Is the Sunshine State Losing Its Shine? What the Latest Numbers Mean for Florida

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind lately, and honestly, it’s probably on a lot of your minds if you’re living in Florida.

So there’s this new study out of Florida Atlantic University that’s been making waves, and the numbers are pretty eye-opening. Turns out, almost half of Floridians are seriously thinking about packing up and leaving because of how expensive everything’s gotten. Yeah, you read that right—nearly 50% of Floridians are at least considering it.

FAU’s researchers surveyed about 1,000 people across the state, asking them about their finances, their budgets, and whether the whole “American dream” thing still feels possible here. And what they found? Well, they’re calling it the “sunshine squeeze,” which is a clever name but represents a not-so-fun reality.

The Cost of Living Is Really Hitting Home

Here’s what really stood out to me: 80% of people are worried about housing costs. Not just “a little concerned”—nearly half said they’re ‘very’ concerned. And when you think about it, that tracks with what we’re all seeing, right? The housing market here has gone absolutely bonkers.

Then there’s inflation. A whopping 90% of folks are concerned about prices going up on basically everything, and more than half are very worried about it. When you’re watching your grocery bill climb week after week, or seeing your insurance premiums double, it all adds up.

Get this, almost 70% of people surveyed said they struggle to make ends meet at least some of the time, and 43% are living paycheck to paycheck. That’s a lot of neighbors, friends, and family members who are feeling stretched way too thin.

The Dream of Homeownership Feels Further Away

Even though three-quarters of Floridians still see owning a home as part of the American dream (and I’m definitely in that camp), actually achieving it? That’s another story. Only about half of people feel confident they could buy a home right now, and nearly 80% say it’s harder than it was just five years ago.

The biggest hurdles? Home prices (36% cited this as the main barrier), followed by high interest rates and saving for a down payment. When the typical home in Miami is listed at nearly $500K—that’s about $76,000 more than the national average, you can see why people are feeling discouraged.

What’s Happening in the Market

Here’s the ironic part: Florida’s housing market has actually seen the biggest slowdown in the entire country recently, even with mortgage rates coming down a bit. Homes are sitting on the market longer, in Miami, we’re talking about 13 days longer than last year. And inventory? It’s piling up in some areas beyond what we saw before the pandemic.

If more people start deciding to sell and move because of this “sunshine squeeze,” we could see prices start to come down. Which would be great for buyers, but it would definitely reshape Florida’s real estate landscape in a major way.

My Take

Look, Florida has always been this place that people dream about moving to, the weather, the lifestyle, no state income tax. But somewhere along the way, what used to be affordable became… not. What was once the value proposition is now the pressure point.

I’m curious what you all think. Are you feeling this squeeze too? Have you thought about relocating, or are you digging in and making it work?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

—Daniel​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​