3 Former Floridians Explain Why They Left Florida

Kimberly Jones was born and raised in Florida and expected to live in South Florida for the rest of her life.

But after COVID, Florida no longer felt the same. An influx of out-of-staters strained the infrastructure in Jones’ area of South Florida, where new construction, crowded grocery stores, and traffic-jammed commutes became the norm. The flood of newcomers also drove up housing costs, making it harder for longtime residents to afford the place they’ve always called home.

In 2021, Jones and her husband packed their bags and moved to North Carolina. They’re not the only ones who have fallen out of love with Florida. While people are still moving to the state, net domestic migration — or the number of people moving into the state from elsewhere in the country minus those moving out to other parts of the US — has steadily cooled in recent years.

There are a few reasons behind Florida’s slowing numbers and waning appeal. For some, the state’s tax benefits may no longer outweigh its rising cost of living. That was certainly the case for Jones.

“Our reasons for moving were multifaceted,” Jones, 60, told Business Insider. “A major factor was affordability — the cost of living in Florida had gotten out of control. Prices increased for everything — homeowners’ and auto insurance, and even for everyday expenses like groceries and eating out. Those costs felt particularly high in South Florida compared with other parts of the state.”

The Joneses found a more affordable, more relaxing life in North Carolina

Jones and her husband settled in a small rural town about an hour from Charlotte. They now live in a custom-built lakefront home on 1.5 acres — the kind of property Jones said she couldn’t have afforded in Florida.

Indeed, Florida’s home prices have continued to climb in recent years. Data from Redfin shows that the median home sale price in Florida increased by 19% between March 2021 and March 2026, reaching $417,000.

With the state’s overall cost of living rising, many people — especially young adults, like Jones’ son — are finding it difficult to become homeowners.

“My daughter managed to buy a condo a few years ago, when prices were lower, and interest rates were still low,” Jones said. “But my son has little chance of buying anytime soon; he’ll be renting for the near future, like most of his friends — most of my friends talk about the same thing with their kids.”

Besides more affordable housing, Jones and her husband are also enjoying lower home insurance costs, as well as cheaper groceries and restaurant prices in North Carolina. But perhaps the biggest benefit of all is that the lower cost of living has allowed Jones to cut back on work.

“My husband retired a few years ago, and I was able to transition to remote work,” Jones said. “We love [North Carolina’s] slower pace of life and the fact that people are very nice up here. My quality of life — my stress level, everything — has improved tremendously just from being out of what felt like a rat race.”

Natalie Alatriste left Florida in search of a more like-minded community

Natalie Alatriste is also a native Floridian. She remembers a time when her hometown of Miami felt sleepier, and neighborhoods like Little Havana were still under the radar. Today, she said, the city feels transformed.

“There’s a pre-COVID Miami and a post-COVID Miami, and the post-COVID version is completely different,” Alatriste, 35, told Business Insider. “The cost of living has gone up, and so many people have moved in that traffic is always heavy.”

But it was not just Miami’s growth that pushed her to reconsider her future in the state. Alatriste said Florida’s shifting political landscape was also a factor in her decision.

“In 2024, I seriously started thinking about leaving not just Miami, but Florida entirely,” she said. “The state’s politics became a turning point for me. During the presidential election, everything I voted for — the amendments, the candidates, all of it — went in the opposite direction.”

In 2025, Alatriste moved to Shirlington, a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, that’s roughly a 20-minute drive from Washington, D.C. She and her partner rent a three-bedroom, three-story townhouse that’s about 2,500 square feet, and pay roughly $4,350 a month. It’s still expensive, but Alatriste said sharing the cost with a partner makes it easier to handle, and overall, Virginia feels more affordable.

“My quality of life feels much better in Virginia. I don’t feel like I’m wasting so much time or spending so much money just to live,” she said. “I also have greater peace of mind and can breathe easier because I’m part of a community that feels more aligned with my values.”

Karen Meadows wanted a more active retirement

Florida is one of the most popular retirement destinations in the country. It offers plenty of obvious draws, including no state income tax, warm weather, and an abundance of retirement communities. But for some retirees, like Karen Meadows, life spent at the beach or by the pool isn’t enough.

“Many people move to Florida to retire because it’s quiet and has a slower pace of life,” Meadows, 62, told Business Insider. “But for me, I wanted to move somewhere with more energy.”

In 2024, Meadows and her husband moved to New York City.

“It’s funny because the first thing everybody says about our move is, ‘Oh my God, you did the opposite,'” Meadows added, “and they’re right.”

Meadows sold her home in Panama City Beach and now lives in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in Brooklyn. Though New York still feels intimidating at times, being closer to her kids and living in a vibrant city has made the move worth it.

Beyond training for marathons — including the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon, both of which she has run several times — she volunteers with North Brooklyn Angels and the food rescue organization City Harvest. She has also joined the North Brooklyn Runners Club and started a book club.

“I know I probably could have moved somewhere more laid-back, warmer, and with lower taxes, but I love New York,” Meadows said. “I’m almost 63, and I feel better and more alive than ever. Life feels freer, I’m more engaged, and there’s still so much to explore.”

Are you a former Floridian? We want to hear from you. Email the reporter, Alcynna Lloyd, at [email protected] to share your story.