Kathrine Frich
The state is famous for sunshine and growth, but now many residents are now rethinking their future.
A new survey suggests daily costs are turning Florida’s appeal into a financial struggle for almost half of its people.
Cost of living
A poll from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), reported by EFE, shows that 49.6 percent of residents are considering moving away.
Of those, 26 percent said they were “seriously considering” it, and another 23.6 percent were “somewhat considering it.”
“The number of people thinking about leaving is remarkable,” said Eric Levy, deputy director of FAU’s Business and Economic Polling Initiative. “Florida keeps attracting new residents, but many current ones feel pressured to go.”
Economic tension
The survey highlights widespread concern about inflation and housing.
Nine in ten residents said they were worried about price increases, and eight in ten said they were concerned about the cost of housing.
Nearly half described themselves as “very concerned.”
More than half of respondents felt confident they could buy a home, yet most agreed it is harder to do so than five years ago. High prices, rising interest rates, and the size of down payments were cited as the biggest barriers.
Daily struggle
About 43 percent of Floridians said they live paycheck to paycheck, and fewer than half have enough savings to cover three months of expenses.
The main reason, according to 43 percent of respondents, is the high cost of living, ahead of debt or limited income.
Even so, 53 percent said they still believe in the American dream.
Views of the national economy were mixed, with 41 percent rating it “excellent or good” and the rest describing it as “mediocre” or “poor,” according to Agerpres.
Growth and pressure
The results contrast with Florida’s population boom.
Census Bureau figures show the state added more than 467,000 residents between 2023 and 2024, second only to Texas.
A University of Florida study found average rent rose by 500 dollars between 2019 and 2023, reaching about 1,719 dollars.
The study concludes that while newcomers continue to arrive, many long-term Floridians are finding the cost of staying harder to bear.
Sources: Florida Atlantic University (FAU), EFE, Agerpres, U.S. Census Bureau, University of Florida, DIGI24.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
