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Florida Median Home Price Growth
Comparison of median home prices in Florida between March 2021 and March 2026.
Primary Sources
3 Former Floridians Explain Why They Left Florida - Business Insider
Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI 2026-04-25T11:45:01.291Z Americans aren't flocking to Florida like they used to. BI spoke with three former Floridians about why they say the state has lost some of its appeal. Affordability is a common issue among relocaters, particularly with the state's higher home prices. 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." Kimberly Jones and her husband. Courtesy of Kimberly Jones The Joneses found a more affordable, more relaxing life in North CarolinaJones 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...
Florida migration boom fades as rising costs push residents out
At the same time Florida's pandemic-era sunshine rush slowed to a trickle, affordability concerns pushed working-age residents to relocate. Why it matters: That's the sobering state of play detailed in a recent Wall Street Journal article digging into the Sunshine State's changing migration patterns.
Florida's middle class is fleeing the state amid rising costs
Florida's middle-class residents are being driven out of the state by rising costs and heading to cheaper parts of the U.S., according to a new report. Many working Floridians are leaving the ...
Maryland loses residents to Florida, other states, as costs rise
Maryland is experiencing a net loss of residents, with the trend accelerating since the pandemic. Many former Maryland residents are moving to states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.
