Retirees Are Rethinking Florida and Moving To These 5 More Affordable Southern States Instead
In 2025, an impressive 45,696 seniors moved to Florida according to a 2026 study by Hire A Helper, more than any other state.
Unfortunately for the Sunshine State, more seniors left Florida than any other state, too. Florida had a net gain of just 815 Americans aged 65 and over.
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“The ‘half-backer’ migration pattern of Northerners retiring to Florida only to leave and move partway closer to home again is surging,” explained Keith Lucas, retirement relocation strategist of RetirementLifeUSA.com.
Retirees like the warm weather, low-tax climate, beaches and friendlier culture — but they don’t like the expensive homeowners insurance, high condo fees and booming real estate prices. Insurify found that the average homeowners insurance bill jumped 18% to nearly $8,300 in 2025, roughly two and a half times the national average.
That begs the question however: Where are today’s retirees moving? Here are the five Southern states where retirees are moving to instead of Florida.
South Carolina
South Carolina saw the largest net migration of seniors with 5,427, according to the Hire A Helper report.
To begin with, housing remains relatively affordable. Zillow puts the average home price at $306,323, a noticeable 17% discount from the national average of $368,697.
The Palmetto State also enjoys relatively low taxes, ranking 38th in the country for total tax burden per WalletHub. Plus, the state charges no income taxes on Social Security benefits.
Residents still enjoy warm weather and beaches, but also get access to mountains. It’s also closer to home for many retirees from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.
Texas
Texas famously charges no income taxes, a boon for retirees looking to stretch their nest egg as far as possible. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that the barbecue is so good.
The Lone Star State has also done a great job keeping housing affordable however, despite a massive influx of new residents over the past decade. They’ve tamped down on NIMBY-ism and encouraged new home construction, which has kept the average home price to $299,367.
Meanwhile, Texas saw its population boom 391,243 last year according to the U.S Census Bureau — the most of any state. They saw the second-highest net gain of seniors aged 65 and over, with 5,156.
North Carolina
Ranking third for net migration of seniors, North Carolina drew 3,202 new retirees last year.
Christina Mehltretter, financial advisor with Carolinas Financial and Retirement Planning, works every day with those relocating retirees. “Our clients tell us they moved to the Carolinas for the state tax benefits and lower cost of living, while having access to good weather, excellent golf courses, outdoor recreation, beaches and mountains.”
Homes here cost slightly more at $334,773, but that still puts them 9% below the national average.
Tennessee
The Volunteer State ranked fourth, drawing a net migration of 3,191 retirees.
Homes here average almost exactly the same cost, at $334,108. Get outside of trendy Nashville however and home prices drop sharply however.
Like Florida and Texas, Tennessee charges no state income taxes. But property taxes also remain low, helping make Tennessee the third most tax-friendly state in the country.
“Beyond cost, retirees also enjoy high medical density around cities like Nashville and Knoxville and quiet lake and mountain towns offering peace at a lower price point,” Lucas added.
Arizona
A longstanding favorite among retirees for its warm weather and golf courses, the Grand Canyon State has proven that it’s still got it. Arizona enjoyed the fifth highest net migration of seniors with 2,512, for many of the same reasons.
The state ranks 40th on total tax burden and woos retirees by not taxing Social Security benefits. Housing does cost more here, with a statewide average of $417,990. That figure gets dragged upward however by a few outlying regions, such as Scottsdale with its $851,107 average home price.
If you want a warm retirement without the crowds and prices of Florida, you have plenty of options. Keep scouting until you find the perfect place to park yourself and enjoy your golden years, with both your nest egg and tan intact.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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