Leaving Florida? You’re not alone
They left the snow behind in Ohio, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania and headed for Florida. Ten or twenty years later, a lot of them are packing up again. This time they’re only going halfway back north.
There’s a name for them: halfbacks. Demographers at the University of Florida use the term for people who moved to Florida to escape Northern winters, then resettled somewhere in between, like the Carolinas.
The numbers show how big the shift has become. In 2025, about 45,700 Americans aged 65 and older moved to Florida. Nearly 44,900 moved out. Florida still draws more retirees than any state, but it now loses almost as many as it gains.
And the state gaining the most? South Carolina.
Why Floridians are heading north
Ask a halfback why they left and you’ll usually hear some mix of the same reasons.
Insurance. Florida is now the most expensive state in the country to insure a home. The average annual premium rose to nearly $8,300 in 2025, up 18 percent in one year and more than two and a half times the national average. More than 20 insurers have stopped writing new policies in the state or left entirely.
Cost of living. Over the past decade, Florida home prices rose about 93 percent, outpacing the national increase. HOA fees, utilities, and groceries have followed. As one University of Florida demographer put it, Florida isn’t the bargain it once was.
Heat and crowds. Summers that stretch from May to October, traffic, overdevelopment, and busier doctors’ offices wear on people over time.
Family. Florida is a long way from grandkids in Ohio or Pennsylvania. Moving to the Carolinas can turn a two-day drive into a one-day drive.
Why South Carolina, and why Myrtle Beach
South Carolina led the nation in net gain of retirement-age residents in 2025, with 5,427 more people 65 and older moving in than moving out. Of the roughly 14,000 older adults who moved to the state, more than 1 in 8 came from Florida. U-Haul’s 2026 midyear report ranked South Carolina first in the country for net gain of baby boomers.
Myrtle Beach gives halfbacks most of what drew them to Florida, with fewer of the trade-offs:
- The beach. Sixty miles of Grand Strand coastline. Nobody gives up the ocean to move here.
- Real seasons, mild ones. Warm summers, a long fall, and short winters. You’ll see a jacket day, not a shovel day.
- Golf. The Grand Strand has long been one of the country’s top golf destinations, with courses minutes from almost anywhere you live. [Add course count once verified.]
- Closer to family. Myrtle Beach sits within a day’s drive of much of the Northeast and Midwest. [Add drive times to 2–3 key cities once verified.]
- Easy travel. Myrtle Beach International Airport has nonstop flights to many Northern cities. [Confirm current routes before publishing.]
- Healthcare. Major hospitals and specialists are in the area. [Name the nearest systems once confirmed.]
- Taxes. South Carolina is considered tax-friendly for retirees. [Have a CPA or advisor confirm the current details on Social Security, retirement income, and property tax before publishing.]
Leave Florida, keep the lifestyle
Most halfbacks don’t leave Florida because they stopped loving it. They loved the waterfront, the Mediterranean look, and the evenings outside. What they didn’t love was the price tag that came with it.
That’s the idea behind Lauderdale Bay Estates. The community was designed as a little piece of South Florida on the Grand Strand. The streets have names like Las Olas Drive, Dania Beach Drive, and Pompano Court. The home plans are named for Florida’s coastal towns: the Delray, the Pompano, the Palm, the Hollywood, the Pembrook, and the Hallandale. For anyone who spent years in Broward or Palm Beach County, it feels familiar right away.
What you get here:
- Waterfront living on the Intracoastal. Lauderdale Bay Estates is the first new community on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway in Myrtle Beach in more than 20 years.
- Sunsets over the water. The community faces west across the waterway, with a community dock for fishing, kayaking, or just watching the boats.
- Mediterranean homes built for the coast. All-brick construction with stucco accents, wrought iron front doors, arched entries, and tray ceilings.
- Single-story plans you can customize with a local builder.
- A low HOA. [Confirm the current amount.]
- Close to everything. About 5 minutes to Market Common and about 10 minutes to the beach.
Thinking about the move? Start here
A second relocation is a big decision. Before you list your Florida home, work through these:
- Get a real insurance quote. Coastal South Carolina isn’t immune to storms. Ask a local agent to quote the specific home or lot you’re considering, including flood coverage, so you’re comparing actual numbers.
- Check the flood zone. Look up any property on FEMA’s flood maps and ask the builder about elevation.
- Run your tax numbers. Florida has no state income tax; South Carolina does, with breaks for retirees. Have your CPA compare your actual situation in both states.
- Visit in more than one season. Come in August and again in January so you know what you’re signing up for.
- Map your healthcare. Find your doctors and specialists before you move, and confirm your Medicare plan works here.
- Time the sale and the build. If you’re building new, line up your Florida sale with your construction timeline so you’re not paying for two homes for long.
Come see it for yourself
If you’ve been thinking about leaving Florida but don’t want to give up waterfront living, come see Lauderdale Bay Estates. Phase II homesites are available now.
Questions? Call Ashley Taylor at Native Homes Realty, 843-215-9379