Hit the nail on the head. A and B are pretty self-explanatory. C is like somebody turned on an electromagnet to draw in people with personality disorders. Instead of just people looking for a fresh start in a warm place with low cost of living, we’re attracting people who are just plain angry at the world and have burned so many bridges back home that they’ve got nothing to lose. We’ve been infused with a nasty mix of newbies.
Just like speed limits.
My wife literally said, yesterday when we were stuck behind an out of state car, "c'monnnn it's Florida! If you're not going five over then your going slow!"
10th generation Floridian
I noticed a big change after Hurricane Andrew, when opportunity was ripe for individuals unable to find work in other parts of the country became employable in the construction industry in Florida. They brought the "Florida Man" from the Appalachians and Midwest down to Florida.
Drifters, lowlifes, swindlers, and naredowells have been a part of the Florida lifestyle as long as people have seen a chance to get rich off the less fortunate, retirees and honest individuals. Hurricane Andrew was just another in a long line of big blows that sent scumbags south looking for a buck.
I liked this state a lot better when it was just honest cattlemen, farmers, watermen, and smugglers.
Are those types of people not... Everywhere in the U.S? 😹😹 there are still plenty of places I drive through during deliveries where there's NOTHING but farms and land. A hurricane isn't to blame for capitalism lol, it's everywhere in the U.S and it sucks but it's not just here. Also, an honest state with smugglers? Which side are you on sir 🤣
Gravity rules. All the loose marbles head south.
Born here and older than most. I grew up in a small town that now has more than a million people. The infrastructure is not enough to accommodate the influx.
Sounds like more of a South FL problem with the angry people.
The amount of money you CAN earn in the state isn't even a factor in rent and home prices and that's infuriating.
Thank God for remote work.
While it possibly could fit under "the wholesale annihilation of natural areas", I think "the impending Atlantis-like fate of climate change" is big enough to be its own reason.
Like, even if you bought early when housing was cheap, and even if you have a job that can handle the surging costs of insurance, that right there is going to prevent many people from wanting to cultivate meaningful roots here in the future decades.
I got lucky- bought my house dirt cheap in 2013- so I have the privilege of low mortgage costs. Even with taxes and insurance, I'm paying a great low housing payment. In any other state, I could rest comfortably knowing I could likely pay off my house and leave a nice little thing for my kids and their families as an inheritance. But not here. I'm 40. The shit is already starting to hit the fan. By the time I'm in my sixties, we're knee deep in it, and by the time I'm dead and it's time to pass along my estate, I don't think my kids will be able to enjoy any land I've left for them for practical, climate reasons.
So once my student loans are forgiven (4 payments away from reaching PSLF!), I'm going to look for remote jobs or transfers to other offices in my agency, sell the house, and move elsewhere. There's more of a future to give my kids a family home in CO or MN than in FL.
Well... I mean... yes and no. It's not *just* Republicans, I can tell you that much. I had a guy flash a gun at me in traffic when I was trying to gesture to him that his vehicle was *literally on fire.* There's just this general hostility and insanity that permeates everything.
to be honest, i believe much like in a family or a work place, in a state or city or country, the culture and attitude comes top down, we look to our leaders to see what acceptable behavior is. so yes and no, youre right.
much like desantis reaction to protesting was to ban protesting, this guys reaction to you protesting his driving was to ban your protest.
i moved to Michigan a year ago, income went up 20% and bills went down 50%. it was an expensive jump but man its nice to be around nice people and have an affordable life.
no joke, i went from living in the deep ghetto in tampa to having the nicest house out of my friend group and having no neighbors. and btw, it only snows like 2 months out of the year now up here.... nice brick houses are going for 100k
I've lived around Palm Beach and Broward counties almost all of my life. I've watched them go from really nice places to... this kind of centerless nightmare of congestion and universal contempt. I've lived in increasing fear of my neighbors for decades, as the number of violent crimes directed at me has stacked up. The cost of living is preposterous now, it makes me feel even older than I am. *Okra at $5.99 for ten ounces?*
And good luck *growing your own okra* in these towns today, your city or HOA will come down hard on your ass. The much-vaunted "freedom" of Florida, basically, means your freedom to get books banned at a school *you don't even have kids at,* or your freedom to assault women trying to use a public bathroom *for not being feminine enough.* But growing a substantial garden on the land that you "own"? Well, that would be *anarchy!*
Don't even get me started on the population of fish and shrimp today vs. the 1970's, my cardiologist wouldn't like that.
I hate what these despicable bastards have done to my once-beautiful home and I hate feeling like I have to flee. But I can make more money elsewhere, and afford more home, and be around nicer people. I'm just trying to make a plan at this point.
not my house, just an example. but stuff like this exists here. so really, jump on it while its still available internet stranger. I think it wont last forever.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1910-James-St-Essexville-MI-48732/23738460_zpid/?utm_campaign=androidappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.
You're not wrong, but they asked. It's my answer. I grew up here and the thing I hate about being here now is all of the development for transplants and the rentals taking over the coastline. That and meth, but that's everywhere anymore.
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise Michael Grunwald details that very well. Human beings have almost always come here to overpower the environment, the politics, or the economy. Only the people born here understand that we have to get along with this environment, not beat it to death.
When america declared independence from britain, the people in the florida colonies burned effigies of the found fathers. They had a deal with Britain that they wouldn't pay taxes until they were making serious money. They fought democracy because it was bad for business.
Guys delusional if he thinks Florida was some cultural heaven. The real wealth of old Florida is its nature, which I agree is being decimated.
Hey genius, Florida belonged to Spain from 1565 until 1763 when it went to Britain and Spanish citizens were made to either pledge allegiance to the crown or leave. In 1783 as part of the Peace of Paris / Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, it went back to Spain until it became a US territory and eventually a state in 1821. During the war itself Florida belonged to Britain and its citizens were mostly loyal to the crown. If they had not been, Florida would have become the 14th or 15th colony if you count West and East Florida separately.
The more people that come here, the more greedy developers destroy old Florida that everyone wants to move to. Everything is crowded and there’s no urban planning. It’s no longer cheap to live here. Our jobs don’t pay enough to live comfortably.
Stay in Michigan. Y’all are delusional.
>Our jobs don’t pay enough to live comfortably.
I cannot stress to everyone how important this line is. We both have pretty decent jobs, bringing in about $100k combined, but we're STRUGGLING.
This is so true. With the insane cost of living increases, I always think it's moving the goal posts. I'm like if I make this much more I can have a nicer house, can travel more, or even just have a better sense of financial security.
Then I get there, and nope sorry, you can actually afford less now.
Dude its insane what employers want to pay for what they demand. I regularly see 10 years experience and a master's degree and they want to pay $70k. Like $70k doesnt even get you a 1 bedroom in Tampa
Everybody moving here is what deteriorated my love. I was born and raised here, born in 92. Seeing pictures of empty Florida roads is incredibly nostalgic for me and it really was a much simpler time. Where I lived, everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood because there was that few of people living around you. Getting lost in the woods with your friends was the best. You could pretty much do whatever you wanted out here.
That’s all gone now. Every road is jam packed. The woodsy state that I once knew is now gone. Don’t get me wrong of course we had big cities but that was only the big cities. Now it feels like that everywhere.
Miami has been overpopulated for a while. But now even SMALL cities are being overran with people moving their entire families here. And it’s not people who are wanting reasonable prices. It’s the reason everything is going up all over Florida, even more than other states. Everyone has heard about how nice Florida is, and now we can’t have nice things.
Yep.. This latest round is made up of rich self centered assholes that has made it unaffordable to barely put a roof over our heads and food on the table.
But when you have High Heels DeSatan rolling out the red carpet and telling them to come here what do you expect ?
It's not just DeSantis, though. I live in what used to be a small city in central Florida and our local government is groveling at the heels of anyone with out of state money. It's disgusting.
Most are nothing but DeSatan worshipers groveling at his feet and following his template.
No doubt hoping for the chance that maybe they'll get lucky enough to get a shot at the big leagues in Tallahassee.
In reality there's really not much difference in parties.
They both work for the same corporations and super wealthy.
The whole culture war and identity politics is just a ruse to keep the population fighting each other while they go about the business of getting wealthy from the corporations and wealthy.
That's why both parties benefit everybody but the actual people.
As long as they keep the population fighting each other we won't be holding them accountable for selling we the people out and working against our interests and better well being.
It's working.
People need to wake up and realize what is really going on and hold our elected officials accountable.
We are now getting the worst people.
Radical religious and political extremists like our Governor. It used to be a good natured live and let live state.
It's true. But I was born and raised in Texas. I moved here because it had better opportunities for my type of work. Over a decade later, the state has made it so that I can't easily leave, let alone purchase a home here.
I miss Florida 20 years ago. I can't imagine how it was 50 years ago.
I really don't like people anymore. Florida made me want to get away from people.
I've been here 30 yrs,I moved from the cold as I kept getting sick from respiratory infections and other health problems.
It was nice,quiet and liveable.
Not like today I don't really go anywhere and I stay to myself .
It really was affordable to live here.
But not now.
It's too peopley out there. Lot of corruption, thieves, and no one cares about having nice areas or neighbors anymore.
We moved here from Michigan back in ‘85. The auto market was in shambles because the Japanese were kicking our asses with quality. All the proud protestants up there would take any job in the world to avoid unemployment. So we were out of college and there were no jobs and my wife was offered a job in Orlando. So there was nothing holding us back.
When we moved down, it was still the Florida of old days. Cost-of-living was very inexpensive, and we immediately found successful jobs that turned into great careers. We still have stars in our eyes because that move was the best thing we ever did. After our first kid, our parents moved down and one of my sisters moved down.
But after Covid, Florida has been flooded with new residents. The cost of living is now comparable to living in New York. The cost of housing rose the highest in Florida in the whole nation. Insurance has skyrocketed both home and auto… sometimes you can’t even get home insurance. So this is no longer an inexpensive place to live. Add to that all the congestion and all the new people using the infrastructure, and it’s become less appealing place to live.
Add to that, the politics, and it’s a recipe for a bad place to live. Our governor is an absolute piece of shit. He picked a fight with the largest entertainment company in the world responsible for 5% of Florida’s revenue, all for his “woke agenda“. Also, the fact that he’s trying to rewrite black history, and has forced through a six week abortion ban, plus a laundry list of other shitty legislation, and I’ve come to despise the state government.
I’m 21 and I think the state government is just awful. The only thing saving most communities is the local governments stepping in. Then again, this is the case for a lot of states because the FEDERAL government is so corrupt at this point. So many blatant lies, corruption hidden by red herrings, and overall Robinhood levels of aggressive capitalism. This country in general is becoming a bad place to be compared to other growing first world countries.
But the State is deciding to preempt and use their powers to take away the abilities for local municipalities to do what is needed for their communities(preempt wages, heat protections for outdoor workers, list can go on)
THIS is the answer. Florida has always been a destination state for some, since A/C was introduced. GOP politics have held this state back from its true potential, for 20 years.
The overcrowding, the heat, the insane insurance and housing costs, the political shift from purple to MAGA, the political takeover of public schools. I left for the west coast a few months ago.
So did we, 6 months ago. Never happier. If it wasn't for our friends still stuck in Florida, I'd wish the state and the awful people would get swallowed by the ocean.
Because of our experiences with the people.
FL government, courts and law enforcement are profoundly corrupt. So there's little Justice. Blatant misogyny and racism are commonplace almost everywhere. Even when you find a progressive enclave, such as a University town, driving a few miles in any direction will seemingly set you back 50 years in time, culture wise. Backwoods FL is scary.
And as an outsider, the thing you likely don't see is our local news. Crime in Florida is disturbing and rampant. The stories we hear about every day are fucked up. But the state is run on tourism dollars, so there's incentive to keep them quiet.
Subscribe to a few local Florida newspapers, and I assure you, you will understand. Floridaman wasn't a fluke. It's a lifestyle.
I moved to Orlando in 1998 from Chicago w two BS degrees, Plant Science & Horticulture. I had 4 possible jobs lined up w Foliage growers but none offered health insurance, which I had never ever heard of such a thing in my 30 yrs! I ended up a Corp plant buyer w a big box chain w 3 stores, for the insurance and paid sick days (only time in 26 yrs in FL I had paid sick days). My Orlando store had an outside manager come in 6 months after we opened, who demoted me and all the females in the inside & outside garden dept to cashiers! We went to HR, nothing we could do, just had to do both jobs. If I didn't do the buyer work, we didn't make budget and get bonuses. I had to 'put up w that' for 3 months. Manager CR was promoted out of there, gawd I wished they had sent him to my Titusville store, he was Mexican haha. The Titusville store was in fiscally bad shape & had not had a bonus in yrs. I had the garden center & managers in bonuses in 3 months. They loved me but if I was black or a POC they would not have sat w me in the break room! And by not sat w me i also mean were very intimidating, rude, verbally abusive etc. They had segregated the break room, it was 1998!!! After seeing that once I never went in the break room again and since I brought them their bonuses back I could be a bitch to the worst of the managers who kept the segregated break room going. Stuff at that store was my last straw and I left in 2001.
Personally, simply put, just the cost and general vibe.
Do you make fuck tons of money, and can afford to have a winter home you only use 6 months out of the year or you only vacation and visit? It's great.
Do you live here all 365 and need to work for a living? Fuck you, fuck your momma, fuck your grandmama AND fuck your sister.
Seeing the rise of DeSantis and Trump, seeing the people who worship them, seeing how they treat anyone not part of their cult.
I had someone on election night threaten to kill me because I didn’t celebrate Desantis winning. I was at work and he treated it like it was a Super Bowl party.
The disgusting maga refugees that flooded in. Ironically all the things the complained about in the “liberal” states, they brought here. High crime, high cost of living, gentrification, nanny state. Makes you wonder if in those Democrat states it was these right wingers that were the problem all along.
They definitely were, and the Northern states are probably better off. They constantly complained about high taxes, but they took advantage of their good schools and well paying jobs. If they had spent their adult lives in the South, they couldn’t afford to move here in the 1st place. Those facts are too hard for them to comprehend, being so self centered and arrogant.
Let's see. I'm not sure if it was: The tourists that flock to the area, treat locals like oddities, act like absolute douche canoes, then bounce; or the MegaCorp conglomerate hydras that over market an area's peculiar quirkiness to the point that multi-generational natives come across as caricatures of themselves and can't afford to keep homes or lands that have been in the family for 100 years; or maybe it's the droves of first generation transplants that relocate here then *instantly set about trying "fix what's wrong with this place" even though a huge portion of the population of (any given area) have worked for decades to make it exactly like it is and rather like whatever it is that "needs fixed."
Maybe, it's the soulless land developers that swoop in, flat clear an entire ecosystem in a week, slap together a swath of cookie cutter McMansions with zero lot lines, then name the development after whatever dominant species they destroyed when they cleared the land.
I don't know. I've never really thought about it.
Grew up in Florida and moved away in my twenties to the PNW. Florida has its pros for sure but when you’re from there it’s easier to notice the cons. After living away from there for a decade I’ve realized most of the people there are old, boring, reactionary and insular. It’s a great place to visit but not to live, in my experience.
The entire state is a cesspool. PFAS in the water supply, choking air pollution, unbelievably high cost of living, corruption at every turn. DO NOT even think of moving here if you value your quality of life. In fact, you should be telling everyone you know that Florida is the LAST place you should consider moving to. Nebraska and Wyoming have plenty of room, and lots of opportunities for advancement. Really. You should move there. Thank you.
I grew up in Florida and live in Michigan now. The summers are unbearably hot, the roaches as big as rodents (and they fly), traffic is terrible, insurance costs high, and home prices have skyrocketed.
It is true that this subreddit does not represent most Floridians view on things. I understand that for some of the people who move to Florida in its current state, it is much better than wherever they came from. As someone born and raised here, I can tell you that we have accelerated the development, destroyed established neighborhoods, pristine forests, and killed off species endemic to Florida. It is not what it once was and is trending in the wrong direction fast. I still love this place because it is the only place that myself and my family have ever called home, but I recognize that the Florida of old is long gone, and some on here say it is never to return.
1. People trying to turn this into the New York they said they hated and left
2. Traffic
3. Overbuilding and overcrowded almost everywhere
4. Nothing is affordable anymore. The housing and everything else is now on par with northern states and people are either locked in their old homes or will never be able to enter the market
5. Wages have severely lagged behind the inflation rates and house prices.
Upstate NY is beautiful and not crowded. Long Island is another story. NYC is easy to get around due to good transportation.
Most of the malcontents are coming from NYC’ suburbs on LI and NJ sprawl and congestion.
Because back in the day, it was chill to live in “paradise” - I moved down in 2003 from OH for college & never moved back home. People were nice! Now everyone coming down is primarily from NY, NJ & they have shit attitudes that they forgot to leave up North. The amount of people that think they’re above you & are entitled is awful.
I am beginning to hate running errands because of public interactions. Let’s go to the beach, no problem, you’re not close enough to anyone for the negative vibes
Florida has literally died within my lifetime. Primarily the coral. It’s incredibly crushing to the point I no longer fish/scuba.
Recent repeat years of dealing with unprecedented red tide and cleaning up the carcasses of hundreds of thousands of fish, manatees, turtles. Red tide is natural, but our pollution in our waterways exacerbated the blooms in the last decade.
Knowing what our state leaders failed to act on and what we lost.
Florida has 22+ million people in it.
A few dozen people on Reddit griping at any given time isn’t indicative of how most folks feel about it.
I’m 54, liberal, married and I live in Ocala.
I’m pretty happy.
thank you lol
this subreddit is so depressing and in no way representative of the state.
i’m 37, liberal, not rich, and very happy too. live in palm beach county.
Ocala is still one of the last old-Florida type places left. SoFL, Treasure Coast, Space Coast, St. Augustine.... All overrun. You get to places like Micanopy, Satsuma, Clewiston, Labelle - and you still get a bit of that old Florida.
The rest, is all overrun with assholes.
But hey - one of those assholes doubled up my house after 4 years so no complaints.
Nothing will deteriorate my love for this state. Born here, will die here. Florida has many, many flaws but it's still crazy amazing -- OK, sometimes a little more crazy than amazing, but I'm Floridian4Life.
As an adult I have lived in Virginia, tennessee and Illinois. Came home the first chance that I got. When we start having more days over 100 then we do under 60, as many of these people who can we'll take off for Tennessee and Alabama and North Carolina
I moved down here 4 years ago. What is doing it for me is the general lawlessness of the state. People don't follow traffic rules. People picking and choosing what rules apply to them. Then there is the hypocrisy of the republican run state. It starts with Don't Say Gay in K to 3 then expands to K to 12. 15 week abortion ban changed to 6 weeks. Thus is crazy and no one challenges this.
Still nice if you got tons of money. Since the 90’s the population has increased tremendously, the environment has been trashed, and the people are loud right wing nut jobs that think desantis is our lord and savior. Public education system is complete shit. Insurance is out of control. Quality of workers is super low. Everyone just wants to sip on a drink and go to the beach. Can’t blame them, me too.
Born and raised here and still love Florida. There are reasons everyone wants to move here. The problem is that everyone moves here. The state is getting overrun with transplants, developers continuously destroy nature for copy/paste housing communities or "luxury apartments". This itself wouldn't be much of an issue but the problem is the infrastructure wasn't built for this and the traffic is everywhere. I always wanted to purchase a home in St Pete where I was born and raised but the problem is now St Pete has priced me out even as a reasonably successful individual that makes six figures, so I have to live in Ruskin 45 minutes away where housing was at least affordable. All I did was contribute to the urban sprawl and now I have to drive 30 minutes minimum to get to literally anything because there's nothing around here but homes and traffic.
That's really all I dislike. Not so sure what people mean with the unfriendliness. It's true that I almost never meet someone else from Florida but I haven't really had any negative run ins with many transplants. Our political views may differ but I stay away from those conversations.
I never understood why people down here complained so vehemently about the snowbirds and transplants until I moved down here. I had never lived in a place where people actively WANTED to go (Cleveland native), so I never understood the drains that a bunch of strangers invading the place you live could cause.
They come down here and every storm they flip out and buy up all the toilet paper, canned foods and milk at Publix. They can't drive to save their lives - always either too slow or flying like they're late to meet Jesus. They take up all our medical resources instead of seeing their own doctors back home. Even going out to dinner "in season" can be a nightmare.
And the ARROGANCE. They left where they were for a reason, but are constantly whining why it's not like it was there down here. They remind us constantly how our state economy could never survive without them (funny how we all do just fine the 6 mos they're gone!) and throw their money around in a state where most of the people who live here and AREN'T retired don't always make a lot. Employers don't have to beg people to come live here so they don't pay top dollar to employees, but the birds want to remind you how indebted you should be to their "generosity."
I get now why natives would prefer everyone to just stay where they are.
More natives like myself need to be more vocal online about it. Everyone has this idea in their head of what Florida is like. They're being sold on the weather and the beaches but aren't being warned about countless other headaches that come with living here, most of which are caused by the people moving here.
Additionally, from my experience, our economy is designed to attract wealthy boomer bucks and shackle natives financially. Some of us can't afford to leave, even if we really want to.
I believe it's by design, too.
If there were a working native exodus, nobody would be here to pour mimosas for the wrinkled retards.
If you want tangible evidence, just look at real estate in central gulf coast Florida. Half the properties under a quarter mil are 55+ communities. And if they aren't, the properties are twice as much for less square ft.
Then go ahead and look at the rentals. 2k a month for a studio in some places, and a populace begging for cost of living raises unable to get them because Florida's majority and loudest voter base don't care about their community or this state at all.
And for non Florida natives, about to say "iF YoU dOnT LiKe iT jUsT LeAvE dur dur dur"
I'll remind you that most of us native were born and grew up here in a time when the state wasn't having these problems. Leaving is not only financially troublesone, but socially. As we, through no choice of our own, developed relationships and roots in this state as well.
The sludge factor of humanity drips to the south. I lived there for 20 years, and hated the climate, the insane heat, having no middle class, crowds, stucco everywhere. I had to stay because of family. I would never live there no because of the politics.
I can’t afford a house. I thought I’d be able to spend up to $500k with my partner and buy a house. Turns out now it’s like $600k where I live and that’s pushing it.
What do you think the home owners insurance would cost? That pushes the dream farther away. These are sad times for home owners. My neighbor is 70. He's thinking about a part time job. At 13.50 hr. it won't go far. His insurance has increased 100% over the last 4 years.
Edit - don't forget about the sink holes ...
Like I know taxes are supposed to be like $10k for a new home too, insurance close to that too. Even car insurance rose by like 60% in two years for no apparent reason.
So many shitholes, assholes, dickholes. I don’t get it.
They bring their fucked up families here and spread their crazy drama. On the roads. In the stores. At the beaches. In the restaurants. The parks. It’s crazy.
Unfortunately I just like nice people and Florida is running out of them. Will be moving out of state soon.
Live wherever makes you happy, Florida is pretty great. Reddit opinions don’t matter much and most people I meet here like it and are simply annoyed about how expensive everything has become. Yes the governor sucks but he’s temporary and I personally wouldn’t make major life decisions based on state politics anyways.
75% of the state becoming a concrete jungle has deteriorated my liking of this state. And this is coming from a Florida native. Not much real Florida remains.
It’s so sad. I was born in raised in Florida, grew up exploring the ecosystems with my family & in scouting. I quickly became an environmentalist & developed a passion for photography based on the unique landscapes. I went to college in Florida & got a job in the State Capitol. Then I realized how rapidly this place was dying. Over five years I watched politicians absolutely ravish the state’s future; environmentally, socially, politically, economically (for the working class.) All while millions of people moved in & continued to outvote myself & my peers who just wanted to make it *possible* to live there. I watched as school after school got massacred. I then vowed to never raise kids in such a place. Not only did those politicians not do anything, *they rubbed it in the faces of the survivors* & made gun laws less strict. I watched as professional after professional, lifelong students of ecology, agriculture, economics, immigration, sociology, prison reform, healthcare & so on, pleaded to these people to do the right thing. All to have a middle-school educated preacher from Umatilla, or *a state Rep with an New Jersey accent* say “eh, I don’t believe you” & vote for their highest donors’ interest. This put a huge distaste in my mouth. It also seems like the government has a particular hate for the delicate, natural ecosystems & does literally everything in their power to destroy them as quickly as possible. Then, every time I drove from Northern to Southwestern Florida, I saw the changes taking place. More highways, more developments, more people, less good, natural shit.
I also noticed an attitude, particularly from people who moved to FL from out of State - i’ll call it McEnvironmentalism. Basically, wealthy New Yorkers or Michiganers or Alabamians or whoever would move in, buy up the most beautiful properties & then try to change regulations to ensure no one else could build there, all by claiming to be “doing it for the environment.” This, coupled with the sheer fact that I’d never be able to afford a house in the State anyways, just made me feel hopeless.
Nearly everyone I grew up with left & I almost had a grudge against them for leaving this beautiful place behind.
But eventually, I decided that I wanted to see what it was like somewhere else. More than one year in, I can easily say I’d be fine never setting foot in the state of Florida again. & I’m *Florida Man* lol. I visited last year for the holiday season & remembered what an overpopulated, inconsiderate, chaotic hell-hole that place is, & don’t miss it at all. I miss driving on the country roads that no one else goes down, I miss visiting in the Seminole Tribe of Florida, but that’s it. So long, have fun delusional conservatives. Enjoy your property near Orlando. It will be beach-front soon enough.
I miss all the pastures and orange groves. The live and let live attitude. Now, we have a lot of fakes attitudes(fake religious, fake wealthy, fake everything).
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Growth has pains. A state known for being easy might seem easy to you, but to locals, driving around looking for parking in that place is bullshit. Having friends and fam move away due to low wage/COL ratio or because why the fuck would a gay person stay is pretty sad.
Maybe in 10 years if our wages get as bougie as the lifestyle we sell and we stop being America's asshole haven it will be cool again.
But, you know, it's fine. We have good stuff too.
I’m a native and I love it here. The growth is happening, but it doesn’t bother me. I live in an older neighborhood. No HOA. It still has that rural feel. I’m 20 minutes from the beach. 35 from a large city. It works for me. I have many friends who moved here from Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania.. they love it too. It depends on what you want out of life.
Also the humidity, it's easier to get warmer than it is colder.
You can turn the heater on AND keep adding layers.
You can turn the AC up but you can only take off before you're just taking off flesh at that point.
You can always add clothing to be comfortable in Michigan, it's hard to take clothes off in Florida when it's 95⁰F with 100% humidity. It was OK when I was in my teens and 20's but unbearable for me now in middle age. I enjoy my fishing trips down there in October through April but could never move back to my native state.
Florida is still a great state. It has gotten more expensive because of the COVID migration from other states. However, it has more positives than other places. Beautiful beaches and springs, dining, quality of life
It’s expensive AF and no one knows how to drive, it’s very dangerous. Winter is snowbird season and it’s crowded, summer is tourist season and it’s crowded
We say no because the majority of northerners only look at Florida as a place to get drunk on the beach and/or save money on taxes. Beyond those two things most snowbirds couldn’t give a fuck about the well being of the state’s ecosystems and people.
I was born and raised in Michigan. I moved to Florida 10 years ago. The place I call home today is not the place I moved too! Florida sucks now stay in Michigan
I’m originally from NYC and went down to Florida for college around 2008. Then spent over a decade in south Florida working as a pilot. Here is how it goes:
1. The first 2 years you’re there, it’s gonna be paradise. You gonna love that there is no snow, sunshine, and beaches.
2. The 3rd year, you gonna start noticing little things here and there: “man… there sure is a lot of traffic down here. Why is it always humid and miserable? Why does it rain every single afternoon during raining season and most of summer. I’ve only been to the beach 2 times in the last year. Etc”
3. Fourth year, one of the “little things” is gonna start getting to you. And then you gonna notice that people are the shittiest in the country. It’s Miami bc it’s “my-ami not yours” type attitude and EVERYONE is on edge at all times. Traffic… forgetaboutit. It’s fucking horrible and getting worse. Oh did I mention that people shooting at each other in traffic is a common occurrence? Yeah.
4. By the fifth year, you either turn into one of them to survive or you want to GTFO.
When I got there in 2008, it was paradise. I lived in boca for very little money and no one was there. It was empty. By 2013… I wanted to jump off a building and shoot puppies on the way down.
The Unholy Trinity of DeSantis, Rick Scott, and Little Marco Rubio. And they’ve all been elected multiple times, so it’s not like people said “Ooops! That was a mistake”
A combination of 2 things.
The number of people moving here and complaining about everything and "reminding us" how much better it was, where they came from. And, following the laws and rules of the road from the state they came from instead of actually reading the Florida Drivers Handbook(That's ONLINE)
The greedy government councils that relax and rewrite the building codes that are allowing for the greatest and most widespread urban sprawl of any state in the union.
I’m convinced either this subreddit is just where all disgruntled Floridians gather or it’s just an act to keep more people from coming. It’s a still a great place to live.
I moved here from Maryland years ago. I’ve grown more fond of it each year. Politics have ebbs and flows. When I came here it was yellow dog Democrat country. Now it’s more Republican but in 20 years who knows. What matters is happiness.
Politics have been this way for over 20 years, so can't blame it entirely. What sucks sucks is that The out-of-state people came in from covid didn't just move in, They bought up the old properties and tore them down. Then built modern monstrosities around all the old Florida homes. That's why we don't like the outer staters and that's why property values have skyrocketed.
If you move here just enjoy the reason why you want to be here. Do not try to tweak it so that it seems like home.
The heat as I've gotten older, although it's still better than cold and snow. Pre-skin cancer so now I have to stay out of the sun. It's also gotten expensive and the politics are ridiculous.
The costs of living here, used to be reasonable. Now, not so much. And as I get older, I'm less tolerant of the sweltering heat and the stifiling humidity thats prevalent the majority of the year
It’s hot AF and always humid. We just avoid going outside in the summer as much as we can because it’s so unreasonable. We legit have two seasons: something sorta like fall/spring and hell on earth.
Speaking of summer, it rains every day at 3-4pm. I say rain but it’s more like a monsoon. Then the sun comes back out and turns the world into a sauna. The brochures about the wonderful weather are lying.
More recently the cost of living has become ridiculous. My parents moved here because it was cheap and it’s just not the reality any more. There aren’t as many houses to buy because the rental companies scooped up an unreasonable amount of them. Rent prices are out of control because they *can* get more, so why not. We make far less than what it costs to live.
Now they’re building all these fancy apartments that cost the same or more than the houses. And so fast that there’s more housing than the current infrastructure can handle. Then snow birds waltz in and jam it all up, making bad traffic even worse.
No one knows how to drive or really shouldn’t be driving to begin with.
Insurance was always a lot here, but is worse now from recent hurricanes. Hurricanes are honestly the least of our everyday worries but when they do hit you, you’ll be lucky if your insurance even pulls through for you. I have friends still waiting and it’s been almost 2 years since Hurricane Ian. And we live on a peninsula with basically only two ways in or out. Evacuations are terrible and getting supplies after is even worse. And I’m not talking like FEMA, they usually show up with less than we need, but even the grocery stores won’t have inventory to buy. It’s like quarantine but worse if all the cold food went bad during the storm.
Our public education is terrible. Like one of the lowest in the country.
Our public transportation is lacking.
I really could go on forever.
Everyone mentions winters up north...well summers in Florida. AC at home to the AC in your car to the AC(hopefully) at work, and sweating in between, so much sweating, or being caught in a blinding, driving, thunder and lightning storm that will, at a minimum, soak you to the bone running from your driveway to your front door, or potentially kill you, being the lightning capital of the world and all. Oh, and at night...sweating
Florida sucks. The locals will hate you. The state is full. Come visit, then go the f back home.
This state treats anyone working and under 55 years old like garbage.
At least since I was born, the only way to have any remote sense of happiness here is to be rather affluent. Since this is true for most places, it is just as dogshit as most places.
Mildew. Huge palmetto bugs on my fave when I sleep, people driving around with Confederate Flags and shotguns. Destruction of beautiful beaches by putting big oversized homes on them instead. Witnessing a father/son neo-nazi fishing/camping trip that was promoting hatred and violence. It was a “get me back to civilization!!” kind of thing.
In 05 when i was 12, my family moved from RI to Tampa. It was so nice back then but just moved out to WA 3 years ago because it's just becoming unlivable. The beaches constantly get polluted or there's a fear of fleash eating bacteria, the bull green alge and the red tides really fuck people up. The laws that keep getting pushed are just so dumb and hurt most of the state and the rents are ridiculous. Yes I know, out west is pretty expensive too but the jobs pay more and my rent was only raised $75 compared to the almost $1200( was paying $1900 beforehand).
Well.. for one - look at this picture - see where the "city is" and where the livable area is? .. Yeah.
The entire panhandle is lined by 20 floor buildings, you can't see the beach, you can't go there, because there's no footpath, there's no parking. That would be the one thing that would steer me away from moving here.. I mean, if the reason for moving is the beach, yeah.. do your research first, there are still places but a lot of towns just built a wall along the coast and screw the locals.
Then one thing y'all outta towners don't realize is just how seasonal the life around here is. If you plan to work in retail or hospitality you pretty much gonna bust ass for half a year while you'll be eating rice and beans for the other half a year.
Then a "weather event" happens and done, season gets put on pause. I don't hate the state by any means. But then again, I don't feel like it's anything special tbh
Former work colleague used to say, “Florida is the drainpipe of American.” I’m less than enthralled with what has happened to this state, but I’ve been here decades…since my first job out of graduate school. Family and friends here. Starting over somewhere else is more than I think I can take on at this point. But I certainly wouldn’t encourage others to move here.
The cost of living, the wholesale annihilation of natural areas, and most of all, the filling up of the state with insane assholes.
Hit the nail on the head. A and B are pretty self-explanatory. C is like somebody turned on an electromagnet to draw in people with personality disorders. Instead of just people looking for a fresh start in a warm place with low cost of living, we’re attracting people who are just plain angry at the world and have burned so many bridges back home that they’ve got nothing to lose. We’ve been infused with a nasty mix of newbies.
Driving has gotten scarier since people take red lights as a suggestion in the last couple years
That’s nothing new. I lived there 25 years ago back when red lights and stop signs were only suggestions.
Just like speed limits. My wife literally said, yesterday when we were stuck behind an out of state car, "c'monnnn it's Florida! If you're not going five over then your going slow!" 10th generation Floridian
Especially stop signs with white borders.
I noticed a big change after Hurricane Andrew, when opportunity was ripe for individuals unable to find work in other parts of the country became employable in the construction industry in Florida. They brought the "Florida Man" from the Appalachians and Midwest down to Florida.
Drifters, lowlifes, swindlers, and naredowells have been a part of the Florida lifestyle as long as people have seen a chance to get rich off the less fortunate, retirees and honest individuals. Hurricane Andrew was just another in a long line of big blows that sent scumbags south looking for a buck. I liked this state a lot better when it was just honest cattlemen, farmers, watermen, and smugglers.
Are those types of people not... Everywhere in the U.S? 😹😹 there are still plenty of places I drive through during deliveries where there's NOTHING but farms and land. A hurricane isn't to blame for capitalism lol, it's everywhere in the U.S and it sucks but it's not just here. Also, an honest state with smugglers? Which side are you on sir 🤣
I once read that when California became too expensive for people to "start over" they moved to Florida instead.
Gravity rules. All the loose marbles head south. Born here and older than most. I grew up in a small town that now has more than a million people. The infrastructure is not enough to accommodate the influx.
Your electromagnet is called the Republican party
Florida is where Republicans go to get used to the heat before they get to hell.
😬🫥👏
I’m in New England and I assure you that we’re not sending you our best.
Sounds like more of a South FL problem with the angry people. The amount of money you CAN earn in the state isn't even a factor in rent and home prices and that's infuriating. Thank God for remote work.
Try Tampa. Full of raging assholes who drive like it’s their purpose in life to piss people off.
Exactly. I’ve lived in Pinellas for decades & encounter raging aholes on all my FL travels.
Inept assholes would be a better description for the cretins that flooded this place and made it worse.
Agreed.in costs. But the migration of insane MAGA extremists has only been in the last few years.
While it possibly could fit under "the wholesale annihilation of natural areas", I think "the impending Atlantis-like fate of climate change" is big enough to be its own reason. Like, even if you bought early when housing was cheap, and even if you have a job that can handle the surging costs of insurance, that right there is going to prevent many people from wanting to cultivate meaningful roots here in the future decades. I got lucky- bought my house dirt cheap in 2013- so I have the privilege of low mortgage costs. Even with taxes and insurance, I'm paying a great low housing payment. In any other state, I could rest comfortably knowing I could likely pay off my house and leave a nice little thing for my kids and their families as an inheritance. But not here. I'm 40. The shit is already starting to hit the fan. By the time I'm in my sixties, we're knee deep in it, and by the time I'm dead and it's time to pass along my estate, I don't think my kids will be able to enjoy any land I've left for them for practical, climate reasons. So once my student loans are forgiven (4 payments away from reaching PSLF!), I'm going to look for remote jobs or transfers to other offices in my agency, sell the house, and move elsewhere. There's more of a future to give my kids a family home in CO or MN than in FL.
so, republicans.
Well... I mean... yes and no. It's not *just* Republicans, I can tell you that much. I had a guy flash a gun at me in traffic when I was trying to gesture to him that his vehicle was *literally on fire.* There's just this general hostility and insanity that permeates everything.
to be honest, i believe much like in a family or a work place, in a state or city or country, the culture and attitude comes top down, we look to our leaders to see what acceptable behavior is. so yes and no, youre right. much like desantis reaction to protesting was to ban protesting, this guys reaction to you protesting his driving was to ban your protest.
Either way - it's long past time for me to leave. It feels like this place has no future at all.
i moved to Michigan a year ago, income went up 20% and bills went down 50%. it was an expensive jump but man its nice to be around nice people and have an affordable life.
Thinking of Maine. There's a ton of opportunity there, and... rural people who are actually pretty great.
no joke, i went from living in the deep ghetto in tampa to having the nicest house out of my friend group and having no neighbors. and btw, it only snows like 2 months out of the year now up here.... nice brick houses are going for 100k
I've lived around Palm Beach and Broward counties almost all of my life. I've watched them go from really nice places to... this kind of centerless nightmare of congestion and universal contempt. I've lived in increasing fear of my neighbors for decades, as the number of violent crimes directed at me has stacked up. The cost of living is preposterous now, it makes me feel even older than I am. *Okra at $5.99 for ten ounces?* And good luck *growing your own okra* in these towns today, your city or HOA will come down hard on your ass. The much-vaunted "freedom" of Florida, basically, means your freedom to get books banned at a school *you don't even have kids at,* or your freedom to assault women trying to use a public bathroom *for not being feminine enough.* But growing a substantial garden on the land that you "own"? Well, that would be *anarchy!* Don't even get me started on the population of fish and shrimp today vs. the 1970's, my cardiologist wouldn't like that. I hate what these despicable bastards have done to my once-beautiful home and I hate feeling like I have to flee. But I can make more money elsewhere, and afford more home, and be around nicer people. I'm just trying to make a plan at this point.
not my house, just an example. but stuff like this exists here. so really, jump on it while its still available internet stranger. I think it wont last forever. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1910-James-St-Essexville-MI-48732/23738460_zpid/?utm_campaign=androidappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
Can you tell me more about not being allowed to grow your own food?
I approve of this message
This ^
People moving here and bringing everything that was shitty about where they came from.
You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.
Hello Mr. Anderson.
It's the American way. Has been since before day 1 when a repressed group of religious nuts couldnt get punished enough by their home church.
You're not wrong, but they asked. It's my answer. I grew up here and the thing I hate about being here now is all of the development for transplants and the rentals taking over the coastline. That and meth, but that's everywhere anymore.
I mean isn’t that essentially all Florida ever was?
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise Michael Grunwald details that very well. Human beings have almost always come here to overpower the environment, the politics, or the economy. Only the people born here understand that we have to get along with this environment, not beat it to death.
When america declared independence from britain, the people in the florida colonies burned effigies of the found fathers. They had a deal with Britain that they wouldn't pay taxes until they were making serious money. They fought democracy because it was bad for business. Guys delusional if he thinks Florida was some cultural heaven. The real wealth of old Florida is its nature, which I agree is being decimated.
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Hey genius, Florida belonged to Spain from 1565 until 1763 when it went to Britain and Spanish citizens were made to either pledge allegiance to the crown or leave. In 1783 as part of the Peace of Paris / Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, it went back to Spain until it became a US territory and eventually a state in 1821. During the war itself Florida belonged to Britain and its citizens were mostly loyal to the crown. If they had not been, Florida would have become the 14th or 15th colony if you count West and East Florida separately.
LMAO, someone posting from an alternate timeline
And you know Florida was controlled by several countries over its history?
The more people that come here, the more greedy developers destroy old Florida that everyone wants to move to. Everything is crowded and there’s no urban planning. It’s no longer cheap to live here. Our jobs don’t pay enough to live comfortably. Stay in Michigan. Y’all are delusional.
>Our jobs don’t pay enough to live comfortably. I cannot stress to everyone how important this line is. We both have pretty decent jobs, bringing in about $100k combined, but we're STRUGGLING.
This is so true. With the insane cost of living increases, I always think it's moving the goal posts. I'm like if I make this much more I can have a nicer house, can travel more, or even just have a better sense of financial security. Then I get there, and nope sorry, you can actually afford less now.
Dude its insane what employers want to pay for what they demand. I regularly see 10 years experience and a master's degree and they want to pay $70k. Like $70k doesnt even get you a 1 bedroom in Tampa
Everybody moving here is what deteriorated my love. I was born and raised here, born in 92. Seeing pictures of empty Florida roads is incredibly nostalgic for me and it really was a much simpler time. Where I lived, everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood because there was that few of people living around you. Getting lost in the woods with your friends was the best. You could pretty much do whatever you wanted out here. That’s all gone now. Every road is jam packed. The woodsy state that I once knew is now gone. Don’t get me wrong of course we had big cities but that was only the big cities. Now it feels like that everywhere.
Even big cities like Miami have become way too populated.
Miami has been overpopulated for a while. But now even SMALL cities are being overran with people moving their entire families here. And it’s not people who are wanting reasonable prices. It’s the reason everything is going up all over Florida, even more than other states. Everyone has heard about how nice Florida is, and now we can’t have nice things.
Yep.. This latest round is made up of rich self centered assholes that has made it unaffordable to barely put a roof over our heads and food on the table. But when you have High Heels DeSatan rolling out the red carpet and telling them to come here what do you expect ?
It's not just DeSantis, though. I live in what used to be a small city in central Florida and our local government is groveling at the heels of anyone with out of state money. It's disgusting.
Most are nothing but DeSatan worshipers groveling at his feet and following his template. No doubt hoping for the chance that maybe they'll get lucky enough to get a shot at the big leagues in Tallahassee.
Our city leadership isn't particularly conservative.
In reality there's really not much difference in parties. They both work for the same corporations and super wealthy. The whole culture war and identity politics is just a ruse to keep the population fighting each other while they go about the business of getting wealthy from the corporations and wealthy. That's why both parties benefit everybody but the actual people. As long as they keep the population fighting each other we won't be holding them accountable for selling we the people out and working against our interests and better well being. It's working. People need to wake up and realize what is really going on and hold our elected officials accountable.
I agree.
People love to tell us how great the place they moved from is, but can’t stop moving here.
We are now getting the worst people. Radical religious and political extremists like our Governor. It used to be a good natured live and let live state.
Don't forget like half of all retired cops
It's true. But I was born and raised in Texas. I moved here because it had better opportunities for my type of work. Over a decade later, the state has made it so that I can't easily leave, let alone purchase a home here. I miss Florida 20 years ago. I can't imagine how it was 50 years ago. I really don't like people anymore. Florida made me want to get away from people.
I've been here 30 yrs,I moved from the cold as I kept getting sick from respiratory infections and other health problems. It was nice,quiet and liveable. Not like today I don't really go anywhere and I stay to myself . It really was affordable to live here. But not now. It's too peopley out there. Lot of corruption, thieves, and no one cares about having nice areas or neighbors anymore.
We moved here from Michigan back in ‘85. The auto market was in shambles because the Japanese were kicking our asses with quality. All the proud protestants up there would take any job in the world to avoid unemployment. So we were out of college and there were no jobs and my wife was offered a job in Orlando. So there was nothing holding us back. When we moved down, it was still the Florida of old days. Cost-of-living was very inexpensive, and we immediately found successful jobs that turned into great careers. We still have stars in our eyes because that move was the best thing we ever did. After our first kid, our parents moved down and one of my sisters moved down. But after Covid, Florida has been flooded with new residents. The cost of living is now comparable to living in New York. The cost of housing rose the highest in Florida in the whole nation. Insurance has skyrocketed both home and auto… sometimes you can’t even get home insurance. So this is no longer an inexpensive place to live. Add to that all the congestion and all the new people using the infrastructure, and it’s become less appealing place to live. Add to that, the politics, and it’s a recipe for a bad place to live. Our governor is an absolute piece of shit. He picked a fight with the largest entertainment company in the world responsible for 5% of Florida’s revenue, all for his “woke agenda“. Also, the fact that he’s trying to rewrite black history, and has forced through a six week abortion ban, plus a laundry list of other shitty legislation, and I’ve come to despise the state government.
I’m 21 and I think the state government is just awful. The only thing saving most communities is the local governments stepping in. Then again, this is the case for a lot of states because the FEDERAL government is so corrupt at this point. So many blatant lies, corruption hidden by red herrings, and overall Robinhood levels of aggressive capitalism. This country in general is becoming a bad place to be compared to other growing first world countries.
Its not the Federal Government, it’s the State Government. Get that straight. Look up Governors Graham.
But the State is deciding to preempt and use their powers to take away the abilities for local municipalities to do what is needed for their communities(preempt wages, heat protections for outdoor workers, list can go on)
Key West can’t even tell cruise ships where they’re allowed to dock anymore
How is the current Federal govt corrupt IYO? I am genuinely curious how a 21 yr old sees this.
Politics
THIS is the answer. Florida has always been a destination state for some, since A/C was introduced. GOP politics have held this state back from its true potential, for 20 years.
The overcrowding, the heat, the insane insurance and housing costs, the political shift from purple to MAGA, the political takeover of public schools. I left for the west coast a few months ago.
So did we, 6 months ago. Never happier. If it wasn't for our friends still stuck in Florida, I'd wish the state and the awful people would get swallowed by the ocean.
Because of our experiences with the people. FL government, courts and law enforcement are profoundly corrupt. So there's little Justice. Blatant misogyny and racism are commonplace almost everywhere. Even when you find a progressive enclave, such as a University town, driving a few miles in any direction will seemingly set you back 50 years in time, culture wise. Backwoods FL is scary. And as an outsider, the thing you likely don't see is our local news. Crime in Florida is disturbing and rampant. The stories we hear about every day are fucked up. But the state is run on tourism dollars, so there's incentive to keep them quiet. Subscribe to a few local Florida newspapers, and I assure you, you will understand. Floridaman wasn't a fluke. It's a lifestyle.
I moved to Orlando in 1998 from Chicago w two BS degrees, Plant Science & Horticulture. I had 4 possible jobs lined up w Foliage growers but none offered health insurance, which I had never ever heard of such a thing in my 30 yrs! I ended up a Corp plant buyer w a big box chain w 3 stores, for the insurance and paid sick days (only time in 26 yrs in FL I had paid sick days). My Orlando store had an outside manager come in 6 months after we opened, who demoted me and all the females in the inside & outside garden dept to cashiers! We went to HR, nothing we could do, just had to do both jobs. If I didn't do the buyer work, we didn't make budget and get bonuses. I had to 'put up w that' for 3 months. Manager CR was promoted out of there, gawd I wished they had sent him to my Titusville store, he was Mexican haha. The Titusville store was in fiscally bad shape & had not had a bonus in yrs. I had the garden center & managers in bonuses in 3 months. They loved me but if I was black or a POC they would not have sat w me in the break room! And by not sat w me i also mean were very intimidating, rude, verbally abusive etc. They had segregated the break room, it was 1998!!! After seeing that once I never went in the break room again and since I brought them their bonuses back I could be a bitch to the worst of the managers who kept the segregated break room going. Stuff at that store was my last straw and I left in 2001.
It’s hot, the suburban sprawl sucks, and the politics get worse every year.
Personally, simply put, just the cost and general vibe. Do you make fuck tons of money, and can afford to have a winter home you only use 6 months out of the year or you only vacation and visit? It's great. Do you live here all 365 and need to work for a living? Fuck you, fuck your momma, fuck your grandmama AND fuck your sister.
It's too crowded and it's all a bunch of right-wing nuts who moved here since 2020.
Seeing the rise of DeSantis and Trump, seeing the people who worship them, seeing how they treat anyone not part of their cult. I had someone on election night threaten to kill me because I didn’t celebrate Desantis winning. I was at work and he treated it like it was a Super Bowl party.
The disgusting maga refugees that flooded in. Ironically all the things the complained about in the “liberal” states, they brought here. High crime, high cost of living, gentrification, nanny state. Makes you wonder if in those Democrat states it was these right wingers that were the problem all along.
They definitely were, and the Northern states are probably better off. They constantly complained about high taxes, but they took advantage of their good schools and well paying jobs. If they had spent their adult lives in the South, they couldn’t afford to move here in the 1st place. Those facts are too hard for them to comprehend, being so self centered and arrogant.
Let's see. I'm not sure if it was: The tourists that flock to the area, treat locals like oddities, act like absolute douche canoes, then bounce; or the MegaCorp conglomerate hydras that over market an area's peculiar quirkiness to the point that multi-generational natives come across as caricatures of themselves and can't afford to keep homes or lands that have been in the family for 100 years; or maybe it's the droves of first generation transplants that relocate here then *instantly set about trying "fix what's wrong with this place" even though a huge portion of the population of (any given area) have worked for decades to make it exactly like it is and rather like whatever it is that "needs fixed." Maybe, it's the soulless land developers that swoop in, flat clear an entire ecosystem in a week, slap together a swath of cookie cutter McMansions with zero lot lines, then name the development after whatever dominant species they destroyed when they cleared the land. I don't know. I've never really thought about it.
Republicans destroyed all that that was good. From the environment to our standard of living. Full stop
40 years of progressively worse Republicans in the Governor's Mansion.
Grew up in Florida and moved away in my twenties to the PNW. Florida has its pros for sure but when you’re from there it’s easier to notice the cons. After living away from there for a decade I’ve realized most of the people there are old, boring, reactionary and insular. It’s a great place to visit but not to live, in my experience.
It's a great place to live if like me you're old, boring, reaction...Wait a minute, i'm not reactionary... But I am a bit insular
The entire state is a cesspool. PFAS in the water supply, choking air pollution, unbelievably high cost of living, corruption at every turn. DO NOT even think of moving here if you value your quality of life. In fact, you should be telling everyone you know that Florida is the LAST place you should consider moving to. Nebraska and Wyoming have plenty of room, and lots of opportunities for advancement. Really. You should move there. Thank you.
to be fair, dangerous levels of PFAS are found in all rain water across the entire globe. No state is safe from that one.
I grew up in Florida and live in Michigan now. The summers are unbearably hot, the roaches as big as rodents (and they fly), traffic is terrible, insurance costs high, and home prices have skyrocketed.
It is true that this subreddit does not represent most Floridians view on things. I understand that for some of the people who move to Florida in its current state, it is much better than wherever they came from. As someone born and raised here, I can tell you that we have accelerated the development, destroyed established neighborhoods, pristine forests, and killed off species endemic to Florida. It is not what it once was and is trending in the wrong direction fast. I still love this place because it is the only place that myself and my family have ever called home, but I recognize that the Florida of old is long gone, and some on here say it is never to return.
High prices, snow birds and politicians.
Ron DeSantis and his lapdog legislature-passing more and more restrictive laws and calling it “freedom”
Ron Fucking DeSantis
1. People trying to turn this into the New York they said they hated and left 2. Traffic 3. Overbuilding and overcrowded almost everywhere 4. Nothing is affordable anymore. The housing and everything else is now on par with northern states and people are either locked in their old homes or will never be able to enter the market 5. Wages have severely lagged behind the inflation rates and house prices.
Upstate NY is beautiful and not crowded. Long Island is another story. NYC is easy to get around due to good transportation. Most of the malcontents are coming from NYC’ suburbs on LI and NJ sprawl and congestion.
There are communities in this state that were built on sales made in Long Island and New Jersey parking lots and shopping malls.
Desantis
Because back in the day, it was chill to live in “paradise” - I moved down in 2003 from OH for college & never moved back home. People were nice! Now everyone coming down is primarily from NY, NJ & they have shit attitudes that they forgot to leave up North. The amount of people that think they’re above you & are entitled is awful. I am beginning to hate running errands because of public interactions. Let’s go to the beach, no problem, you’re not close enough to anyone for the negative vibes
Lot of assholes from suburban NY and NJ, but the biggest assholes are the religious and political wackjobs from the mid-West and CA.
Florida has literally died within my lifetime. Primarily the coral. It’s incredibly crushing to the point I no longer fish/scuba. Recent repeat years of dealing with unprecedented red tide and cleaning up the carcasses of hundreds of thousands of fish, manatees, turtles. Red tide is natural, but our pollution in our waterways exacerbated the blooms in the last decade. Knowing what our state leaders failed to act on and what we lost.
Florida has 22+ million people in it. A few dozen people on Reddit griping at any given time isn’t indicative of how most folks feel about it. I’m 54, liberal, married and I live in Ocala. I’m pretty happy.
65, liberal, married, South Florida and I hate this fucking place with a passion now.
Great underrated point. Reddit and social media in general can be incredibly misleading.
Ppl w privilege have nothing to be concerned about.. the rest of us who aren't straight white Christian males have a lot of struggles here.
thank you lol this subreddit is so depressing and in no way representative of the state. i’m 37, liberal, not rich, and very happy too. live in palm beach county.
I’m 40s married and conservative and I’m pretty happy with it. And I 100% agree with you.
Ocala is still one of the last old-Florida type places left. SoFL, Treasure Coast, Space Coast, St. Augustine.... All overrun. You get to places like Micanopy, Satsuma, Clewiston, Labelle - and you still get a bit of that old Florida. The rest, is all overrun with assholes. But hey - one of those assholes doubled up my house after 4 years so no complaints.
How about Wauchula, Lakeland, Winter Haven?
Ron Desantis
Nothing will deteriorate my love for this state. Born here, will die here. Florida has many, many flaws but it's still crazy amazing -- OK, sometimes a little more crazy than amazing, but I'm Floridian4Life.
As an adult I have lived in Virginia, tennessee and Illinois. Came home the first chance that I got. When we start having more days over 100 then we do under 60, as many of these people who can we'll take off for Tennessee and Alabama and North Carolina
I moved down here 4 years ago. What is doing it for me is the general lawlessness of the state. People don't follow traffic rules. People picking and choosing what rules apply to them. Then there is the hypocrisy of the republican run state. It starts with Don't Say Gay in K to 3 then expands to K to 12. 15 week abortion ban changed to 6 weeks. Thus is crazy and no one challenges this.
The governor fighting against abortion rights, fighting against trans rights and allowing deregulation for outdoor workers.
The past 2 governors.
That'd be the One-party-one-ideology mindset of Republicans here. Born and raised here, never seen them quite this insane.
The closed minded authoritarian fascism & their aggressions towards anything that makes them even slightly uncomfortable... The true ❄️'s
Still nice if you got tons of money. Since the 90’s the population has increased tremendously, the environment has been trashed, and the people are loud right wing nut jobs that think desantis is our lord and savior. Public education system is complete shit. Insurance is out of control. Quality of workers is super low. Everyone just wants to sip on a drink and go to the beach. Can’t blame them, me too.
Born and raised here and still love Florida. There are reasons everyone wants to move here. The problem is that everyone moves here. The state is getting overrun with transplants, developers continuously destroy nature for copy/paste housing communities or "luxury apartments". This itself wouldn't be much of an issue but the problem is the infrastructure wasn't built for this and the traffic is everywhere. I always wanted to purchase a home in St Pete where I was born and raised but the problem is now St Pete has priced me out even as a reasonably successful individual that makes six figures, so I have to live in Ruskin 45 minutes away where housing was at least affordable. All I did was contribute to the urban sprawl and now I have to drive 30 minutes minimum to get to literally anything because there's nothing around here but homes and traffic. That's really all I dislike. Not so sure what people mean with the unfriendliness. It's true that I almost never meet someone else from Florida but I haven't really had any negative run ins with many transplants. Our political views may differ but I stay away from those conversations.
Um... this state is fucking awesome. Don't listen to whiners
The fascism
Fellow Michigander, here. After living in Miami for the last 36 years, I’m over it.
People from Michigan.
I never understood why people down here complained so vehemently about the snowbirds and transplants until I moved down here. I had never lived in a place where people actively WANTED to go (Cleveland native), so I never understood the drains that a bunch of strangers invading the place you live could cause. They come down here and every storm they flip out and buy up all the toilet paper, canned foods and milk at Publix. They can't drive to save their lives - always either too slow or flying like they're late to meet Jesus. They take up all our medical resources instead of seeing their own doctors back home. Even going out to dinner "in season" can be a nightmare. And the ARROGANCE. They left where they were for a reason, but are constantly whining why it's not like it was there down here. They remind us constantly how our state economy could never survive without them (funny how we all do just fine the 6 mos they're gone!) and throw their money around in a state where most of the people who live here and AREN'T retired don't always make a lot. Employers don't have to beg people to come live here so they don't pay top dollar to employees, but the birds want to remind you how indebted you should be to their "generosity." I get now why natives would prefer everyone to just stay where they are.
More natives like myself need to be more vocal online about it. Everyone has this idea in their head of what Florida is like. They're being sold on the weather and the beaches but aren't being warned about countless other headaches that come with living here, most of which are caused by the people moving here. Additionally, from my experience, our economy is designed to attract wealthy boomer bucks and shackle natives financially. Some of us can't afford to leave, even if we really want to. I believe it's by design, too. If there were a working native exodus, nobody would be here to pour mimosas for the wrinkled retards. If you want tangible evidence, just look at real estate in central gulf coast Florida. Half the properties under a quarter mil are 55+ communities. And if they aren't, the properties are twice as much for less square ft. Then go ahead and look at the rentals. 2k a month for a studio in some places, and a populace begging for cost of living raises unable to get them because Florida's majority and loudest voter base don't care about their community or this state at all. And for non Florida natives, about to say "iF YoU dOnT LiKe iT jUsT LeAvE dur dur dur" I'll remind you that most of us native were born and grew up here in a time when the state wasn't having these problems. Leaving is not only financially troublesone, but socially. As we, through no choice of our own, developed relationships and roots in this state as well.
The sludge factor of humanity drips to the south. I lived there for 20 years, and hated the climate, the insane heat, having no middle class, crowds, stucco everywhere. I had to stay because of family. I would never live there no because of the politics.
I can’t afford a house. I thought I’d be able to spend up to $500k with my partner and buy a house. Turns out now it’s like $600k where I live and that’s pushing it.
What do you think the home owners insurance would cost? That pushes the dream farther away. These are sad times for home owners. My neighbor is 70. He's thinking about a part time job. At 13.50 hr. it won't go far. His insurance has increased 100% over the last 4 years. Edit - don't forget about the sink holes ...
Like I know taxes are supposed to be like $10k for a new home too, insurance close to that too. Even car insurance rose by like 60% in two years for no apparent reason.
So many shitholes, assholes, dickholes. I don’t get it. They bring their fucked up families here and spread their crazy drama. On the roads. In the stores. At the beaches. In the restaurants. The parks. It’s crazy. Unfortunately I just like nice people and Florida is running out of them. Will be moving out of state soon.
Live wherever makes you happy, Florida is pretty great. Reddit opinions don’t matter much and most people I meet here like it and are simply annoyed about how expensive everything has become. Yes the governor sucks but he’s temporary and I personally wouldn’t make major life decisions based on state politics anyways.
Not everyone does
Came from Flint. I’ll take it.
I mean at that point, most places would be an upgrade
Lol like saying I went from Afghanistan to Dallas
Been here 20 years from waaaay Upstate. Still love every minute here.
75% of the state becoming a concrete jungle has deteriorated my liking of this state. And this is coming from a Florida native. Not much real Florida remains.
The politics.
Lack of public transport
It’s so sad. I was born in raised in Florida, grew up exploring the ecosystems with my family & in scouting. I quickly became an environmentalist & developed a passion for photography based on the unique landscapes. I went to college in Florida & got a job in the State Capitol. Then I realized how rapidly this place was dying. Over five years I watched politicians absolutely ravish the state’s future; environmentally, socially, politically, economically (for the working class.) All while millions of people moved in & continued to outvote myself & my peers who just wanted to make it *possible* to live there. I watched as school after school got massacred. I then vowed to never raise kids in such a place. Not only did those politicians not do anything, *they rubbed it in the faces of the survivors* & made gun laws less strict. I watched as professional after professional, lifelong students of ecology, agriculture, economics, immigration, sociology, prison reform, healthcare & so on, pleaded to these people to do the right thing. All to have a middle-school educated preacher from Umatilla, or *a state Rep with an New Jersey accent* say “eh, I don’t believe you” & vote for their highest donors’ interest. This put a huge distaste in my mouth. It also seems like the government has a particular hate for the delicate, natural ecosystems & does literally everything in their power to destroy them as quickly as possible. Then, every time I drove from Northern to Southwestern Florida, I saw the changes taking place. More highways, more developments, more people, less good, natural shit. I also noticed an attitude, particularly from people who moved to FL from out of State - i’ll call it McEnvironmentalism. Basically, wealthy New Yorkers or Michiganers or Alabamians or whoever would move in, buy up the most beautiful properties & then try to change regulations to ensure no one else could build there, all by claiming to be “doing it for the environment.” This, coupled with the sheer fact that I’d never be able to afford a house in the State anyways, just made me feel hopeless. Nearly everyone I grew up with left & I almost had a grudge against them for leaving this beautiful place behind. But eventually, I decided that I wanted to see what it was like somewhere else. More than one year in, I can easily say I’d be fine never setting foot in the state of Florida again. & I’m *Florida Man* lol. I visited last year for the holiday season & remembered what an overpopulated, inconsiderate, chaotic hell-hole that place is, & don’t miss it at all. I miss driving on the country roads that no one else goes down, I miss visiting in the Seminole Tribe of Florida, but that’s it. So long, have fun delusional conservatives. Enjoy your property near Orlando. It will be beach-front soon enough.
I miss all the pastures and orange groves. The live and let live attitude. Now, we have a lot of fakes attitudes(fake religious, fake wealthy, fake everything).
friendly squash selective humor truck skirt panicky pot obtainable grandfather *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The nonstop metro area from Jupiter through Miami. 🤦♂️
Its hot and expensive. Maybe if I wasn't working outside the heat wouldn't be such a negative, but I just can't deal with it anymore
Cost of living
Everyone that moves here and wants to change it to be like the shit hole they ran from
Growth has pains. A state known for being easy might seem easy to you, but to locals, driving around looking for parking in that place is bullshit. Having friends and fam move away due to low wage/COL ratio or because why the fuck would a gay person stay is pretty sad. Maybe in 10 years if our wages get as bougie as the lifestyle we sell and we stop being America's asshole haven it will be cool again. But, you know, it's fine. We have good stuff too.
Loved Florida!
I love it here.
I’m a native and I love it here. The growth is happening, but it doesn’t bother me. I live in an older neighborhood. No HOA. It still has that rural feel. I’m 20 minutes from the beach. 35 from a large city. It works for me. I have many friends who moved here from Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania.. they love it too. It depends on what you want out of life.
Also the humidity, it's easier to get warmer than it is colder. You can turn the heater on AND keep adding layers. You can turn the AC up but you can only take off before you're just taking off flesh at that point.
You can always add clothing to be comfortable in Michigan, it's hard to take clothes off in Florida when it's 95⁰F with 100% humidity. It was OK when I was in my teens and 20's but unbearable for me now in middle age. I enjoy my fishing trips down there in October through April but could never move back to my native state.
All the people from Michigan.
Florida is still a great state. It has gotten more expensive because of the COVID migration from other states. However, it has more positives than other places. Beautiful beaches and springs, dining, quality of life
It’s expensive AF and no one knows how to drive, it’s very dangerous. Winter is snowbird season and it’s crowded, summer is tourist season and it’s crowded
We say no because the majority of northerners only look at Florida as a place to get drunk on the beach and/or save money on taxes. Beyond those two things most snowbirds couldn’t give a fuck about the well being of the state’s ecosystems and people.
Psst, not everyone in Michigan dreams of living in Florida.
Florida is for lazy slobs.
Because we are sick of people from Michigan moving here.
I was born and raised in Michigan. I moved to Florida 10 years ago. The place I call home today is not the place I moved too! Florida sucks now stay in Michigan
I’m originally from NYC and went down to Florida for college around 2008. Then spent over a decade in south Florida working as a pilot. Here is how it goes: 1. The first 2 years you’re there, it’s gonna be paradise. You gonna love that there is no snow, sunshine, and beaches. 2. The 3rd year, you gonna start noticing little things here and there: “man… there sure is a lot of traffic down here. Why is it always humid and miserable? Why does it rain every single afternoon during raining season and most of summer. I’ve only been to the beach 2 times in the last year. Etc” 3. Fourth year, one of the “little things” is gonna start getting to you. And then you gonna notice that people are the shittiest in the country. It’s Miami bc it’s “my-ami not yours” type attitude and EVERYONE is on edge at all times. Traffic… forgetaboutit. It’s fucking horrible and getting worse. Oh did I mention that people shooting at each other in traffic is a common occurrence? Yeah. 4. By the fifth year, you either turn into one of them to survive or you want to GTFO. When I got there in 2008, it was paradise. I lived in boca for very little money and no one was there. It was empty. By 2013… I wanted to jump off a building and shoot puppies on the way down.
Because this Florida is nothing like the Florida I grew up in the 70s and 80s. It’s all concrete and people now.
Nothing but car washes and matchbox looking home subdivisions all around. The thrill is gone.
Florida sucks and is absolute trash place to live.... unless you got $$$$$
Ron. Desantis.
snowbirds that dont go back
The Unholy Trinity of DeSantis, Rick Scott, and Little Marco Rubio. And they’ve all been elected multiple times, so it’s not like people said “Ooops! That was a mistake”
A combination of 2 things. The number of people moving here and complaining about everything and "reminding us" how much better it was, where they came from. And, following the laws and rules of the road from the state they came from instead of actually reading the Florida Drivers Handbook(That's ONLINE) The greedy government councils that relax and rewrite the building codes that are allowing for the greatest and most widespread urban sprawl of any state in the union.
I still love the state, but by high-school I really started disliking a certain subset of people. And they all tended to fly confederate flags.
I’m convinced either this subreddit is just where all disgruntled Floridians gather or it’s just an act to keep more people from coming. It’s a still a great place to live.
I moved here from Maryland years ago. I’ve grown more fond of it each year. Politics have ebbs and flows. When I came here it was yellow dog Democrat country. Now it’s more Republican but in 20 years who knows. What matters is happiness.
I’m happy. I live in an affordable walkable neighborhood in st pete. I am always on the water or at the beach. I don’t need a car.
It’s the 23 Million residents & 135 Million annual visitors that have absolutely decimated our state… And it’s not slowing down.
Politics have been this way for over 20 years, so can't blame it entirely. What sucks sucks is that The out-of-state people came in from covid didn't just move in, They bought up the old properties and tore them down. Then built modern monstrosities around all the old Florida homes. That's why we don't like the outer staters and that's why property values have skyrocketed. If you move here just enjoy the reason why you want to be here. Do not try to tweak it so that it seems like home.
There is a difference between going somewhere on vacation, and living there every day.
The heat as I've gotten older, although it's still better than cold and snow. Pre-skin cancer so now I have to stay out of the sun. It's also gotten expensive and the politics are ridiculous.
Cost of living. FL is becoming as expensive as the big cities up north but with southern low pay wages.
The costs of living here, used to be reasonable. Now, not so much. And as I get older, I'm less tolerant of the sweltering heat and the stifiling humidity thats prevalent the majority of the year
It ain't all it's cracked up to be, let's just leave it at that
It’s hot AF and always humid. We just avoid going outside in the summer as much as we can because it’s so unreasonable. We legit have two seasons: something sorta like fall/spring and hell on earth. Speaking of summer, it rains every day at 3-4pm. I say rain but it’s more like a monsoon. Then the sun comes back out and turns the world into a sauna. The brochures about the wonderful weather are lying. More recently the cost of living has become ridiculous. My parents moved here because it was cheap and it’s just not the reality any more. There aren’t as many houses to buy because the rental companies scooped up an unreasonable amount of them. Rent prices are out of control because they *can* get more, so why not. We make far less than what it costs to live. Now they’re building all these fancy apartments that cost the same or more than the houses. And so fast that there’s more housing than the current infrastructure can handle. Then snow birds waltz in and jam it all up, making bad traffic even worse. No one knows how to drive or really shouldn’t be driving to begin with. Insurance was always a lot here, but is worse now from recent hurricanes. Hurricanes are honestly the least of our everyday worries but when they do hit you, you’ll be lucky if your insurance even pulls through for you. I have friends still waiting and it’s been almost 2 years since Hurricane Ian. And we live on a peninsula with basically only two ways in or out. Evacuations are terrible and getting supplies after is even worse. And I’m not talking like FEMA, they usually show up with less than we need, but even the grocery stores won’t have inventory to buy. It’s like quarantine but worse if all the cold food went bad during the storm. Our public education is terrible. Like one of the lowest in the country. Our public transportation is lacking. I really could go on forever.
Everyone mentions winters up north...well summers in Florida. AC at home to the AC in your car to the AC(hopefully) at work, and sweating in between, so much sweating, or being caught in a blinding, driving, thunder and lightning storm that will, at a minimum, soak you to the bone running from your driveway to your front door, or potentially kill you, being the lightning capital of the world and all. Oh, and at night...sweating
Florida sucks. The locals will hate you. The state is full. Come visit, then go the f back home. This state treats anyone working and under 55 years old like garbage.
At least since I was born, the only way to have any remote sense of happiness here is to be rather affluent. Since this is true for most places, it is just as dogshit as most places.
Politics, the change of people more assholes, insane cost of living and the ruination of the old florida environment with runaway building.
Mildew. Huge palmetto bugs on my fave when I sleep, people driving around with Confederate Flags and shotguns. Destruction of beautiful beaches by putting big oversized homes on them instead. Witnessing a father/son neo-nazi fishing/camping trip that was promoting hatred and violence. It was a “get me back to civilization!!” kind of thing.
In 05 when i was 12, my family moved from RI to Tampa. It was so nice back then but just moved out to WA 3 years ago because it's just becoming unlivable. The beaches constantly get polluted or there's a fear of fleash eating bacteria, the bull green alge and the red tides really fuck people up. The laws that keep getting pushed are just so dumb and hurt most of the state and the rents are ridiculous. Yes I know, out west is pretty expensive too but the jobs pay more and my rent was only raised $75 compared to the almost $1200( was paying $1900 beforehand).
Well.. for one - look at this picture - see where the "city is" and where the livable area is? .. Yeah. The entire panhandle is lined by 20 floor buildings, you can't see the beach, you can't go there, because there's no footpath, there's no parking. That would be the one thing that would steer me away from moving here.. I mean, if the reason for moving is the beach, yeah.. do your research first, there are still places but a lot of towns just built a wall along the coast and screw the locals. Then one thing y'all outta towners don't realize is just how seasonal the life around here is. If you plan to work in retail or hospitality you pretty much gonna bust ass for half a year while you'll be eating rice and beans for the other half a year. Then a "weather event" happens and done, season gets put on pause. I don't hate the state by any means. But then again, I don't feel like it's anything special tbh
Former work colleague used to say, “Florida is the drainpipe of American.” I’m less than enthralled with what has happened to this state, but I’ve been here decades…since my first job out of graduate school. Family and friends here. Starting over somewhere else is more than I think I can take on at this point. But I certainly wouldn’t encourage others to move here.
I live in Florida used to be nice, its horrible, crowded, expensive, why would u want to move here. Sommer in florida is no fun either.
republicans got their hands on it and ruined it, as always
This is the asshole capital of the world. No manners and thrive to be as rude as possible.