Moving from Florida to Georgia: Pros and Cons

Florida is the story everyone hears about, but the traffic runs both directions. Roughly 275,000 people moved out of Florida in the latest Census numbers, and the top two destinations are Georgia and Texas.

So why do families make the reverse move? For a lot of them, the answer is the place where the monthly math changes first: insurance.

The single biggest reason I hear from Floridians weighing this move is insurance. Florida homeowners insurance averages $5,800 to $8,300 a year. Georgia runs $1,900 to $2,300.

That is $4,000 to $6,000 a year in savings before flood coverage is even considered. Florida premiums jumped roughly 42% in a single recent year and run about three times the national average.

The median home in Florida is around $397,000, in Georgia around $327,000. Rent runs about 22% higher in Florida.

Georgia's cost of living sits roughly 12% lower overall, and closer to 24% lower once rent is included. On a monthly payment, that difference shows up fast.

They moved from the Northern states, like New York, Pennsylvania, Philly, New Jersey, and New England, down to Florida and then realized that because of the hurricanes and humid hot weather, they then decided to move back to northern Georgia, where the climate is a little cooler. These are the halfbacks.

You can make this a bit of a play that halfbacks in Australian rugby league are the little generals that can. They're a bit like the quarterback in the NFL

And this is not a small, quiet trickle anymore. Florida's net gain of residents aged 65 and older collapsed to just +815 in 2025, after decades of leading the nation in inbound retirees. Georgia is one of the top destinations, right alongside South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Florida has no state income tax. Georgia's flat rate is 4.99% for 2026, with a path to 3.99% if revenue goals are met. On a $100,000 income, that is roughly $3,400 a year in state income tax.

You also give up warmer winters, the coast, and big job markets in Tampa, Orlando, and South Florida. For some families those are worth real money, and I would never argue otherwise.

Georgia's $65,000 retirement income exemption makes the two states nearly identical on state tax for many retirees. The no-income-tax Florida edge matters most to higher earners.

Property taxes are basically a wash. Georgia's effective rate is 0.79% versus Florida's 0.78%, about $40 a year difference on a $400,000 home.

The mountains, four seasons, less hurricane exposure, and more house for the money. Homeowners insurance in Georgia stays far calmer than Florida's because the storm risk is lower.

For a lot of families the math flips the moment insurance is on the table. Florida still wins for people who value no income tax, the coast, and warm winters and can absorb the housing and insurance costs.

Georgia wins for budget-conscious buyers, anyone tired of hurricane season, and people who want more house for the money. In my experience, that last group is a big one.

And if the move is running the other direction, the Florida side of this comparison covers the tax and lifestyle case for the Sunshine State, and the Leaving Georgia playbook handles the seller end of an out-of-state move.

Figures in this post are general comparisons, not estimates for a specific home, policy, or tax return. Verify rates, premiums, and exemptions with a licensed professional before you make a move.

Rob Dietrich | eXp Realty

Georgia REALTOR® | License #384162