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10 Lies You’ve Been Told About Retiring in Florida (And Probably Believed)

Retiring in Florida sounds perfect, but the numbers tell a different story.

By Josh Koebert , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated April 28, 2026

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Florida has developed a reputation for being the ideal state to retire to. With warm beaches, no income tax, cheap housing, and great medical care, many older Americans made the move to the Sunshine State. However, things are not as sunny as you might have been led to believe.

In 2025, almost as many Americans 65 and older left Florida as moved there, according to AARP, showing that the state isn't some idyllic paradise. In fact, despite the conventional wisdom out there, the Sunshine State may no longer be a good place to retire to anymore. So, it may be a smart money move for seniors to avoid moving there.

Here are 10 lies you've been told about retiring in Florida.

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Florida is cheap to live in

If you take a look at major metro areas like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, you'll see they cost more than 20% above average to live there. Groceries also average $287 per week for a Florida household, states 55Places.

Apartments.com notes that rent in major markets ranges from $1,600 to $2,300 per month, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey reports that households headed by someone 65 or older spent roughly $61,000 per year on all expenses in 2024.

Who really has the cheapest auto insurance in your area? Check your zip code here.

Housing is affordable

The median single-family home in Florida was a whopping $413,990 in 2025, according to National Mortgage Professional. AARP also notes that from 2014 to 2024, housing costs in Florida rose by 132%, the second-largest spike among states.

Using data from Redfin, in just five years, the median price of a single-family home jumped by roughly $150,000, or 60%. Prices have softened slightly in some markets, but prospective retirees should budget accordingly.

No state income tax makes it a tax haven

Yes, Florida's zero-income tax is real and genuinely valuable. The state doesn't touch Social Security, pensions, 401(k) withdrawals, or investment income, which could really boost your overall retirement income.

However, the savings are frequently offset by costs that don't get the same headlines. According to Florida TaxWatch, property taxes in Florida soared 108% from 2015 to 2025.

Critically, when you buy a new home in Florida, the previous owner's homestead cap disappears, and your tax assessment resets to current market value, which is a shock many out-of-state buyers don't anticipate. Hardly a tax haven.

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Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.

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Homeowner's insurance is just a minor line item

Florida has the highest homeowner's insurance premiums in the country. While the market has shown some stabilization, the average annual premium is now around $3,815, with growth slowing, reports James Moore.

Other estimates put the figure significantly higher. According to Bankrate, that's an average of $5,695 per year for a $300,000 home, rising to $700 or more per month in markets like West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Separate flood insurance is often required as well. These costs could consume a significant portion of a fixed-income retiree's monthly budget.

Florida's health care is world-class for seniors

Florida does have excellent hospitals, such as the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, and Tampa General Hospital. Those nationally-ranked facilities represent the ceiling, not the floor.

The Commonwealth Fund ranked Florida #39 overall for health system performance in 2025. SeniorLiving.org gave Florida a D+ grade for senior health care and outcomes. Top-tier care exists, but access to it is far from guaranteed, especially outside major metro areas.

Medicare and savings cover long-term care costs

Most retirees underestimate how quickly care expenses could overwhelm a retirement budget. Medicare does not cover assisted living or long-term custodial care.

Florida Medicaid does cover nursing home care, but requires applicants' monthly income to be $2,982 or less, according to the American Council on Aging. Home- and community-based Medicaid services have approximately 116,200 enrollment spots statewide, with waitlists for those who don't qualify for immediate placement in a nursing home, reports MedicaidLongTermCare.

Retirement News: Almost 80% of Americans fear a retirement age increase — here’s the real reason why

The weather is always ideal

The Sunshine State gets roughly 230 sunny days a year, reports the Naples Daily News, but it also gets six months of hurricane season. Throw in intense daily thunderstorms for much of the summer, and the heat index that could reach 110 degrees on some days.

Using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, since 1980, Florida has experienced 94 separate weather-related events, each causing over $1 billion in damage, with 38.7% of total costs concentrated in just the three years from 2022 to 2024. For retirees with mobility concerns, the physical demands of hurricane preparedness are a real and recurring burden.

 It's easy to leave if it doesn't work out

Retirees often sell their homes in higher-cost states to buy in Florida, using the equity difference to fund retirement. If Florida doesn't work out, reversing course is expensive.

Selling a condo with high HOA fees in a softening market means accepting a reduced price or waiting a long time. As of February 2026, the median number of days on market was 83, according to Redfin, which is not a great sign.

A Florida condo is the perfect low-maintenance retirement home

Until recently, this was true. However, in the wake of the deadly Surfside condo collapse, Florida passed sweeping new safety laws requiring structural inspections and fully funded reserve accounts for buildings three stories or taller.

This has caused HOA dues in Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale to rise by more than 15%, reports NewsNation. According to Redfin, Miami condo fees now average $835 per month.

Senior communities make retirement affordable and simple

Florida is known for its retirement communities, but they're not all they're cracked up to be. At The Villages, the country's largest retirement community, residents pay a cost of living of $758 to $1,159 per month, according to the College Brothers.

This is on top of many other fees. Add all of this up, and suddenly, the average retiree can't afford any of these communities.

Bottom line

A comfortable retirement in Florida costs roughly $60,000 per year, states the Motley Fool, and after accounting for the average Social Security benefit of $24,000 annually, the remaining $36,000 must be funded from savings.

Working backward using the 4% rule, that means you would need a nest egg of approximately $900,000, yet the typical American household has saved just $200,000 by age 65. For retirees who do have the savings, the tax advantages are real, the weather delivers, and the senior infrastructure is unmatched in scale. The Florida dream isn't dead, but it requires going in with a solid retirement plan to cover the costs that don't make the brochure.

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