Written by: Isaac Grant
Date:

Every cross country relocation requires a good plan and perfect preparation. When it comes to moving from New York to Florida, you have to make a lot of decisions and finish a lot of tasks. This isn’t anywhere near as simple as a local relocation within one city’s limits. And also, you do not have a lot of options to choose from like with local moving. Florida holds the third place as one of the largest states in the US with over 20,000,000 people currently living there. It is also one of the first choices tourists pick to visit during the summer vacation. And we at Verified Movers are here to explain to you the entire process of moving to this place from NY. So, without further ado, let us help you with your interstate relocation to Florida!

Most important things to know about moving from New York to Florida

Moving from one place to the other is a huge and important process that needs to be taken seriously. This is why you should do your homework and learn more about the neighborhood or state where you are planning to relocate. Worry not – this isn’t a complicated thing to do. However, it will take some amount of your spare time. After all, you want to learn about your new home as much as you can, and this isn’t something that can be done in just one day. But, we have got you covered. In this guide, we will provide you with some basic information about moving from New York to Florida and we will explain to you how to seamlessly organize your relocation. And lastly, we will help you find the best cross country movers in New York to relocate you to the Sunshine State.

Miami skyline photographed from a boat.
Moving from New York to Florida is a great decision, but if you want it to be successful, you need to learn a few things about this move first.

So, what’s there to know about Florida? Well, the Sunshine State is quite different from New York. And, over the next few sections, we will present to you some of these differences. Make sure to read them carefully. Study these differences because they will tell you whether becoming a resident of the Sunshine State is the right thing to do.

A few facts about the Sunshine State

There are certain things that make Florida a perfect spot to start a new life. What makes Florida a great place to live is the job opportunities you can find here. The main income in Florida comes from:

  • Tourism
  • Agriculture
  • Construction
  • Services industries
  • International trade

So, if you are looking to start a new business or further your career then Florida is the best place for you! And if that is the reason for your relocation, then you should always look for reliable and professional long distance moving companies New York. This is simply because they know how valuable your time is, and they will commit to your relocation the best way they can!

A woman making a phone call after moving from New York to Florida.
Plenty of job opportunities await you in the Sunshine State.

Florida has a unique climate 

Another one of the reasons why people think about moving from New York to Florida is its beautiful weather. Although, most of the year you can enjoy a lot of sunny days there are still thunderstorms, tropical storms, and hurricanes. And, if you can stand the heat, then you should definitely live here. Have in mind that temperatures and humidity can be really high from time to time!

How many people are moving from New York to Florida?

This route was always popular, but during the last two years, this popularity went to a whole new level. Miami, as well as other Floridian cities, has always been appealing to New Yorkers. It’s a completely different lifestyle down South, and you can’t blame anyone for looking to experience it. In fact, Florida was by far the most common moving destination in the first year of the pandemic. So, it’s definitely not all about New Yorkers, although they seem to be the main reason for Florida’s record number of newcomers.

Boats in Palm Beach County.
Palm Beach County was the most common choice among New Yorkers who moved to Florida last year.

The total number of relocations from New York to Florida exceeded 50,000 in 2021. This is a staggering number, that easily puts this route among the most common moving routes in the United States. What’s even more impressive is that out of all those relocations, 33,000 of them were from New York City. Out of Floridian counties, Palm Beach County welcomed the most New Yorkers, 14,000, followed by Miami-Dade County. Even though Miami-Dade County is in second place, when it comes to routes between the cities, moving from NYC to Miami was by far the most common route. Almost 10,000 people went in this direction in 2021, the first full calendar year of the pandemic.

Reasons why New Yorkers are moving to the Sunshine State

So, seeing that there are so many people moving from New York to Florida, one has to wonder why are they doing it. Being a New Yorker, you’re probably familiar with the reasons why people are choosing to leave this city. Especially if you live in the Big Apple, where the exodus is in full force. Still, the question remains – why Florida? In the list below, we’ll present you the main reasons New Yorkers are deciding to give Sunshine State a chance.

A chart saying: 
Climate - Florida, with an average temperature of 72°F, is much warmer than New York (45°F)
Cost of living - The cost of living favors Florida, since the Sunshine State is 15% less expensive than NY.
Median home cost - the median home value in Florida is 7,000, while in New York it is 0,000. 
Taxes - Florida doesn't impose a personal income tax while New York has one of the highest tax burdens in the USA.
Low unemployment - In New York, the unemployment rate is 4.7%, and in the Sunshine State, it's 2.7%, far lower than the nation's average.
Job growth - The job market in Florida increased by 1.5% in 2021, while in New York, it increased by only 0.6%.

All these reasons are enough to motivate people to go on this relocation. Also, we should focus on the similarities, because they can be a factor as well. For example, these two states are around the same size. Therefore, since you are already used to living in a state as populous as New York, you won’t have a problem getting used to the Sunshine State regarding its crowdedness. Also, for those who are moving from NYC, Miami is a city that, although different in principle, can offer a similarly entertaining lifestyle.

The downsides of this move

Right away, we must say that there aren’t too many downsides to this move. However, it depends on your point of view, your habits, and your preferences. So, we’ll mention a few reasons why you may decide to stay in New York after all. For example, humidity is one of the first ones that come to mind. While Florida’s climate is among the reasons people are moving there, it is also a reason why some people are leaving it. Although it’s very warm all year long, it is way more humid than New York as well. Additionally, hurricane season is never a pleasant experience. All things considered, Florida has a better and more enjoyable climate, but it largely depends on your preferences.

Car window with rain drops on it.
Tropical storms, even hurricanes, are a very common occurrence in Florida.

For those who live in New York City, it is very difficult to leave one of the greatest cities on Earth behind. Plus, if the exodus is over soon, tens of thousands of people will start coming back to the Big Apple. So, if you’re still leaning towards staying in NYC, that might be the best solution. And, needless to say, no matter how great Miami and the rest of Florida’s cities are, you’ll never find entertainment as good as in NYC. Finally, families with kids would rather stay or move somewhere across the metro area, rather than all the way down to Florida. Cross country move is always challenging, and it becomes even more difficult with kids. However, if you’re worried about whether you’ll find a suitable city to live your family life in, know that there are many top places in Florida for families you can move to.

Cost of living differences between these two states

As we said, the cost of living is among the main reason people are moving from New York to Florida. Even if it weren’t among the top, it’s a very important topic for any person on the move. No matter where you’re moving to or from, you have to know how it will impact your budget. So, one of the first things you need to analyze before switching states is the cost of living difference. In this case, you’re in luck, since Florida really is fairly cheaper than New York. The difference becomes even bigger if you’re moving from New York City to pretty much any place in Florida other than Miami. Without further ado, let’s compare the daily expenses in New York to those in the Sunshine State.

A chart saying: 
New York is 15% more expensive than Florida overall
Groceries are 0.9% cheaper in New York
Dining in restaurants will cost you 7% less in Florida compared to New York
Sky-rocketing housing prices in NY are 80% higher than those in FL
You'll pay 25% less for sports and entertainment after moving from NY to FL
Transportation is also much cheaper in the Sunshine State, 27% to be precise
The average salary in New York is 15% higher than in Florida
New York City is 40% more expensive than Miami, and 79% more expensive than Jacksonville

How to move from New York to Florida hassle-free?

One of the most important things you will want to do is to start organizing your relocation way ahead of time. By doing this, you will have just enough time to take care of every pre-move task. You will also be able to learn about the hidden moving costs to look out for and how to pack your belongings the way moving professionals do it. What is really important is to do everything you can in order to stick to your moving schedule. Trust us, there is nothing worse than having to deal with some tiring task on the last they before the big move!

A mover carrying a couch, helping people with moving from New York to Miami
Hiring moving experts will make the whole transition to the Sunshine State much easier.

So, if you plan to move to Florida any time soon, then you should already start planning your relocation! Moving from NY to Florida will always be a hard thing to do if you don’t start preparing in time. There are a lot of benefits if you plan your move at least months prior to the move! It will give you enough time to solve any possible issues and problems that can happen with long distance relocations. This is the perfect time to start looking for movers. In this period you should already know how many items you are carrying and where you want to move to. Depending on the distance and quantity of items, your estimate can be higher or lower.

With all that in mind, you should always ask your long distance movers Florida about their free estimate and what you can do before they arrive. This will help both you and them to accomplish a fast and stress-free relocation!

Call in the troops

Whether you need to relocate in a hurry or not, we strongly advise you to avoid moving on your own. The best thing you can do is hire a reliable interstate moving companies Florida and put them in charge of your relocation. However, if you don’t want to hire a moving company, make sure to at least ask some of your friends to help you out on the day of the big move. With their help, your move will be over in no time… especially if you opt for hiring movers.

a group of friends talking in the nature.
Besides hiring professionals, ask your friends for some help with everyday tasks.

Look for packing supplies

Although this shouldn’t take that much time it is a good idea to start gathering packing supplies at least several weeks before moving from NY to Florida. This is mainly because you can start packing at the same time and prepare those items for relocation. If you have some stuff that needs better protection then you probably already have it in your home. Some items you can use when packing are:

  • Any old textile – such as towels, pillowcases, blankets, t-shirts, socks, etc. are perfect when you need to pack fragile items and provide them with additional protection. Especially when you have a long-distance relocation incoming.
  • Newspaper – Often people use old newspapers as a material they can put in oddly shaped empty spaces in the moving boxes.
  • Sponges are mostly used as additional padding for glassware and jewelry!
  • Scissors, rope strings, labels, and markers – You should use them to properly secure moving boxes and label them as well!

But, those are just materials you will use when packing your items. The most important thing you should know is the techniques used when packing and securing moving boxes and packages! Yes, this should be a priority because if you do not know how to properly tie down packages and moving boxes, they may open and the items will just fall out!

The average price of relocations between NY and FL

If you are willing to join thousands of your fellow New Yorkers who are moving to Florida with professional assistance, you must be wondering how much is it going to cost. This move is a big one, and we need to start off with that. The shortest route by car between these two states is 1,150 miles. That means your trip will be even longer unless you’re settling in some town around the Floridian border. The price of your relocation will depend on many things. The distance is certainly one of them, but it will also be affected by the weight of your shipment, the number of items in general, as well as some other things.

A person using a calculator to find out how much is their move going to cost.
Organizing your budget should be one of the first things on your moving checklist

The average cost of a professionally assisted move from the Empire State to Florida is $3,000 – $6,500. But, we decided to break that number down for you based on the size of your household. So, here are the average prices for the relocation from NY to FL when taking the size of the unit into the account:

  1. Studio apartment – $2,600
  2. One bedroom – $3,300
  3. Two bedrooms – $4,500
  4. Three bedrooms – $6,500
  5. Four bedrooms – $8,500

Move in and start unpacking

Although this can be a long process, the sooner you finish your moving from NY to Florida the better! Why? Because it will give you more time to settle into your new home and unpack. The unpacking process can take days or even weeks. This is why it is a good idea to know how to unpack efficiently.

After you relocate to Florida, make sure to visit some of the Florida Welcome Centers. There, you will get some basic information about life in Florida, some of the attractions and transportation. This info will mean to you a lot during the first few days in a new state.

Let us help you find some of the best interstate movers in the area you need!

Are you ready to become a Florida citizen? If so, let us help you find the moving company that will be able to meet all of your moving requirements! Visit our website and we will help you find the company that suits you the most! Yes, moving from New York to Florida can be quite simple if we prepared thoroughly. We wish you the best of luck with the upcoming relocation!