--- title: "Moving to Florida from Connecticut: A Local's Guide" url: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/moving-to-florida-from-connecticut description: "Moving from Connecticut to Florida? Taxes, home prices, nonstop flights to Hartford and New Haven, and honest advice from Treasure Coast Realtors who made the move." lang: en --- # Moving to Florida from Connecticut By Pete White and Kate Ward, RE/MAX Gold. We help Connecticut buyers move to Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach), Port St. Lucie (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/port-st-lucie), Sebastian (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/sebastian), Stuart (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/stuart), and the rest of Florida's Treasure Coast (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/relocation). Last updated: October 2026 ## We made this move ourselves Image: Kate Ward and Peter White on a bright waterfront patio with palms and water behind them (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/__l5e/assets-v1/b18803f1-5a9b-4df7-96e5-2576057137e1/team-waterfront.webp) > [Pete or Kate: one sentence about leaving Connecticut, in your own words.] [Pete and Kate: 4 to 6 sentences. Which of you came from Connecticut, what town, what year, why you left, what you were nervous about, and what you love now. This is the most important section on the page. Write it the way you'd tell it to a client over coffee.] ## The short answer Moving from Connecticut to Florida means no state income tax and no estate tax, lower property taxes for most homeowners, and winters you'll actually enjoy. The tradeoffs are higher home insurance and hurricane season. From the Treasure Coast, you can still fly nonstop to Hartford or New Haven. ## Connecticut vs. the Treasure Coast | Topic | Connecticut | Treasure Coast, Florida | | --- | --- | --- | | State income tax | 2% to 6.99% | None | | Social Security | Taxed for higher earners | Not taxed | | Pensions and IRA withdrawals | Partly taxed | Not taxed | | Estate tax | 12% on estates over $15 million | None | | Gift tax | Yes, the only state with one | None | | Property taxes | Among the highest in the country | Homestead exemption plus a cap on yearly increases | | Median single-family price | About $520,000 (statewide, August 2026) | Port St. Lucie (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/port-st-lucie) $420,000, Sebastian (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/sebastian) $366,000, Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) $450,000 | | Nonstop flights | | Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) to Hartford and New Haven on Breeze | ## The tax picture ### Income tax. Connecticut taxes income at 2% to 6.99%. It exempts Social Security only for single filers under $75,000 and couples under $100,000 of income, and it taxes much of the money you take from pensions, 401(k)s, and IRAs. Florida has no state income tax at all. ### Property taxes. Connecticut has some of the highest property taxes in the country. In Florida, homeowners who live in the home full time get a homestead exemption (up to $51,411 for 2026) and the Save Our Homes cap, which limits how much a homesteaded home's assessed value can rise each year. [Pete: add a real example, like the yearly tax on a homesteaded $400,000 home in Port St. Lucie (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/port-st-lucie).] ### Estate and gift tax. Connecticut's estate tax only hits estates over $15 million in 2026, so most families won't owe it. Connecticut is also the only state with its own gift tax. Florida has no estate, inheritance, or gift tax. ## Flying home to Connecticut ### Bradley International (Hartford) Breeze Airways flies nonstop between Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) and Hartford. A good fit for Hartford County, the Farmington Valley, and western Massachusetts. ### Tweed-New Haven Breeze also flies nonstop between Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) and New Haven, a short drive from the shoreline and Fairfield County. Breeze also flies nonstop to Providence, and JetBlue flies nonstop to Boston. Schedules change by season, so check the airline before you book. [Pete: add drive times from Port St. Lucie (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/port-st-lucie) and Stuart (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/stuart) to Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) Regional Airport.] ## Your move, step by step 1. ### 6 to 12 months out: Visit in summer, not just winter. Get insurance quotes on the kinds of homes you like. 2. ### 3 to 6 months out: Talk to a CPA about the year you change residency. Connecticut taxes you as a resident if you keep a home there and spend more than 183 days in the state. 3. ### Closing: Buy your Florida home and make it your main home. 4. ### First month: File a Declaration of Domicile, get your Florida driver's license and tags, and register to vote here. 5. ### By March 1 next year: Apply for your homestead exemption. We're Realtors, not tax advisors. Talk to a CPA about your own move. ## Property taxes are on the Florida ballot On November 3, 2026, Florida voters decide Amendment 3 (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/amendment-3), which would raise the homestead exemption on most non-school property taxes. Under the proposal, people who become Florida residents after 2026 would wait five years for the larger exemption. [UPDATE AFTER NOV 3: replace this section with the result and what it means for Connecticut buyers.] ## What we tell every Connecticut buyer - **Insurance will surprise you.** Florida averages about $8,471 a year for home insurance, the highest in the country. Newer homes with newer roofs and impact windows cost much less to insure. Get quotes before you make an offer. - **Hurricane season runs June through November.** Know your flood zone before you buy. - **You'll miss fall.** Most of us still do. You won't miss shoveling. - **HOAs are everywhere.** Read the rules and the budget before you buy. ## Where Connecticut buyers land [Pete and Kate: 2 to 3 sentences on the Connecticut buyers you've helped and where they settled. No client names.] ### A New England-style downtown and the beach: Vero Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/vero-beach) and Stuart (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/stuart). ### Small-town feel on the river: Sebastian: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/sebastian. ### Newer homes and more space: Port St. Lucie: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/port-st-lucie. ### Water and boating: Jensen Beach (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/jensen-beach) and Palm City (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/cities/palm-city). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Florida tax Social Security or pensions? ### Is it cheaper to live in Florida than Connecticut? ### Are homes cheaper on the Treasure Coast than in Connecticut? ### Can I fly nonstop from the Treasure Coast to Connecticut? ### How do I stop being a Connecticut resident for taxes? Image: Turquoise Atlantic waves along a sunny Florida beach with dune sea oats (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/connecticut-relocation-beach-Brye01ji.jpg) ## From one former Nutmegger to another We've been where you are. Call or text us, and we'll help you figure out if the Treasure Coast is the right fit. Call Pete: +17722841419 Call Kate: +17723424006 Contact Us: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/contact Kate Ward - 772-342-4006 / Peter White - 772-284-1419 / RE/MAX Gold [Pete: if the Connecticut transplant is Kate rather than you, keep the headline. If neither of you wants that framing, change it to "Ready to leave Connecticut winters behind?"] ## Sources - Connecticut income, estate, and gift tax: Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (https://portal.ct.gov/drs/individuals/individual-income-tax) - Connecticut home prices: SmartMLS, August 2026 (https://stats.smartmls.com/) - Treasure Coast home prices: Florida Realtors SunStats, September 2026 (https://www.floridarealtors.org/tools-research/reports/florida-market-reports) - Home insurance averages: Insurance.com, 2026 (https://www.insurance.com/home-and-renters-insurance/coverage/florida-homeowners-insurance) - Florida homestead exemption and Amendment 3: Florida property appraisers (https://floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/Taxpayers_Exemptions.aspx) - Flights: Breeze Airways (https://www.flybreeze.com/home), Vero Beach Regional Airport (https://www.verobeachairport.com/airlineinformation) ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "RealEstateAgent", "name": "Pete & Kate Real Estate", "url": "https://petekaterealestate.com", "telephone": "+1-772-284-1419", "description": "Kate Ward and Peter White, REALTORS with The McKinney Team at REMAX Gold. Buying, selling, relocation and new construction on Florida's Treasure Coast.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressRegion": "FL", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Vero Beach, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Port St. Lucie, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Fort Pierce, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Sebastian, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Stuart, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Jensen Beach, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Palm City, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Hobe Sound, Florida" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Pete & Kate Real Estate", "url": "https://petekaterealestate.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Moving to Florida from Connecticut", "description": "Moving from Connecticut to Florida? Taxes, home prices, nonstop flights to Hartford and New Haven, and honest advice from Treasure Coast Realtors who made the move.", "datePublished": "2026-10-30", "dateModified": "2026-10-30", "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter White", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/about", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "RE/MAX Gold" } }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate Ward", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/about", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "RE/MAX Gold" } } ], "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Pete & Kate Real Estate", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/moving-to-florida-from-connecticut" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Florida tax Social Security or pensions?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Florida has no state income tax, so Social Security, pensions, and retirement account withdrawals aren't taxed by the state." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is it cheaper to live in Florida than Connecticut?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For most people, yes, thanks to no income tax and lower property taxes. Home insurance costs more in Florida, so get quotes before you buy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are homes cheaper on the Treasure Coast than in Connecticut?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Usually. The median single-family home in Port St. Lucie sold for $420,000 in September 2026, compared to about $520,000 statewide in Connecticut." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I fly nonstop from the Treasure Coast to Connecticut?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Breeze Airways flies nonstop from Vero Beach to both Hartford and New Haven." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I stop being a Connecticut resident for taxes?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Make Florida your true permanent home, don't keep a Connecticut home where you spend more than 183 days, and keep records. A CPA can walk you through the details." } } ] } ] ```