Connecticut to Florida
Florida is the top destination for people leaving Connecticut, and the state Connecticut loses the most residents to on net. Here is what actually changes on paper, with every number sourced so you can check it for yourself.
Connecticut lost about 5,800 residents on net to other states in 2024, and its single largest net loss was to Florida. This is a smaller flow than New York or New Jersey, but a well established one, particularly from Fairfield County toward Palm Beach.
One thing worth correcting first, because Connecticut has a reputation its current law no longer deserves. The estate tax used to be brutal, with a threshold near $2 million and a cliff. Reforms between 2018 and 2023 raised it to match the federal exemption, which is $15 million in 2026. If you were told Florida would save your estate from Connecticut, that has not been true for several years.
Connecticut has also become friendlier to retirees than most people realise. Social Security is fully exempt below $75,000 of adjusted gross income for a single filer, pension and annuity income has a similar exemption, and the IRA exemption reached 100 percent for the 2026 tax year. Above those thresholds it phases out, and Florida taxes none of it at any income level. Where the gap is largest and least debatable is property tax. Below are the numbers on both sides.
| What you pay | Connecticut | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | Seven brackets, 2% to 6.99%. No local income tax | None |
| Tax on $100,000 taxable income, single filer | $4,750 | $0 |
| Tax on $100,000 taxable income, married filing jointly | $4,000 | $0 |
| Tax on Social Security benefits | Exempt below $75,000 AGI single or $100,000 joint, then phases in | Not taxed |
| Tax on pension, annuity and IRA income | Fully exempt below the same thresholds, phasing out above them | None at any income level |
| Effective property tax rate | About 1.54%, third highest in the country | 0.72% to 0.96% in most counties |
| Median home price | About $455,000 | $355,100 to $540,700 across major counties |
| Estate tax | Applies above $15 million, matching the federal exemption | None |
| Gift tax | The only state in the country with one | None |
| Sales tax | 6.35%, with no local add on | 6% plus county surtax |
Income tax figures are shown at $100,000 rather than $150,000 because that is the level published for Connecticut on a directly sourced basis. They are state tax only, before federal tax and FICA. Connecticut also applies a recapture provision that phases out the benefit of the lower brackets for high earners, so effective rates above roughly $200,000 run higher than the bracket table alone suggests. Published estimates of Connecticut effective property tax range from about 1.54% to over 2%, depending on methodology. The 1.54% figure shown is the Tax Foundation measure, which is the same basis used for the Florida county rates below.
| County | Median home value | Median tax bill | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | $463,000 | $3,744 | 0.81% |
| Broward | $414,600 | $3,890 | 0.96% |
| Palm Beach | $447,300 | $3,858 | 0.82% |
| Orange, Orlando | $390,100 | $2,967 | 0.82% |
| Hillsborough, Tampa | $371,500 | $3,010 | 0.84% |
| Pinellas, St. Petersburg | $355,100 | $2,474 | 0.74% |
| Sarasota | $411,800 | $3,106 | 0.72% |
| Lee, Fort Myers | $362,200 | $2,858 | 0.78% |
Florida figures are median bills from the 2024 American Community Survey five year estimates.
Insurance. Florida is not one insurance market, and a statewide average hides more than it shows. Distance from the coast is the single biggest factor. In 2026, inland counties such as Sumter, Marion, Alachua, Lake and Columbia average roughly $1,600 to $3,600 a year for a single family home, which is close to what many buyers already pay where they live now. The coastal counties sit at the other end of the range: Miami-Dade around $6,000, Broward and Palm Beach a little above that, and Monroe, which is the Keys, near $7,800. Where you land on that map is largely your choice, and it is one of the clearest ways your area shortlist changes your monthly cost.
The timing is also better than it has been in a while. 2026 brought the first meaningful rate reductions in four years, with Citizens cutting an average of 8.7 percent statewide and Broward seeing the largest reduction at roughly 17 percent.
It is worth naming what the premium actually buys. Florida weather produces a wide range of outcomes, and most of what insurers pay for sits at the ordinary end of it: a roof, some windows, water that got where it should not have, a fence. The policy is what turns those into a claim instead of a bill, and it is why a Florida home holds its value through a season rather than becoming something you worry about. Roof age is now the largest single rating factor, so newer construction or documented wind mitigation features can cut the wind portion of a premium considerably. Quoting a real address early is worth doing, and it often tells you more about the difference between two homes than the list price does.
If you are looking at a condo rather than a house, the picture changes again. The association's master policy covers the building itself, so your own policy only has to cover the interior and your belongings, which is why Florida condo premiums run closer to $1,000 to $1,800. That building coverage sits inside your monthly association fee instead, so compare the fee and the premium together when you are weighing a condo against a house. Flood coverage is priced separately in both cases.
Property tax after a purchase. Florida caps how fast the assessed value of a homesteaded property can rise once you claim the homestead exemption, which is why long time owners often pay well below current market value. That cap starts working for you too, and it compounds every year you stay. The one thing to know is that the cap belongs to the owner rather than the house. When a home changes hands it is reassessed at market value on January 1 of the following year, so the seller's bill reflects their years in the home rather than your starting point. Planning for it takes about a minute. Every county property appraiser has a tax estimator on their site that gives you the market value figure, so you budget from the right number and your own cap starts building from there.
No. According to the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida does not impose a personal income tax. According to the Connecticut General Assembly's Office of Legislative Research, Connecticut's income tax rates range from 2% to 6.99%.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida does not impose a personal income tax, so the state does not tax Social Security benefits. According to the Connecticut General Assembly's Office of Legislative Research, Connecticut fully exempts Social Security benefits for single filers with federal adjusted gross income under $75,000 and joint filers under $100,000. Above those levels, no more than 25% of benefits is subject to Connecticut income tax.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida's estate tax was eliminated for deaths after December 31, 2004. According to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, the Connecticut estate tax exemption is $15 million for deaths in 2026, and the exempt amount for Connecticut taxable gifts made on or after January 1, 2026 is also $15 million.
According to the Tax Foundation, using 2024 American Community Survey five year estimates, the median property tax bill was $3,744 in Miami-Dade, $3,890 in Broward and $3,858 in Palm Beach. The county table above shows more areas.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, a home that changes owners is reassessed at market value on the following January 1. Once you claim the homestead exemption, the yearly increase in assessed value is limited to 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.
These answers use the sources named in each one. Rates and figures change, so please check each source yourself before you rely on a number.
This page covers the state level picture, and it is where the decision usually gets easier. Once you have two or three Florida areas in mind, the comparison gets a lot more useful at the city and neighborhood level.
Home prices, property tax rates, commute times and household income for the Florida cities on your list, next to each other.
Compare Florida citiesHow Florida schools work, plus a school search for the areas on your list.
Florida schoolsWhat your occupation pays in each Florida metro, based on published federal wage data.
Florida wages by areaIf you do not yet have areas in mind, start with the regional overview and come back once you have a shortlist.
Compare Florida CitiesThe figures on this page are published averages and statewide rates, gathered from the sources listed below. They are here to give you a starting picture, not to describe your own situation. Your tax, insurance and property tax outcome depends on your income, your filing status, the specific address and the year you buy. Please confirm anything you plan to rely on with a licensed tax professional, an insurance agent and the county property appraiser before you make a decision.
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