Perdido Key, Florida — Courtesy: Shutterstock — George Dodd III
One of the states with the quickest rates of growth has been Florida. The state is home to almost 22 million people, yet in 2023, a record amount of individuals moved out.
More than half a million people departed Florida last year, the largest in the state’s history, according to the most recent migration data from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. In 2023, it ranked second in the nation, after California. People who leave Florida are typically 32 years old.
According to the survey, the two main reasons why younger people are leaving the state are the “perception of limited career opportunities for younger, early-career workers” and growing housing costs.
According to the survey, residents migrated from Florida to areas with more inexpensive housing options, such as North Carolina and Tennessee.
According to the data, around 637,000 people moved to the Sunshine State from all over the nation last year, despite a record number of people leaving the state. The largest age group to move here was people 60 and older.
Following consecutive storms this year, people of all ages have also recently left the Sunshine State.
According to the research, a net total of over 126,000 people relocated to Florida from neighboring states in 2023. According to representatives of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, it demonstrates that Florida is a popular place for newcomers. However, it is also the first significant drop in net migration in ten years and represents a roughly 50 percent drop from the year before.
The report “highlights Florida’s status as a national leader in net income migration,” according to chamber officials, but it also emphasizes the “pressing challenges that could impact the state’s long-term growth and economic stability.”
Florida led the country with an annual net income migration of over $36.1 billion, according to the most recent data. “The migration trends highlight the need to understand who is leaving, why, and what can be done to retain Florida’s workforce,” chamber officials stated in a press release.
Florida is ranked #1 in the US for affordability of four-year college and first for higher education, according to “U.S. News and World Report,” the Chamber claimed. However, the state finds it difficult to retain its graduates. By bridging the gap between education and labor possibilities, the Future of Work Florida program from the Florida Chamber Foundation seeks to improve the state’s talent pipeline.
Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce & Foundation, stated that companies need to be more involved in creating and keeping Florida’s talent pool. “Outmigration will decrease once Floridians perceive a path to a successful profession in our state. However, affordable housing is unquestionably necessary; job prospects alone are insufficient. Our younger workforce will start looking elsewhere if they are unable to afford to live here.
To combat the growing expense of housing, the Florida Chamber has backed programs like the Live Local Act, which seeks to increase the number of affordable housing options.
According to the report’s conclusion, “The state is at a crossroads,” “Now is the time to reinforce Florida’s brand as the best place to live, work, raise a family, and build a future and learn.”
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
