# Why Are Californians Moving to Florida? Affordability Is a Big Reason, ‘Wokeness’ Probably Not  ## Metadata - Author:: [[Don Lee]] - Full Title:: Why Are Californians Moving to Florida? Affordability Is a Big Reason, ‘Wokeness’ Probably Not - Category: #articles - URL: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-03-09/are-californians-really-packing-up-for-florida-as-desantis-claims ## Highlights #### Are people leaving California in greater numbers than those moving into the state? > Yes, for the first time in many years, California seems to be experiencing a net decline in total population. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxc40zf5ym4tqwcw3a7c7d)) > state’s population dropped by about 211,000 from 2021 out of a total population of 39 million ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxcf9tecrtj0m2vqjsef0m)) #### Are more Californians pulling up stakes and heading for the Sunshine State? > But bear in mind that the actual number of people involved is tiny as a share of California’s overall population. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxdye3q1821zswe4yeb0p7)) > The total of all those moving from California to Florida amounted to 29,000 people, based on changes in driver’s licenses. IRS data suggest that the total might be a few thousand more. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxe925b1546n3b4ey80nfh)) #### Is the migration a one-way street, or is there movement from Florida to California? #### Who is leaving the state for Florida? > All across the country, not just in California or Florida, Americans who move from one state to another tend to be on the younger side: in their 20s and 30s. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxfmazzhj9srdbjk6fch2d)) > When it comes to Florida, that pattern does not hold, at least not for California. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxfvgbkk0ekeas50162krk)) > those moving to all other states, according to Census Bureau data analyzed by Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxg25cqxa71bdbt1kadhyf)) > In that regard, older Californians are just following an old and well-trodden path: With its low sales tax and no state personal income tax, cheaper housing and all-around lower cost of living, Florida has been a magnet for older Americans going back a century or more ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxgf8va9gpb4bw5rwns4b7)) #### Are high-earning, educated Californians moving to Florida? > Public Policy Institute of California have shown that, in general, people moving out of the state tend to have lower education and incomes than people coming into California. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxhfcae1n1amyk82vtgbkh)) > But economically speaking, older migrants’ most productive years are usually behind them ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxhyj837hp134e3thbdhej)) #### What are other reasons Californians are moving to Florida? > Jobs, whether a transfer or a new one, are the No. 1 reason people make interstate moves ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxjq0g0xrrjapxsthx0q7v)) #### What about political ideology and liberal policies, which DeSantis says is the driving force? > It’s hard to say for sure. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxm06dvcjad1y4gsrpgs2b)) > all points on the political spectrum say most people move for basic economic reasons. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxmzymys87dyfbz8049qc1)) > not based on ‘wokeness ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxn9gwgs2aa4fgw5kfjngd)) > It’s about the life stage people are in — and ‘wokeness’ is not a stage of the life cycle.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxnfrp4xpxnp2ce70bc1nr)) #### Is there an ethnic or racial aspect to this issue? > So although whites compose just 35% of California’s population, they accounted for 59% of those who have moved to Florida in recent years, according to census data tabulated by Frey. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxp8290fjt13p7d6x05kzv)) #### So what does the future hold in the California-Florida battle? > Florida is likely to continue to draw older people and retirees ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxpr7g1sr5cwv52yd12gk4)) > states. > “What’s new is that Florida has emerged as an alternative for industries that have historically been big in California,” said Joel Kotkin, a fellow at Chapman University who has written widely on California demographic, social and economic trends. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxq4akb41qw5gv6vstesmg)) > Californians never had the motivation to move to Florida for the weather.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxrc55dddprxr41znzd1vh)) # Why Are Californians Moving to Florida? Affordability Is a Big Reason, ‘Wokeness’ Probably Not  ## Metadata - Author:: [[Don Lee]] - Full Title:: Why Are Californians Moving to Florida? Affordability Is a Big Reason, ‘Wokeness’ Probably Not - Category: #articles - URL: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-03-09/are-californians-really-packing-up-for-florida-as-desantis-claims ## Highlights #### Are people leaving California in greater numbers than those moving into the state? > Yes, for the first time in many years, California seems to be experiencing a net decline in total population. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxc40zf5ym4tqwcw3a7c7d)) > state’s population dropped by about 211,000 from 2021 out of a total population of 39 million ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxcf9tecrtj0m2vqjsef0m)) #### Are more Californians pulling up stakes and heading for the Sunshine State? > But bear in mind that the actual number of people involved is tiny as a share of California’s overall population. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxdye3q1821zswe4yeb0p7)) > The total of all those moving from California to Florida amounted to 29,000 people, based on changes in driver’s licenses. IRS data suggest that the total might be a few thousand more. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxe925b1546n3b4ey80nfh)) #### Is the migration a one-way street, or is there movement from Florida to California? #### Who is leaving the state for Florida? > All across the country, not just in California or Florida, Americans who move from one state to another tend to be on the younger side: in their 20s and 30s. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxfmazzhj9srdbjk6fch2d)) > When it comes to Florida, that pattern does not hold, at least not for California. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxfvgbkk0ekeas50162krk)) > those moving to all other states, according to Census Bureau data analyzed by Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxg25cqxa71bdbt1kadhyf)) > In that regard, older Californians are just following an old and well-trodden path: With its low sales tax and no state personal income tax, cheaper housing and all-around lower cost of living, Florida has been a magnet for older Americans going back a century or more ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxgf8va9gpb4bw5rwns4b7)) #### Are high-earning, educated Californians moving to Florida? > Public Policy Institute of California have shown that, in general, people moving out of the state tend to have lower education and incomes than people coming into California. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxhfcae1n1amyk82vtgbkh)) > But economically speaking, older migrants’ most productive years are usually behind them ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxhyj837hp134e3thbdhej)) #### What are other reasons Californians are moving to Florida? > Jobs, whether a transfer or a new one, are the No. 1 reason people make interstate moves ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxjq0g0xrrjapxsthx0q7v)) #### What about political ideology and liberal policies, which DeSantis says is the driving force? > It’s hard to say for sure. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxm06dvcjad1y4gsrpgs2b)) > all points on the political spectrum say most people move for basic economic reasons. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxmzymys87dyfbz8049qc1)) > not based on ‘wokeness ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxn9gwgs2aa4fgw5kfjngd)) > It’s about the life stage people are in — and ‘wokeness’ is not a stage of the life cycle.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxnfrp4xpxnp2ce70bc1nr)) #### Is there an ethnic or racial aspect to this issue? > So although whites compose just 35% of California’s population, they accounted for 59% of those who have moved to Florida in recent years, according to census data tabulated by Frey. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxp8290fjt13p7d6x05kzv)) #### So what does the future hold in the California-Florida battle? > Florida is likely to continue to draw older people and retirees ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxpr7g1sr5cwv52yd12gk4)) > states. > “What’s new is that Florida has emerged as an alternative for industries that have historically been big in California,” said Joel Kotkin, a fellow at Chapman University who has written widely on California demographic, social and economic trends. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxq4akb41qw5gv6vstesmg)) > Californians never had the motivation to move to Florida for the weather.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gvxxrc55dddprxr41znzd1vh))