New Yorkers remained the largest group migrating to Florida, with over 72,000 making the move in the most recent full data sample, according to a migration trends study by StorageCafe.com, an online platform that provides storage unit listings across the nation.
A significant portion of these newcomers are retirees, with 28% belonging to the baby boomer generation. They are primarily attracted by Florida’s reputation as a retirement haven. More than half of New Yorkers relocating to Florida purchase homes shortly after arriving, taking advantage of housing costs that are, on average, nearly 10% lower than those in New York.
Florida’s appeal is not limited to New Yorkers; it also attracts tens of thousands from neighboring East Coast states. In 2023, over 35,000 residents from New Jersey made the move to Florida, enjoying an even larger housing discount of approximately 17%. Pennsylvania sent over 28,000 residents, many of whom are high-earning young professionals with an average income of $80,000. Notably, nearly 39% of Pennsylvanians work remotely, allowing them to fully enjoy Florida’s lifestyle benefits.
Additionally, Californians are increasingly relocating to Florida, with more than 37,000 making the move in 2023. Homes in Florida are 48% less expensive than those in California, enabling 52% of newcomers from California to purchase a house shortly after arriving.
Methodology
This analysis was done by StorageCafe, an online platform that provides storage unit listings across the nation.
In this report, we ranked all the US states — plus the District of Columbia — based on net migration numbers, calculated as the total number of move-ins to a place minus the total number of departures from that same place.
The migration numbers, as well as the income levels, homeownership status, employment-related information, educational attainment and other demographic characteristics of the people moving across the country, come from the US Census.
To uncover the national domestic migration trends, we used the US Census American Community Survey population data from 2014 to 2023.
To determine state-to-state migration patterns, we turned to the US Census American Community Survey PUMS microdata for 2023.
Additionally, we also we ranked the country’s states based on the number of net newcomers per 1,000 residents.
We obtained median home prices at national and state levels based on 2023 owner-occupied housing unit values from the US Census. Rents are also from the US Census American Community Survey for 2023.
We used data regarding self storage rent prices and availability from Yardi Matrix, StorageCafe’s sister division and a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self storage sectors.
