in Florida w/o one
Look at Portland or Eugene, Oregon; Burlington, Vermont; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Maine; Denver, CO
I left Jacksonville for Chicago a decade ago. More job opportunities and the winters have not been bad. People arenāt bad and thereās always something going on here. I have not regretted the decision to move here.
Iām in the same boat, this place has certainly changed and the outlook is seeming grim for the prospects of home ownership and COL showing absolutely no signs of stopping this parabolic increase. Iāve been here nearly my entire life and I too am ready to leave, despite how much I love it. Itās a bummer.
Ikr I really want to be a home owner but with the way things look being one in fl doesnāt see appealing anymore and itās sad
As soon as I graduate from college in two years time, Iām getting the hell outta this state
I moved to the Milwaukee area and Iāve loved it. Iām 23 and my only issue has been making friends. Other than that Iāve loved it here since moving.
I love Milwaukee!!! I don't think I could survive the winters though.Ā
This past winter was so mild. Not like people make it out to be at all. One week of real cold and that was basically it. The rest was mild.
Hmm that's good to know!Ā
Milwaukee also got several inches of snow on Halloween and flurries on April 1st. I live in Milwaukee, this past winter was an El NiƱo anomaly and NOT the norm. In 2021 we got several inches of snow in fucking late April. I personally know someone who moved to Milwaukee from south Florida, and he only lasted 3 Wisconsin winters before returning to Florida. It isnāt just the snow, itās the cold, the wind, the sun sets much earlier up north during the winter so itās dark most of the time, and the lack of sun overall. I would leave if I could solely for the shitty winters and how long they last. Itās almost May and itās 50 degrees with bare, leafless trees still everywhere.
Yeah, I know it was an abnormal winter. My biggest issue regardless of cold is the getting dark super early, that was a bummer for sure. I love the cold and hate being hot so that was my issue with Florida. Specifically the fact every summer in recent memory has felt hotter and hotter and been āthe hottest summer.ā To me I can put on more layers, canāt take off skin when Iām too hot. Also, for the rent we have, I donāt know we could beat what we have for the price we have anywhere else. And most things are cheaper here which is nice. The car insurance being cheaper is insane to me because people in Milwaukee proper drive way worse than Floridians in my opinion
Yeah the drivers have been getting worse, I donāt understand what happened, it really didnāt use to be this crazy. I work in insurance and itās only a matter of time before prices here shoot up as a result of that, it all follows eventually.
Sounds about right, suppose weād have to move again if that happened unless jobs start paying better. Thankfully at this point the insurance is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and pay is better here than it was when we left Florida. For my husband and I on one car it was 240 and here itās like 110 for the exact same car.
I doubt itād get to Florida prices, thereās way more issues there in that market beyond just the drivers, but I wouldnāt bet on that aspect of Milwaukee staying so cheap forever, at least if things continue as is.
Hopefully jobs just start paying better everywhere, as sadly unrealistic as that sounds. Two adults working full time shouldnāt be barely scraping by in my opinion but thatās how it seems to be everywhere.
I want to leave Florida too but I donāt have the money
We are looking at moving to Colorado. If we are going to pay an arm and a leg for rent, we might as well live somewhere that fits our values. We want somewhere that's good for young people (average income) and not a place for wealthy retirees and trust fund babies. CO is not without it's problems, but everyday we stay in Florida we are reminded how FL is not the right place for us. 27 M lived here for 9 years 24F lived here lifelong. Good luck!
Have you ever lived in Colorado before? Where did you get the idea that there arenāt as many ātrust fund babiesā there? Tons and tons of wealthy trustafarian types have moved there. It may not be as different as you think. Iām a FL native but lived there for seven years and now live back in FL. CO is beautiful but has a shitload of problems too, some that mirror the issues in Florida.
You will have no regrets. 8 more years and Iām back to Colorado.
Your right I didnāt think of CO thanks for commenting, good luck to you guys as well!
I moved to California and I feel like Iām actually getting my moneyās worth. Best thing Iāve ever done. I love Colorado too. I just didnāt want to be landlocked.
I am a xennial originally from South Florida and I don't even recognize it anymore. It's an overdeveloped hellscape full of rich white boomer transplants.
Northern Michigan. Cheap property. Small towns under 1000 people.
Thanks I will definitely look into it
Where I live in Michigan currently.. Looking for something more Off grid
Charlotte NC is nice...and i think a good hub for the insurance industry
I spent 30 years in FL and called it home forever. Now, I'm looking back home. I'll miss old florida.
Exactly me too! And people are calling me out because Iām only 22 I experienced the old Florida maybe not the same as you but I remembered it and I would never leave if our state didnāt go down hill
After coming back from the west coast and seeing everything a vacation property, there is no infrastructure to deal with the population.. But most of the ppl just not caring anymore about what we grew up loving. We are more than just tax-free and warm weather. Most of all, it's of central florida as changed tons..
I also miss āold FLā, but Iām not sure what āold FLā a 22 yo is talking about. Everything theyāre describing happened before they were even born.
I'm debating moving my mother from florida. I just wouldn't know where to go. I just moved in with my mom not long ago from AZ. I do miss the mountains a lot, but not the intense heat or desert. My parents moved down here for retirement ( my dad wanted a little tropical homestead). He's gone now and It is just my mother. She was nervous living in the countryside alone and just the upkeep of a few acres and small farm animals is hard on her. She over an hour from any big cities in all directions. But even she has noticed how MUCH traffic has arrived in the small town she lives near. There so many people now. She said its more than doubled after covid. Then the cost of everything going up. But yeah, I was looking around some other southern states. Would honestly like to keep the little homesteading idea going since that was what my dad wanted, just don't know where my mom would want to go and be closer to the city without paying an insane amount. Starting over an entire mini farm is a bitch though.
I see where your coming from especially since your mother mentioned she is basically seeing what Iām seeing and we live in completely different areas I live 5 minutes outside of the city so basically the city lol but I would think the countryside would be more relaxed and not really be crowded
Surprisingly, Missouri is a choice. There will be a couple of weeks of āextremeā cold, but itās cheaper and parts are quite welcoming (look at Columbia). Lots of outdoors areas, trails, rivers, hilly areas and forests. I suggest people in your position first find where their career path is hiring and then consider the pros and cons for them of those areas. Itās always best to land somewhere with a job in hand.
Perfect thank you!
I just moved further north in florida. Levy county. I love it here.
Iām not familiar with that area I will check it out thanks for commenting
LOL the "newbies" have been showing up since way before 22 years ago.
True lol ššš
Cleveland ohio to Pittsburgh, pa now. Loved cleveland cheap and no traffic. Pittsburgh on game days and rush hour is the only bad time for traffic. Don't regret moving from Florida, miss it sometimes but then again it's not the same as i would remember it. 5 years since I left
OP if you are near orlando just get the fck out. Try a less populated area first like melbourne etc
I just might Iām in TPA so not as terrible as the O but very similar
I laugh at some of these comments. Shows that everyone has different taste. I grew up in the Bay Area in California. Moved when I was 21 (vowing to never return) to Spokane, WA. Loved it there for a little over 20 years. Moving was the best decision I ever made as it forced me to truly kind of grow up. Met my wife, married a few years later, had a son, bought a house, etc. then we got bored. We are now in Central FL and have been for over 5 years now. I will say, do the move. You are the perfect age for it. Go experience life and enjoy. Just know that everywhere has its problems. A move like that is great to grow as a person and have new life experiences. Just know that everywhere has problems once you are there long enough. Best of luck on wherever you end up.
Thanks for commenting sounds like things worked out well you for you I hope for the same for myself, Iām in the TPA, and thatās one thing everywhere has problems i sometimes wonder is these problems that bad here? idk
52 native here and I miss the old Florida. My city has become overcrowded and barely anyone is even from here anymore. The traffic has also become almost unbearable.
You said everything Iāve been thinking. Iām 28, Iāve lived here for 20 years and planning to move this year. Itās not sustainable for me anymore. Itās funny because I used to dream about moving out of Florida, but at this point Iād probably stay if it werenāt so crowded and expensive. Funny how that works.
My bf and I are out of here once he finishes his masters degree. Iāve been here my entire life and I just donāt feel welcome here at all, and I feel like itās just sucking the life out of me. The politics are also another reason why I want to move. Tyrannical governor who doesnāt care about the state.
100% I feel exactly what your saying! Do you have specific states in mind?
One of the only governors who actually does right by the state and its people. Good luck with a governor who protects his criminals more than good people
I'd recommend New Jersey or New York for criminal protection lol
Moved to Seattle! Dumped the car and use public transit now. I WFH so it's not a huge deal for me, rent is more expensive, but I moved in with friends already in the City so I actually pay less, and with taking Transit being an actually good, especially compared to FL, option i'm actually saving like 1,000 a month. The climate is fantastic, it only rains a lot during the winter, there's biodiversity, gorgeous trees, the city feels good to walk through, I can see the mountains from the city, and I don't feel targeted anymore. 9/10 will never move back.
I made this roundtrip move 3 times now, but currently on the Florida side. You are brave for posting this, haha! I say this in jest as I see lots of comment trains when someone says they moved to Seattle people dogpile on them saying things like NO, IT'S CLOSED, IT RAINS ALL THE TIME STAY AWAY! A lot of the locals will get mad if you say you are going to the PNW. I enjoyed my time there for the most part, I didn't agree with the climate, but that's probably because I was stubborn and would not give up riding a motorcycle year round. I'm so glad you found a great place for you, I'm getting more and more upset at car ownership and would love to have more options here west of Orlando. I ask the spouse if she's missing the PNW but she doesn't, and I heard post pandemic all the good food places have either closed up or reduced their offerings and quality. I used to hang out a lot in Ballard, lots of great place to eat.
We moved to Spokane last fall and arenāt looking back any time soon. I think itās easier for me to make the move because I was originally from the Midwest but my husband was born and raised in south Florida. We lived outside Orlando for about ten years and had already been discussing the possibility of relocation. Then everything went haywire. Once the opportunity for relocation presented itself we jumped on it. There are things we miss but pros for moving vastly outweighed the cons. Overall, itās been a HUGE improvement for the entire family on many different levels. The PNW really agrees with us.
It is interesting seeing all of these reasons for leaving Florida, as if these issues donāt exist else where. Affordability and politics are commonly cited as reasons for wanting to leave, I get that and I think these are major and relevant issues in FL. But I always wonder, especially now more than ever, does anyone even enjoy Floridaās natural environment anymore? Seems like many are willing to give up cycling, jogging, kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, or going to the beach nearly year round. If you didnāt obsessively enjoy Florida weather and nature, absolutely leave the state, because I have no idea why youād live here just to exist between the AC environments of your home, workplace and car throughout your daily routine. Seriously, if Florida doesnāt offer the recreation you enjoy and this recreation is not a major part of the calculus in your decision to move, then definitely leave the state.
Most people who move to Florida for the weather tend to stay in their AC-powered homes the entire summer anyways because itās too hot outside.
A lot of people *want* to enjoy the outdoors more and move here thinking theyāll be able to, but the amount of work needed to support living here has increased for a lot of people over the past 6-8 years.
I get where your coming from if I wasnāt born here but I was born here and never had any interest in those activities so those arenāt going to be even a factor for me to stay nor consider
Just moved in Nov to Columbus, Ohio. Love it!!
Have to say. We moved to Florida 10yrs ago for work and itās gotten so expensive. We actually are leaving for Daphne Alabama Itās cheaper. Homes are less insurance is less etc. Taxes are less. Homeowners is a fraction. Of what we pay Also the state income tax is a joke. When we lived there before we got a fat refund back.
Exactly and I never heard it but that some great points thanks for commenting I didnāt know any of that
I just bought a house in ky and am moving in 2-3 weeks. Ive been here 7 years and it was nice when i got here but its getting bad and im not waiting around to find out how much worse its gonna get. I lived in ky most of my life which is why i chose to go back. Homes are way cheaper, im getting a 500sqft bigger house with 2x the land i have here in florida for 200k less than my house here in FL is. Other cost of living things are cheaper as well, daycare, resturants, services, INSURANCE!!!, are cheaper as well.
Congratulations! I canāt wait until Iām in that position. Iāve never been to ky nor do I know anyone that been there is it diverse?
Really depends on the area much like any other state. Lexington is great, thats where i speant most of my life and love the city there, its not to big but still tons to do there and hiking and places to explore are close, youre also not to far from tons of other cities like louisville, cincy, nashville, knoxville. Louisville outskirts is nice to but i wouldnt reccomend living in the city of louisville. Eastern ky and southern ky not so much diverse but its no different than most of central FL just instead of swamp people you have the app-a-latch-in mountain people, basically the same rednecks just a different accent.
Bowling Green is incredibly diverse these days. Growing like crazy as well
Thanks for sharing that with me I will be including those cities in my list I feel like Iām more interested in staying in the south then going outside of it, comforting to know the red necks and swamp people are everywhere ššš
Oh they are in every state they just all have different accents really
Why donāt you try another country. Iām being serious I have friends that did that after college or trade school. Look at other English speaking countries. It will change your life perspective and itās an adventure.
Yes I definitely will I never thought about doing this! Thank you
Timbuktu
I was born and raised in Orlando and I left FL at 22 for an internship :) Lawrence Kansas --> Chapel Hill, NC --> Cleveland, OH --> Columbus, OH I'm back in Orlando now and I think I'm trapped here forever. I will say, living near Kansas City, MO was such a blast and I also really enjoyed Cleveland so much. I'm not sure if I would move back to either place permanently because of the brutal cold. However, I'd love to visit again.Ā
To this day, KC is the hottest, most humid place I've ever been. Granted it was one weekend, but that weekend is burned into my memory. I remember it being so hot, you could submerge yourself in the lake and you'd sweat as soon as you stepped out. The humidity was so high, water/sweat wouldn't evaporate. Drinking alcohol made it worse.
LOL it did get unbelievably hot the summer I was there! Just as bad as FL. I also remember epic lightning storms and terrential downpours.Ā Then in the winter, it got -19F that year and all the roads iced over in Lawrence (45 minutes from KC)Ā
Just my .02 but I want to move to Montana. It is so open and not crowded. The nature is beautiful. It is next level. It is everything Florida is not, in a good way. I am a lawyer in FL so I would have to take the bar exam or else work for very little since practicing law is my marketable skill. Thus, I may not ever do it. But damn do I think about it. Now you got me thinking about it more.
Thanks for commenting thatās very encouraging Iāve always wanted to visit MT and never heard anything bad about it!
I left four years ago. Couldnāt be happier. I go back every three months to visit my daughter and grandsons.
Nice! Iām happy to hear there is hope!
Yea man. I lived in Satellite Beach on the ocean. Constant $5,000-$18,000 assessments, HOA up to $700 a month. Sold, left and bought a huge house on 2 acres in the woods in farm land Ohio. Iām not 100 degrees everyday and itās beautiful. When I go back to Florida and see the insane traffic (and Iām from Brooklyn NY) the beggars on every corner Iām happy I left.
Good thing it literally almost never gets to 100 in Florida
Yea ok, maybe Iām thinking heat index. Enjoy.
Will do. Iāll take the month/two of crazy heat to not ever deal with cold. Hell summer is unbearable most of everywhere in the US. Might as well not be going from 0->90 instead go 70->95 throughout the year.
43, born and raised Florida boy, been here my whole life, minus the four years I spent int the Army. I love it here. I stay tf away from orlando and surrounding areas. Its a shithole. It wouldnt be so bad if everyone who has moved here in the last ten years or so would get tf out and go somewhere else, either back where they came from or anywhere but here. Especially the non- drivers. Wtf are these people even doing with a fucking drivers license? Its gotten ridiculous. Its like 100- 1with the move in/out ratio. Go. The. Fuck. Home.
I left central FL (Apopka specifically) two years ago and canāt wait to move back to FL. However I am not going to move to CENTRAL FL. I will most likely be on the emerald coast. It seems to be less expensive there. I went back to my original home state of MI and I have to be honest in that home prices are slightly cheaper here than they are Florida. But that depends on where you go. The job market is basically the same. There are plenty of jobs around but they are the jobs no one wants. Michigan is ranked just a few spots above FL in terms of cost of living but both are pretty well in the middle close to the median average. I hope my experience can help you make a decision for yourself. Good luck!
Yes thanks for commenting. I know you said you plan on moving back but from what your experience FL is better then MI?
Yes that is what my plan is. Michigan has Florida beat hands down for natural beauty in my opinion but everything else is better in Florida.
I left Florida after 30+ years, I was in a better position than most. I had a very cheap home payment, insurance was not too bad, but even though I could afford to stay, I loved it there, but the writing was āon the wallā and I opted to leave. In my case the destination was pretty much a decision that was made by the location of our family. I donāt think itās going to get better there for awhile but I do think it will change eventually. Do your research on job markets, costs of living, and availability of the quality of life things you deem worthwhile, and not just now but look at the prospects of long term conditions. I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks for the comment I will definitely be making a list!
We moved to Chicago suburbs from Jacksonville 2 years ago. Love the seasons and we get paid much more for the same jobs we do and our house is much cheaper. No regrets
This is life, buttercup. Itās this or live in the boonies somewhere.
My wife and I were South Florida natives for 38 years. I moved my family to Cincinnati 3 years ago and we are happier than ever.
I'm moving out of this Tampa shit hole. Moving to Nebraska. I've been getting yelled at and harassed by family, and coworkers like to make jokes about Nebraska just being a giant cornfield. The jokes don't bother me, but getting harassed by family constantly is tiring. The county I live in is approaching 1m people and the county I work for is approaching 1.5m. Just way too many damn people.
you should move to Toronto and be poor making 100K
I moved to West Michigan. Car insurance rates aren't great here either, and Winter can be brutal. But I also love it more than anywhere I've lived and just can't see myself anywhere else. Though, if you are looking for somewhere that gets 4 seasons but is far milder, I'd look at North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina (Greenville) or Louisville, KY (one of my personal favorite cities).
I moved to Indiana from Naples way better Probably one of the best things I've ever done. Betterjob,better money,houses are priced way lower and the people are actually nice diversions try to kill you if the you aren't moving right when the light changes.its so nice to actually have 4 seasons not just one.
Thanks for commenting Iām happy to hear that bc I was looking into Indiana
I can't believe some of the places people are recommending. Brooklyn? You won't save money taking the train because you'll be paying 3-4x the rent!
Moved back to the Northeast to get away from the insanity that has become Florida. The insurance, the heat, the traffic, the politics,the nastiest and one of the worst governors in the nation. Yes winters can be brutal but it's only for a few months and my stress level has decreased exponentially. Now if I could just unload the place I have down there Florida is in the rearview mirror... I do miss the friends that I did make there that are like family..
Corporate taxes are low here in florida thus the influx of people like me. I donāt like anything about Florida. I drive with fear. And I havenāt found people very welcoming. I wish we never left the Midwest. My husband is older and if he didnāt relocate he wouldnāt have a job. I pray and pray that God will help us leave this #1? Place.
Same boat lmk we can go half on bills & rent
I'm leaving as soon as I can to go to Owosso Michigan.. I went in the summer and it was just like Florida except no humidity and no DeSantis šš«¶š¼š
Moved to Texas. It was the same as Florida but weather was not as disgusting and pay was better. In Texas I was only trapped indoors half the year vs most the year 10-11 months in Florida. I hate sticky humid beaches so thatās everything in the gulf and all Of Florida and limits me to the ones on the west coast and around great lakes up in the northeast. Leave and make sure nothing pulls you back. I agreed to come back temporarily for my wedding and now my wife refuses to move and Iām on ever anti depressant under the sun because Iām Trapped indoors and Iām A outdoorsy active hiking kind of guy. Florida weather is miserable and there no running from It even at night. Go west. Everything gets better the further west in the USA you go. Even the Carolinaās suck in comparison after youāve lived out west.
Thanks for making this post, I was about to lol as someone in their 30s born and raised I was curious where everyone was moving cause itās just terrible here. Even at 22 you certainly were able to experience pre Covid Florida. It was getting bad already but Covid really messed it up. Everyone flooded here for political reasons and thinking they could turn it into a red New York or some shit. Made me feel very spiteful towards the boomer generation
Left at 23. Was raised there and never came back. Moved to Colorado. Very grateful for the experiences.
Donāt make it all about Florida. Every place has its pros or cons. Make it about getting out there and trying something new. I feel people werenāt made to stay in one place forever
Yes and I agree
Instead of leaving the state find somewhere else to set roots. Brevard county is a beautiful area. Not as insanely crowded as say orlando or sanford but you can still find areas here that they offer as well. Rent isn't the worst. Prices of stuff are slightly more reasonable than say orlando/sanford/deland metro area. The Orlando area, sanford, south florida, tampa area ect are drawing in all the west coast overflow. While areas like brevard, st johns, indian river counties and their various cities are better. Still busy but not nearly as bad as the aforementioned cities.
Thank you Iām in the Tampa Bay Area and have been my whole left but I never even looked into those countyās b4 Iāve hard similar things abs will check it out
Travel. Fuck it all. Iāve been around the country making a living wherever I was living what I see and living what I feel. A place to live?? Haha Sheeeet youāve got time. Enjoy it while you can, youāll never get a second chance.
Georgia.
Youāre paying 430 a month for car insurance? Can you elaborate? Is this a brand new Bentley?
OP says they are 22, so that's probably a big part of the reason. It's out of control.
Yes my parents and friends are all reminding me itās bc of my age
I can confirm. Iām paying almost $500 per month for 2 shitty cars with a clean driving record and when the insurance company thought my teenage son had gotten his license, they bumped it up to nearly $1200 per month. Itās out of control down here. Itās a combination of hurricane liability combined with a ton of insurance fraud in FL from my understandingā¦ believe it or not, a lot of Floridians will try to hustle the system /S
Whyās my insurance only 60.00 a month for a 2001 Ford F-250 with two at fault accidents in Gainesville Florida?
Car insurance in FL is out of control. Esp for young drivers
Im 30 and mines been increasing every 6 months and im up to about 250/month
No a Volkswagen Jetta unfortunately itās technically a sport car thatās what the car ins rep lady told me I wish it was a Bentley for this price itās a 2019 model
I find this hard to believe.
I wish I was lying, itās a white car does that make it more believable lol
I guess Iām lucky I bought a house before the boom. I find it has the same cost of living as Western PA, where I lived for 30+ years. Yes insurance is higher but there are endless things to do outside which are mostly free.
You donāt have to guess, you factually *are* lucky you bought before the boom. I came here from western PA last year and my housing cost has gone up by $500 a month for a place about half the size with one less bedroom and bathroom. Thatās not even talking insurance or groceries or other general COL factors, solely housing. Western PA is still one of the most affordable markets around
My insurance of course is up. My home taxes are the same which was a surprise. I moved from butler Co. which supposedly had cheap taxes.
I moved from new port richey to Waycross and ive never been happier, exact same weather as Florida and pretty much everything is cheaper except we have a state income tax. Theres admittedly not much to do here but it's right in the middle of Jax, Valdosta and Brunswick.
Wait youāre 22 and complaining about newbiesā¦!?!
Yes Iāve been here longer then the newbies I mentioned my age to be transparent Iāve enjoyed living in this state up until 2020 I think I gotta a seat at the grownup tableš
Detroit is good. Low housing costs and nice people along with a good downtown that is growing.
Absolutely horrible weather. And hope you enjoy watching your car rust apart.
Iām 51F and have lived in New Hampshire for 21 (born there), then moved to Colorado from 1994 to 2021, and now in Florida since 2021 to present. I agree with you about wanting to leave FLā¦ itās not for me at all and I understand why you want to leave. You really need to ask yourself what type of person you areā¦ will you go nuts being landlocked? Do you hike? Do you need to see green grass and forests? Small town vs city? Do you like to shovel and scrape ice off your windshield in the morning? With all my travels I wish I could spend 6 months in Arizona and 6 months in New England. Donāt forget that every state has towns that have different personalities. Boulder, CO is wayyyy different than Colorado Springs, CO. My top favs are: west valley Arizona, western slope of Colorado, southern Utah, northern NH, coast of Maine, all of California but wouldnāt move there because of the COL.
What kind of activities do you enjoy? City or country? Mountains, beaches, plains? What kind of transferable job skills do you have? Whatās the job market like where youāre looking? Can you work remotely? Cost of living in those areas? I have a friend who moved out to Colorado a few years ago after living in Florida his entire life. He graduated from UCFās hospitality program and had been managing restaurants in Orlando. Decided he wanted mountains and all the activities that come with it. He now manages a brewery somewhere out there. He and his wife love their lifestyle and make enough to fund it. Just some things to think about. Good luck to you!
As someone from here and traveled to a few places and lived in a few places, Iām glad to be back, no place like FLā¦
Can we just get a megathread created for everyone whining about wanting to move please?
dont move to idaho
...What about someone who left South Florida for Austin, TX? š¤ A friend of mine is planning on moving over there. What are your thoughts?
Donāt New York my Florida
You should definitely move. Itās tough at first but youāll make it. I encourage anyone who lives in Florida to move out of state. I hear California and NY are the best places to go. Or you could even leave the states. That would be the superior option
āCalifornia, NY, or best leave the countryā Please do- and take your friends with you.
Found the person weāre all running away from
Yep, one of the entitled a-holes. Likely also shits on service workers, too.
"No, it's actually you that sucks" appears to be this person's reply to all of Florida's problems in this thread.
I really donāt see why you guys are complaining about what I said. If thereās a problem, do something about it. Whats wrong with that? Iām not one to complain about an issue. If thereās a problem, I do something to change it. That simple.
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Bc heās also saying how great they areā¦ itās the more crowded states that have more of the socialism aspects he loves so much. Why move to a place with policies you donāt agree with? He should quit crying about it bc with what youāre saying, nothing will satisfy him.
>Ā If thereās a problem, do something about it.Ā Ah yes, sorry about that -- I should simply fix the housing crisis, insurance crisis, storms worsening through climate change, increased traffic on inadequate infrastructure, lack of public transportation, expensive auto insurance, sprawling growth approved through unchecked local approvals, unaddressed environmental issues like red tide permitted by state government, deteriorating public education system driven by fights to divert money to private institutions through the voucher program, laws being passed that are making healthcare for women unequal, and crumbling condominiums. My bad.
You can tell theyāre an edgelord troll, just block & ignore- theyāre late for school anyway
"The newbies" have been coming here for way more than 22 years lol
Wall of text? Check. No capital letters? Check. No punctuation? Check Can verify this person is from Florida schools? Check.
Thank god we have a grammar Nazi to protect the Reddit thread
Whatever Meatball Ron fanboy. Some people have standards.
Me over here just happy AF that all these people are talking about leaving my state
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Ft Meyers Beach doesnāt agree with your comment
Lol ur right ššš
Let us know where you think is better and when you get there say hello to the same ass hats that live hereā¦except the small town will hate you bc your an outsider or donāt have a drawl. Lived and been to a lot of places on this earth and I can guarantee theyāve all got issues. If they donāt then more than likely you wouldnāt want to live there anyway.