How much will I save on property taxes moving from New Jersey to Florida?

It depends on the home and town, but the gap is usually large. New Jersey's average bill was $10,570 in 2025. Florida homeowners also get a homestead exemption and a cap on how fast their assessed value can rise.

What is the New Jersey exit tax?

It's a prepayment of New Jersey income tax collected at closing when a nonresident sells New Jersey property. It's the larger of 2% of the sale price or 10.75% of the gain, and any overpayment is refunded when you file your return.

Can I avoid the New Jersey exit tax?

Often, yes. Sellers who are still New Jersey residents at closing, or whose main-home sale qualifies for the federal home-sale exclusion, usually don't owe the prepayment. Ask your closing attorney before you set your closing date.

Does Florida have an inheritance tax like New Jersey?

No. Florida has no inheritance tax and no estate tax.

Can I fly nonstop from the Treasure Coast to New Jersey?

Yes. Breeze Airways flies nonstop from Vero Beach to Trenton-Mercer Airport and to Atlantic City International Airport.

Should I sell in New Jersey before I buy in Florida?

It depends on your finances and on the exit tax timing. Selling first can avoid the closing prepayment, while buying first gives you a place to land. We'll walk through both with you.

Palm-lined Florida coastline beside the Atlantic Ocean

Moving to Florida from New Jersey

By Pete White and Kate Ward, RE/MAX Gold. We help New Jersey buyers move to Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie, Sebastian, Jensen Beach, Stuart, and the rest of Florida's Treasure Coast.

Last updated: October 2026

The short answer

Most people leave New Jersey for Florida because of property taxes. The average New Jersey homeowner paid $10,570 in property taxes in 2025, the highest in the country, and Florida has no state income tax on top of that. The tradeoffs are higher home insurance and hurricane season. On the Treasure Coast, you also get nonstop flights home to Trenton and Atlantic City.

Florida beach with dune palms and gentle Atlantic waves

$10,570
Average New Jersey property tax bill, 2025: $0
Florida state income tax: 2 nonstops
Vero Beach to Trenton and Atlantic City: $420,000
Median single-family price in Port St. Lucie, September 2026

Property taxes: the biggest difference

New Jersey

New Jersey's average residential property tax bill hit a record $10,570 in 2025. Most of that goes to school taxes. Bills in many North Jersey towns run well above $15,000.

Treasure Coast

Florida homeowners who live in the home full time get a homestead exemption (up to $51,411 for 2026). The Save Our Homes cap also limits how much the assessed value of a homesteaded home can rise each year, no matter how fast prices climb.

[Pete: add a real example, such as the typical yearly property tax on a homesteaded $400,000 home in Port St. Lucie.]

The rest of the tax picture

Income tax. New Jersey taxes income at 1.4% to 10.75%. Most middle-income earners land in the 5.525% or 6.37% brackets. Florida has no state income tax, including on pensions, IRA withdrawals, and Social Security.
Inheritance tax. New Jersey has no estate tax, but it still has an inheritance tax. Money left to a spouse, children, grandchildren, or parents is exempt. Money left to siblings or in-laws is taxed at 11% to 16% after the first $25,000, and money left to nieces, nephews, or friends is taxed at 15% to 16%. Florida has neither tax.
Sales tax. New Jersey's sales tax is 6.625%. Florida's state rate is 6%, plus a small local add-on in most counties.

Selling your New Jersey home: the "exit tax"

The New Jersey "exit tax" isn't really a tax. It's a prepayment of income tax that New Jersey collects at closing when a nonresident sells property there. The amount is the larger of 2% of the sale price or 10.75% of your gain.

What most people don't know:

Timing matters. If you're still a New Jersey resident on closing day, you usually don't owe the prepayment at closing.
Your main home may be exempt. If the sale qualifies for the federal home-sale exclusion ($250,000 of gain for singles, $500,000 for married couples), you may be able to skip the prepayment.
It's refundable. If the prepayment is more than you actually owe, you get the difference back when you file your New Jersey nonresident return.

Many of our New Jersey buyers sell up north first, then buy here. Others buy here first. We'll help you plan the order so closing day doesn't surprise you.

We're Realtors, not tax advisors. Ask your New Jersey closing attorney and CPA how this applies to your sale.

Make your move official

Like New York, New Jersey can treat you as a resident if you keep a home there and spend more than 183 days in the state. Moving your "domicile," your true permanent home, takes more than a change of address.

File a Declaration of Domicile with your Florida county clerk.
Get a Florida driver's license and Florida tags.
Register to vote in Florida.
Apply for your homestead exemption by March 1 of the year after you buy.
Update your address with Social Security, your bank, your doctors, and your insurance.

Property taxes are on the Florida ballot

On November 3, 2026, Florida voters decide 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, so the timing of your move could matter.

[UPDATE AFTER NOV 3: replace this section with the result and what it means for New Jersey buyers.]

Flying home to New Jersey

Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN)

Breeze Airways flies nonstop between Vero Beach and Trenton twice a week. The flight takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Trenton-Mercer is an easy drive from Princeton, Bucks County, and most of Central Jersey.

Atlantic City International (ACY)

Breeze flies nonstop between Vero Beach and Atlantic City twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. It's a good fit for South Jersey and the Shore.

North Jersey families can also use Breeze's nonstops from Vero Beach to White Plains or Newburgh, New York. Newark travelers can fly from Palm Beach International or Orlando International.

Breeze started both routes in fall 2026. Schedules change by season, so check the airline before you book.

Vero Beach coastline with blue Atlantic water and a sandy beach

Jersey Shore people feel at home here

If you grew up going "down the Shore," the Treasure Coast will feel familiar, with fewer crowds and no beach badges. The beaches on Hutchinson Island, in Jensen Beach, and on the Vero Beach barrier island are free and open year-round.

[Pete and Kate: 2 to 4 sentences on the New Jersey buyers you've helped. What they were looking for, which areas they chose, and what surprised them. No client names.]

What your money buys

Area	Median single-family price
Monmouth County, NJ (August 2026)	$815,000
New Jersey statewide (Jan to April 2026)	$575,000
Palm City, FL	$650,000
Jensen Beach, FL	$499,000
Port St. Lucie, FL	$420,000
Sebastian, FL	$366,000

Florida prices are September 2026 medians from Florida Realtors SunStats.

The honest tradeoffs

Home insurance costs more. Florida averages about $8,471 a year, the highest in the country. Newer homes with newer roofs and impact windows usually cost much less. Get quotes before you make an offer.
Hurricane season runs June through November. Know your flood zone and the age of the roof before you buy.
Summer is the long season here. Expect heat and afternoon storms from June through September.
HOAs are common. Ask for the fees, the rules, and the association's budget up front.

We moved down from the Northeast too

[Pete and Kate: your story. Where you each came from (Connecticut and Delaware), when you moved, what you'd tell someone leaving New Jersey, and what you love now. 3 to 5 sentences.]

Frequently asked questions

Wooden boardwalk through sea oats and coastal trees leading to an empty white sand beach

Ready to trade the Turnpike for the beach?

We'll help you compare towns, taxes, and insurance before you ever book a flight. Call or text us anytime.

Call Pete Call Kate Contact Us

Kate Ward - 772-342-4006 / Peter White - 772-284-1419 / RE/MAX Gold

Sources

Moving from New York instead? Read our New York guide.