If you are thinking of retirement, you have probably thought of Florida just because so many people do, in fact, retire here and it probably breaks down to two reasons: weather and money! Florida shows up in articles about retirement in publications as diverse as Coastal Living, The Bulletin (AARP newsletter), and Money Magazine. Among the top questions people ask are:
- What about taxes?….or the lack thereof. Florida has no state income tax, although we do have a sales tax. And, of course, we have property taxes. The average New York property tax is $4,330. The average Florida tax is $1773.00. Averages can be deceiving - much depends on the type of house you buy and where you buy it.
- How hot will it be in Florida? The average temperature in Florida varies from 82° in July to 61° in January. Of course, Florida is a big state, spanning 500 miles from north to south, so for Flagler County, the average July temperature is 88°, while it’s 66° in January. So, we really do have some seasons! By the way, in New York, the average July temperature is 85°, while January comes in at a chilling 39°. Not so different in the summer, but far, far more different in the winter months.
- How much real estate can a retiree afford in Florida? The average sales price for a home in Florida is $200,000, but, as I mentioned before, it’s a big state. In Miami/Dade County, the average price is $305,000, while in Flagler County, the average home price is $219,000. The oceanside city of Flagler Beach in Flagler County comes in at $308,600, but in the city of Palm Coast just to the north in Flagler County, the median price is $260,000. Compare these costs to the average home prices in New York ($375,000), Massachusetts ($410,000), California ($393,000) or Oregon ($309,400).