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    Golden sunrise over a quiet Treasure Coast beach with sea oats and palms

    Moving to Florida from Ohio

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

    Last updated: October 2026

    The short answer

    Most Ohioans who move here aren't chasing a cheaper house. Ohio homes usually cost less than homes on the Treasure Coast. People come for the winters, the water, no state income tax on retirement income, and a homestead tax system that rewards staying put. The tradeoffs are higher home prices, higher insurance, and hurricane season.

    Why Ohioans make the move

    No more winters.

    No shoveling, no salt on the car, no gray months. Average winter highs on the Treasure Coast are in the 70s.

    Your retirement income stays yours.

    Florida has no state income tax. Ohio taxes pensions and IRA withdrawals at up to 2.75%.

    Life on the water.

    Beaches, the Indian River Lagoon, and boating, fishing, and golf all year long.

    No city income tax.

    Many Ohio cities tax wages on top of the state, often 2% to 2.5%. Florida cities don't.

    The honest math on home prices

    Ohio

    • Statewide median sale price: $263,000 (March 2026, Ohio REALTORS)
    • Central Ohio (Columbus area) median: $350,000 (July 2026, Columbus REALTORS)

    Most Ohio buyers pay more for a home here than what they sell for back home. Many still come out ahead once they add up taxes over time, but go in with clear eyes. Fort Pierce and Sebastian are where Ohio budgets usually stretch the furthest. Treasure Coast figures are September 2026 single-family medians from Florida Realtors SunStats.

    What changes on taxes

    Ohio Florida
    State income tax Flat 2.75% on income over $26,050 (2026) None
    City income tax Common, often 2% to 2.5% of wages None
    Tax on pensions and IRA withdrawals Yes, at the state rate None
    Estate tax None None
    Property tax Statewide average around 1.36% of home value Varies by city. Homestead exemption up to $51,411 (2026) plus a 3% annual cap on assessed value

    A working couple earning $100,000 in Columbus pays roughly $2,400 in Ohio state income tax and about $2,500 in Columbus city tax. That's about $4,900 a year. In Florida: $0.

    A retiree with a $60,000 pension pays about $1,270 a year in Ohio state income tax. In Florida: $0.

    Estimates only. We're Realtors, not tax advisors. Talk to a CPA before you plan your move.

    Property taxes here work differently

    In Florida, your primary home gets a homestead exemption, and Save Our Homes limits how fast its taxable value can rise to 3% a year or inflation, whichever is lower. The longer you stay, the more that cap saves you.

    One catch: the cap resets when a home sells, so the seller's tax bill won't be yours. We estimate taxes based on your purchase price, not the current bill.

    [Pete: add a real example, estimated yearly taxes on a $400,000 homesteaded home in Port St. Lucie]

    Property taxes are on the ballot this year

    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.

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

    Getting home to see family

    There are no nonstop flights from Ohio to Vero Beach yet. Your best options:

    • Orlando International (about 1.5 to 2 hours away): many daily nonstops to Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

    • Breeze from Dayton: nonstop to Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers, plus nonstops from Vero Beach to Raleigh and other cities for easy connections.

    • Driving: Columbus to Port St. Lucie is about 15 to 16 hours, mostly straight down I-75 and I-95. Many Ohioans drive down and keep a car on both ends.

    Routes change often. Check the airline before you book.

    [Pete: confirm drive times from Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach to Orlando International]

    Quiet Port St. Lucie canal with palms, a small boat and a single-story home

    The snowbird path

    A lot of Ohioans don't move all at once. They buy a winter home first, spend a few seasons here, and then make Florida their permanent home when they're ready.

    If that's your plan, know this: a second home doesn't get the homestead exemption or the 3% cap. Non-homestead homes have a 10% annual cap instead. Once you make Florida your permanent residence, you can apply for homestead by March 1 of the following year.

    Steps most new Florida residents take when they make it official:

    1. File a Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk.
    2. Get a Florida driver's license and register your car here.
    3. Register to vote in Florida.
    4. Apply for your homestead exemption by March 1.
    5. Change your address with Social Security, your pension, and your doctors.

    The honest tradeoffs

    • Insurance costs more. Florida averages about $8,471 a year for home insurance, the highest in the country. Newer homes with newer roofs and impact windows cost far less to insure. Get quotes before you make an offer.

    • Hurricane season runs June through November. Newer homes are built to strict wind codes. Know your flood zone before you buy.

    • Summers are long and hot. You trade four seasons for one long summer and a beautiful winter.

    • HOAs are common. Ask for the fees, the rules, and the budget up front.

    • No basements. Plan on a garage, attic, or storage unit instead. Midwesterners notice this one fast.

    Where Ohioans land on the Treasure Coast

    [Pete and Kate: 2 to 4 sentences on Ohio buyers you've helped. What they wanted, which areas they chose, what surprised them. No client names.]

    We made the move too

    [Pete and Kate: your own story. Where you each came from (Connecticut and Delaware), when you moved, what you wish you'd known, and what you love now. 3 to 5 sentences.]

    Frequently asked questions

    Calm lagoon water at sunrise beside a mangrove shoreline

    Ready to trade Ohio winters for the Treasure Coast?

    We'll help you compare areas, budgets, and insurance costs before you ever make the drive down. Call or text us anytime.

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

    Sources

    Moving from somewhere else? See all our Moving From guides.