The high cost of living is causing half of all Floridians to consider moving out of state, according to a new study

News and views for thoughtful Floridians and other Americans

Courtesy of St. Merkorious Charity

The high cost of living—including housing, food, and everyday expenses—is causing half of all Floridians to consider packing up and leaving the state, according to a new study by Florida Atlantic University’s Business and Economic Polling Initiative.

Of those residents who have at least thought about moving out, fully half say they are serious about it—in other words, it’s more than a passing notion for a quarter of the state’s population.

Of course, this is not just a concern here in the Gunshine State. Other surveys show fully three-quarters of the national population is worried about its economic security.

Indeed, 65 percent of all Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction regarding the cost of living and inflation.

And the decision by the Trump administration to slow-walk the release of food stamp funds is only throwing gasoline on that fire.

(And isn’t it odd how Trump and his co-conspirators can find the funds to redecorate White House bathrooms and bulldoze the entire East Wing of “the people’s house” but can’t come up with the dough to feed children?)

Furthermore, unless Democrats are successful in forcing Republicans in Congress to reconsider their Big Bloated Budget Bill, the cost of health insurance will soon skyrocket for Americans who rely on discounts provided by the Affordable Health Care Act.

Regarding the Florida Atlantic University study, here are the highlights (or lowlights, really):

The majority of Floridians are hanging on to the American Dream, but rising housing costs and everyday expenses make it difficult to achieve.

While a majority (53 percent of Floridians) believe the American Dream still holds true today, 42 percent think it no longer does.

The high cost of living is a pressure point for the state, as 90 percent of residents are at least somewhat concerned about inflation, and 80 percent are concerned with housing affordability.

Living paycheck to paycheck due to affordability issues has also become the norm, with 43 percent of respondents saying they live paycheck to paycheck, while 26 percent say they do so occasionally. Only 48 percent have an emergency fund covering at least three months of expenses.

“Floridians believe in the American Dream, but they are paying dearly for it,” said Monica Escaleras, chair of the university’s Department of Economics and director of the study. “The Florida promise of sun, growth and upward mobility remains alive, but it is getting expensive to hold on to.

“For most Floridians, financial security feels one expense away from collapse. Many of those surveyed attributed the high cost of living to not being able to save more.”

As regards the 50 percent of Floridians who say they have considered moving out of Florida due to the cost of living:

“The moving consideration rate is striking as it suggests that while Florida attracts new residents, many current ones feel squeezed enough to think about leaving,” said Eric Levy, assistant director of the study. “An affordability anxiety shadows Florida’s boom economy: can residents afford to live here and provide for themselves?”

Despite economic constraints, 77 percent still see homeownership as part of the American Dream. However, only 51 percent are at least somewhat confident they could buy a home today, a press release about the study says.

The majority of people in Florida and elsewhere are feeling the economic pinch and are worried about their financial futures. What’s your point of view about all this? Share your thoughts by clicking the COMMENTS link at the bottom of this post. Thanks.

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