Tens Of Thousands of Californians Moved To FL After "The Great Migration." FL Wasn't The Top State

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Floridians who have lived in the Sunshine State for the last few years and after the pandemic know that the population of Florida has skyrocketed as relocators and retirees have favored the state as a relocation destination. Between 2021-2022, (or the time period called "The Great Migration,") around 444,500 people moved to Florida. And it can be commonplace to see license plates from places like New York, Pennsylvania, and California in Florida, making it easy to assume that Florida is the top destination for Californians. And while thousands of Californians did move to Florida in the above period, the Sunshine State was not the top destination, according to a recent survey. That was Texas.

The Survey And What It Measured: The website SmartAsset used IRS data to determine who moved in and out of California between 2021 and 2022. It published its findings in October of 2024. The site found that, in all, California lost 143,554 households.

The Profile Of The Californians That Moved To Florida: Of those, 143,554 households that California lost, 24,011 left for Florida, making Florida the fifth most common state behind Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington.

The 24,011 Californians who left for Florida had an average household income of $187,025. In contrast, the average median income in Florida in 2023 was $73,311, according to Census Data.

SmartAsset theorized that some left California for reasons such as lower costs of living, lower taxes, and more favorable housing and job markets.

While both Florida and California have moderate temperatures and may be pleasing to those who dislike the cold, they have distinctions between them. California has valleys and mountains while Florida is flat. California has a Mediterranean climate while Florida's is considered subtropical.

The author is not affiliated with SmartAsset.