The soaring cost of living in Florida has pushed nearly 50% of residents to consider moving out of the state, according to a new Florida Atlantic University (FAU) poll released Monday.
The survey, conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 10 among 1,000 adults, found that 90% of Floridians are at least somewhat concerned about inflation, while 80% worry about housing affordability.
“The moving consideration rate is striking as it suggests that while Florida attracts new residents, many current ones feel squeezed enough to think about leaving,” said Eric Levy, assistant director of FAU’s Business and Economic Polling Initiative (BEPI). “An affordability anxiety shadows Florida’s boom economy: can residents afford to live here and provide for themselves?”
Only 51% of respondents said they feel at least somewhat confident they could buy a home in today’s market. Meanwhile, 43% reported living paycheck to paycheck, and another 26% said they do so occasionally.
The study also revealed that just 48% of Floridians have an emergency fund covering at least three months of expenses.
“For most Floridians, financial security feels one expense away from collapse,” said Monica Escaleras, chair of FAU’s Department of Economics and director of BEPI. “Many of those surveyed attributed the high cost of living to not being able to save more.”
The report follows a recent Advance America study that found Florida workers must work about 21 days each month just to cover their basic bills — highlighting how the state’s affordability crisis continues to strain residents despite its booming economy.
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