SWFL.io - Local NewsHunter Walterman
•6/20/2026
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WINK)—Florida is seeing an increasing number of retirees leave the state and move halfway back to where they came from, according to a new report.
Whether it's the sand, the sun or no state income tax, Florida has long been a beacon for people in their golden years. However, a new report suggests other states are starting to shine a little brighter.
Real-estate data analytics firm PGM finds that last year, Florida only gained about 800 people who are 65 and older. Roughly the same number of seniors moved out of Florida as moved in, according to the report.
"I moved here to save money. It's really not that much cheaper," George Dabaghi said.
Dabaghi moved from San Diego to Punta Gorda two years ago because he thought it would be cheaper. Now, Dabaghi says he's considering leaving because of insurance rates, utility rates and the hot weather.
He's not alone. Joseph Von Nessen is a research economist at the University of South Carolina.
"The main reason has to do with cost of living, and that in turn is driven by housing costs that are rising," Von Nessen said.
Von Nessen says an increasing number of Florida retirees are leaving the state and moving halfway back to the Carolinas and other parts of the South. They're driven by higher homeownership costs and hotter-than-expected weather.
The report finds South Carolina welcomed more than 5,000 people 65 and older last year, leading the nation.
"This isn't new, but it's certainly something that has accelerated since the pandemic, and since we've seen a broader increase in housing prices across the country," Von Nessen said.
Even so, Florida is still one of the most popular retirement destinations in the country. Michael and Lisa Wager moved to Punta Gorda from the Midwest eight years ago.
"We're not buying a shovel ever again," Michael Wager said.
WINK News reporter Hunter Walterman asked the couple if they were leaving.
"No! No, we're not leaving," Michael Wager said.