New York has fully reopened after the tight restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic – but migration from the Empire State to Florida has accelerated this year, according to new data.
A total of 21,546 New Yorkers traded their driver’s license for the Sunshine State version in the first four months of this year — a 12% increase over the same period in 2021.
The 2022 totals are 55% higher than the first four months of last year before the 2019 pandemic.
Mayor Eric Adams has speculated that the exodus from Florida would slow down — and that some evacuees would return — once the city reopens.
Hizzoner has dealt directly with the Florida runoff, even putting up billboards around the state to lure former Gothamites back to their city of origin.
But the end of COVID-19 restrictions and the return to full-time classes have so far failed to stem the tide outward to cities like Miami, Palm Beach and Jacksonville, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety.
A total of 61,728 New York state residents switched to Florida licenses last year — a number that will be surpassed in 2022 if current trends continue.
Some observers have argued that New York’s quality of life issues took hold in the place of the coronavirus and continue to drive displacement.
Tony Palm Beach County has received the most New York defectors so far this year with 2,935, followed by Broward County with 1,946 and Miami-Dade with 1,777.
Migration from New Jersey to Florida has also increased by 9% this year.
A total of 10,580 Garden State residents turned in their licenses, compared to 9,664 for the same period in 2021.
Rounding out the tristate segment are Connecticut to Florida official departures this year, which are up 4%, rising to 4,119 this year from 3,950 in the first four months of 2021.
A total of 9,645 California residents became formal Floridians in 2022, a significant 18% increase from the same period last year when 8,166 made the move.
After New York, New Jersey and California, Pennsylvania has had the most emigration to Florida so far this year with 8,412 license exchanges, followed by Illinois with 8,149.
