New data shows that the boom in migration to Florida may finally be slowing after the state welcomed hundreds of thousands of new residents in recent years. Some Florida residents argued that the slowdown could be linked to issues under the state’s Republican-led government, headed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
According to NBC Miami, a new report from the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida shows that migration to the Sunshine State “fell sharply” in 2025, with 201,191 people moving to the state, compared with 598,737 new residents in 2022, when the migration boom peaked.
Areas such as Miami-Dade and Broward counties led the state in domestic outmigration, losing nearly 73,000 residents to other counties and states. However, the report does not explain why fewer people are moving to Florida. The decline in population in areas such as Miami is often attributed, at least in part, to the high cost of living, which is particularly steep in those regions.
Residents Are Not Very Happy with Florida
Residents on Reddit’s r/Florida had their own opinions about why Florida is no longer attracting as many new residents, and many linked the trend to the Republican-led DeSantis administration. One user wrote: “I love how people come for the DeSantis hype, but find out this is an expensive place with runaway costs to live from all angles.” Some people agreed that “people started to realize that, despite the propaganda, the state ain’t all it’s talked up to be.”
Among the complaints were the high cost of living, poor public services, and cuts to Social Security. One user touched on those issues sarcastically, saying: “What’s that? The Republican candidate I voted for, campaigned for, and harassed my nephew over made cuts to my Social Security? This is an outrage!”
One person who had left the state echoed that sentiment: “Born and raised in Florida. I was lucky to escape, and looking back, if I had stayed, I wouldn’t be able to retire with the cost of living and what my job type pays in that state vs where I live now. Leaving the state was the best decision I ever made.”
It remains to be seen whether Florida’s population growth will continue or whether migration to the state will keep slowing, but some residents are already making predictions. One user argued: “The youngest boomer is 61 today. We still have about 5 – 10 years before retirement migration becomes a trickle. Then we will see what happens to the housing market.”
