The trend that started decades ago continued to accelerate in recent years as people from across the United States moved to parts of the country with lower taxes and better weather. No state benefited as much as Florida.

Florida led the country in the “net domestic migration” of residents, meaning the difference between those who decided to move to  Florida and those who left Florida for other states. The U.S. Bureau reported that Florida gained 220,890 residents in 2021, followed by Texas at 170,307 and Arizona at 93,026.

Where do people who move to Florida come from? The top state comes as no surprise to Floridians. The federal data shows that thousands made the move from New York to Florida, a time-honored tradition that started in the late 1800s.

But other states also have sent people to Florida in remarkable numbers.

People Making the Move to Florida

The census bureau data shows exactly where people are coming from when they relocate to Florida. Keep in mind that these are not the domestic net migration numbers, but the total number of people who left one state to move to Florida.

New York

A staggering 57,488 people decided to move from New York to Florida in 2019. There’s been a New York-to-Florida pipeline of people since the early 20th century as New Yorkers seek better weather, lower taxes and a business-friendly environment. Florida surpassed New York in recent years to become the third most populous state in the country.

Georgia

More people from Florida’s neighbor to the north are making the move to the Sunshine State. In 2019 alone, 49,681 people made the Georgia to Florida move. Many seek to escape high state income taxes in Georgia and to capitalize on the job opportunities in big cities such as Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. George residents also have the benefit of Florida being just a relatively short move to make.

Pennsylvania

Another cold-weather state in the northeast provides plenty of domestic migrants to Florida, with 34,965 making the move. Like New Yorkers, many people in Pennsylvania seek to escape higher taxes and harsh winter weather. Like New York, Pennsylvania – the fifth-biggest state – has lost population in recent years.

Ohio

In Ohio, 30,335 decided to make the move to Florida. The Ohio to Florida route is another popular one over the years, with many Midwesterners deciding to seek the warmer climate of the Sunshine State. Moving from Columbus to Tampa ranks among the most popular moves between the two states.

California

Census data shows 28,628 people moved from California to Florida, making it the state losing the fifth-highest amount of people to the Sunshine State. It’s a long move, but Californians seeking to continue living in a warm climate but without the high taxes find Florida meets their needs.

New Jersey

In many parts of South Florida, whole neighborhoods consist of people from New York and New Jersey. In 2019, 28,222 people moved from New Jersey to Florida, for the same reasons people move from New York: weather, taxes, more affordable housing, and much lower cost of living.

North Carolina

Like Georgia, people in North Carolina who want to move have the benefit of living within a short distance to Florida – 28,207 of them made the move in 2019. One of the most popular routes is Los Angeles to Orlando, although the cities of Jacksonville, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami also attract people from North Carolina.

Texas

The Lone Star State is known for attracting new residents, but 26,174 left Texas for Florida. Because the two states are so similar in tax structure, housing costs, and living expenses, many make the move because of a new job or to live closer to more beaches. 

These eight states sent the most people to Florida in 2019, the latest full-year where statistics are available. Given the continued rapid growth of Florida in 2021, expect those numbers to continue to grow in the coming years.