By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Florida has been known as a retirement haven since the 1920s. But a recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the Sunshine State’s reign is nearing an end—or at least heading downhill.

Rising costs lead to relocation
Real estate prices in Florida have started to fall, but property taxes have increased, especially for newcomers and part-time residents. And the recent bout of hurricanes has hiked property insurance rates above their already sky-high costs. Top it all off with a two-tier tax system, and you’ve got an undesirable destination for homeowners.

Florida’s population growth has slowed in the past few years as a result of “halfbacks,” retirees who moved there a decade ago and are now relocating to Mid-Atlantic states like New Jersey.

‘Half-back’ heaven
Lydia and Robert Gaines have been commuting from Florida to Cedar Crest, in Pompton Plains, for four years. But they say they’re getting closer to settling down at Cedar Crest for good.

“Here, we are near some of our kids. We like to be near New York, and we think the natural beauty is much greater than in Florida,” Lydia Gaines says. “It’s the facilities, like the on-campus medical center, and cultural events here that offer what we want. Plus our friends are constantly moving in.”

Lydia Gaines says she and her husband are members of the Eureka Society (a  science club on campus) and a book group. They also frequently travel to New York, which is only 26 miles away, to see the Philharmonic U.C. orchestra and Museum Mile. 

“Every time we unpack in Florida, our friends ask us when we’re going to settle down there, and I think to myself, ‘Not there—in New Jersey!’” she says.