A Culture War is Causing the Florida Mass Exodus

Florida has long been a popular destination for retirees. However, the Sunshine State is rapidly losing residents due to political division and rising taxes/insurance costs.

Florida residents are tiring of DeSantis’ War on Woke.

In 2022 more than 700,000 Americans moved to Florida but about 500,000 residents left the state that same year. Residents cited a few main reasons for leaving…

Flight Path

– Unaffordable property taxes – Soaring insurance costs – Extreme weather – Frustrating Traffic – Intensifying culture war

Part of Florida’s allure is that the state does not charge income tax. But the median property tax spiked dramatically between 2019 and 2023. The property tax spike immediately led to a jump in home insurance costs.

Homeowners insurance rose 42% in 2023, making Florida homes just as expensive as other states, regardless of the lack of income tax.

Living in Florida is no year-round vacation. The 2023 and 2024 Hurricane seasons were particularly devastating. In 2023 there were more than 21 storms and 7 hurricanes. This year, Hurricane Milton was described as a “once in a century” storm.

Perhaps the biggest complaint about Florida comes from the culture war bubbling between liberal and conservative residents. Gov. Ron DeSantis has fanned the flames of the culture war with controversial policies.

The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, removal of books about race in schools, and public fighting with Disney has pushed residents over the edge and out of the state.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost from Florida stated, “What’s been happening in Florida should scare every single person across the entire country. It should frighten anyone who values democracy, voting rights, civil rights, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness.”

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