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This. There are a few regular Florida haters I see on here, which appears to be largely due to politics and cost of living. It’s the same way people hate California, also for politics and cost of living.
Florida ranks 33rd in cost of living...near the middle. If you dont live w/in 45 mins to a beach or along the Gold Coast, & don't shop at Publix or Whole Foods, the costs go way down.
It doesn't take much effort to live in FLA affordably. Most don't need to cut costs, so they don't.
I live in Florida affordably, w/ just a few wise decisions.
If Florida was a crappy place, it would be cheap to live. If people want cheap, move to West Virginia, or Mississippi.
First off, there are more PEOPLE now than there were 20 years ago. So it stands to reason that more people would be visiting Florida than visited 20 years ago.
Second, Disney World, Epcot, all the other Orlando-area amusement parks, attract more people than say, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, for example.
Third, there are a LOT more retirees living in Florida now, than there were living here 20 years ago. That means a LOT more grandkids visiting now, than visited here 20 years ago.
Those are some reasons why there are so many more people *visiting* now than there were 20 years ago.
As for people moving down here, well the "more people, period" still applies. More people = more people moving when they hit retirement age.
It also means more adult children moving down here to be with their retired parents, than there were 20 years ago. Especially now with the costs of long-term health care that isn't covered by Medicare being SO expensive, many families have moved to become their parents' caregivers.
Florida wouldn't be nearly as bad as it is, if it weren't for the people living in it who have SUCH a huge problem with anyone daring to move here.
Maybe Florida should've built a big, beautiful wall at their border. Have Cuba pay for it.
I get all of this but I’m sorry that number of visitors is 1/3 of the entire (published) population. The number is staggering and it’s not family visits driving things up.
The Florida population (published) is 22M.
Last edited by stank1964; 02-09-2024 at 06:04 PM..
I get all of this but I’m sorry that number of visitors is 1/3 of the entire (published) population. The number is staggering and it’s not family visits driving things up.
The Florida population (published) is 22M.
This state runs on tourism. It's WHY we don't have a state income tax - because we have a robust tourism industry and tourism taxes cover a lot of our state's expenses.
That, PLUS families visiting retirees, COMBINED, is why this state has so many visitors.
I get all of this but I’m sorry that number of visitors is 1/3 of the entire (published) population. The number is staggering and it’s not family visits driving things up.
The Florida population (published) is 22M.
FLA is expected to have 140M visitors in 2024, so the ratio is almost 7 visitors to 1.
1M are estimated to be snowbirds who stay 1 month or longer...which I think is way low based upon my 30+ years living in several Florida cities on both coasts.
FLA is expected to have 140M visitors in 2024, so the ratio is almost 7 visitors to 1.
1M are estimated to be snowbirds who stay 1 month or longer...which I think is way low based upon my 30+ years living in several Florida cities on both coasts.
There are definitely more than 1M snowbirds in Florida lol
FLA is expected to have 140M visitors in 2024, so the ratio is almost 7 visitors to 1.
1M are estimated to be snowbirds who stay 1 month or longer...which I think is way low based upon my 30+ years living in several Florida cities on both coasts.
Jeez there's around 60,000 snowbirds JUST in The Villages, not counting all the surrounding 55+ communities that also have snowbirds.
FLA is expected to have 140M visitors in 2024, so the ratio is almost 7 visitors to 1.
1M are estimated to be snowbirds who stay 1 month or longer...which I think is way low based upon my 30+ years living in several Florida cities on both coasts.
75-80M of those 140M are going to Orlando. The state should treat it better.
There's easily TWICE the estimated amount, but I dont know how to prove it.
In my area of SW FLA, we have very few short-term tourists, mostly Snow Birds who are here for months...I'd estimate 75% of all visitors are here for 3 months, or longer.
If FLA was so bad, why are so many coming here for so long each year? FLA isn't the only place in the World that has nice Winter weather...why not SOCAL? Carribean? Mexico? Why don't more go to AZ?
There's easily TWICE the estimated amount, but I dont know how to prove it.
In my area of SW FLA, we have very few short-term tourists, mostly Snow Birds who are here for months...I'd estimate 75% of all visitors are here for 3 months, or longer.
If FLA was so bad, why are so many coming here for so long each year? FLA isn't the only place in the World that has nice Winter weather...why not SOCAL? Carribean? Mexico? Why don't more go to AZ?
Yep. I'm far from being a snowbird, as I live in Florida (Orlando currently) and am not of that age, but we have a vacation home in Charlotte County that mainly serves as a house for those from up North to use as the "Florida Home." When I go there, it looks like a good half of the neighborhood has out-of-state plates on their cars.
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