After a record number of New Yorkers moved to Florida in 2022, new polling finds that a majority fled the Democratic-controlled state for lower taxes and better economic opportunities.
Twenty-eight percent of respondents told BestBrokers, a trading information site, that they moved to Florida for lower taxes, while 25 percent pointed to lower costs of living. Fifteen percent said "better job and career opportunities" motivated their move. Warmer weather only accounted for 5.4 percent of relocations, according to the survey.
The data come as Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R.) gears up for a likely 2024 presidential run. The Republican frequently points to Florida's success in attracting residents from blue states with his business- and taxpayer-friendly policies.
At least one-fifth of the 300,000 Americans who moved to Florida last year came from New York, according to driver's license data provided by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
During a visit to Staten Island last week, DeSantis commented on New Yorkers' exodus to his state.
"When you're out there setting the agenda, not just for Florida, but really for the nation, which we've done over the last few years, people see that, and people who don't necessarily like that are going to respond accordingly," DeSantis said.
DeSantis won by nearly 19 points in November, the largest margin in a Florida gubernatorial race in 40 years. He hasn't shied away from controversial positions, including calling out woke educational curricula and stripping special protections from Disney over the company's left-wing agenda.
DeSantis pointed to the prioritization of left-wing values as a reason for New York's troubles.
"The reason you have what you have here and, in some of these other jurisdictions, is they are putting woke ideology ahead of your safety as New Yorkers," he said last week.