Florida is a popular destination for many people who want to enjoy the sunshine, the beaches, and the attractions. However, living in Florida is not always a paradise. In fact, there are many reasons why some people decide to leave the state and move elsewhere. Here are the top 10 reasons why we left Florida and never looked back.
1. The Weather
Florida is known for its hot and humid weather, which can be unbearable for some people. The summer months are especially brutal, with temperatures often reaching over 100°F and high humidity levels. The heat can make you feel sweaty, sticky, and uncomfortable all day long. Not to mention, the weather can also be unpredictable and extreme. Florida is prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, thunderstorms, lightning, floods, and tornadoes. These natural disasters can cause damage to your property, disrupt your daily life, and endanger your safety.
2. The Bugs
Another downside of living in Florida is the bugs. The state is home to a variety of insects that can be annoying, harmful, or even deadly. Some of the most common bugs you will encounter in Florida are mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants, termites, spiders, wasps, bees, fleas, ticks, bed bugs, and more. Some of these bugs can carry diseases, such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and malaria. Others can cause allergic reactions, infections, or bites that itch and hurt. The bugs can also infest your home and ruin your furniture, clothes, food, and other belongings.
3. The Traffic
If you live in Florida, you will have to deal with traffic on a regular basis. The state has some of the most congested roads and highways in the country. According to a report by INRIX, a transportation analytics company, Florida has four of the top 10 worst cities for traffic in the U.S.: Miami (ranked 5th), Orlando (6th), Tampa (9th), and Jacksonville (10th). The report also found that drivers in Florida spend an average of 52 hours per year stuck in traffic. This means that you will waste a lot of time, money, and gas while driving in Florida. You will also have to deal with road rage, accidents, and pollution.
4. The Crime
Florida is not a very safe place to live either. The state has a high crime rate compared to the national average. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, Florida had 491.1 violent crimes and 2,476.4 property crimes per 100,000 people in 2020. This means that you have a higher chance of being a victim of murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, or arson in Florida than in most other states. Some of the most dangerous cities in Florida are Miami Beach, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville.
5. The Cost of Living
Living in Florida is not cheap either. The state has a high cost of living compared to the national average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Florida had a regional price parity (RPP) of 101.0 in 2019. This means that the prices of goods and services in Florida were 1% higher than the national average. Some of the most expensive items in Florida are housing, health care, transportation, and groceries. You will also have to pay higher taxes in Florida than in some other states. For instance, Florida has a sales tax rate of 6%, which can go up to 8.5% depending on the county.
6. The Education
If you have children or plan to have children in the future, you might want to think twice about living in Florida. The state has a poor education system compared to the national average. According to U.S. News & World Report, Florida ranked 29th out of 50 states for education in 2021. The report also found that Florida ranked 40th for pre-K-12 education and 28th for higher education. Some of the factors that contributed to these low rankings were low test scores, low graduation rates, low funding per student, and low teacher salaries.
7. The Health Care
Another reason why we left Florida was the health care situation. The state has a low quality and accessibility of health care compared to the national average. According to U.S. News & World Report, Florida ranked 31st out of 50 states for health care in 2021. The report also found that Florida ranked 48th for health care access and 24th for health care quality. Some of the factors that contributed to these low rankings were high uninsured rates, high infant mortality rates, high obesity rates, and high COVID-19 cases and deaths.
8. The Environment
Florida is also not a very eco-friendly place to live. The state has a high environmental impact compared to the national average. According to WalletHub, a personal finance website, Florida ranked 40th out of 50 states for environmental quality in 2020. The report also found that Florida ranked 44th for eco-friendly behaviors and 35th for climate change contributions. Some of the factors that contributed to these low rankings were high water consumption, high energy consumption, high carbon dioxide emissions, and high air pollution.
9. The Culture
Florida is also not a very culturally diverse or inclusive place to live. The state has a low cultural diversity and tolerance compared to the national average. According to WalletHub, Florida ranked 22nd out of 50 states for cultural diversity in 2020. The report also found that Florida ranked 28th for racial and ethnic diversity, 20th for linguistic diversity, and 18th for religious diversity. Moreover, Florida has a history of racism, discrimination, and violence against minorities, such as Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and LGBTQ+ people.
10. The Lifestyle
Finally, the last reason why we left Florida was the lifestyle. The state has a low quality of life compared to the national average. According to U.S. News & World Report, Florida ranked 13th out of 50 states for quality of life in 2021. However, this ranking was mainly based on the natural environment and social environment factors, which did not reflect the actual living conditions in Florida. In fact, Florida has many problems that affect the well-being and happiness of its residents, such as stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, addiction, violence, crime, poverty, homelessness, and more.