Pennsylvania to Florida
Florida is the single most popular destination for people leaving Pennsylvania, with about 33,530 making the move in one year. Here is what actually changes on paper, with every number sourced so you can check it for yourself.
Of everyone who left Pennsylvania in 2024, more went to Florida than to any other state. It has been that way for years, and the Pennsylvania to Florida route is one of the busiest in the country.
Pennsylvania is worth being straight about, because it is already a reasonable tax state in some ways. The income tax is a flat 3.07 percent, and retirement income is fully exempt, which is better treatment than most states give retirees. If someone tells you Florida will transform your income tax picture, that is truer for a New Yorker than for you.
Where the real differences show up for Pennsylvania households is in three places: the local earned income tax stacked on top of the state rate, the property tax rate on the house itself, and the inheritance tax your children would owe. Florida has none of those. Below are the numbers on both sides, so nothing on your closing statement is a surprise.
| What you pay | Pennsylvania | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | Flat 3.07% | None |
| Local earned income tax | Most municipalities levy 1% to 3.75%. Philadelphia residents pay 3.75% | None |
| Tax on $150,000 taxable income, state only | $4,605 | $0 |
| Same income, Philadelphia resident, state plus city | About $10,230 | $0 |
| Tax on retirement income | Social Security, pensions and retirement account withdrawals after 59 and a half are exempt | None |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.26% of home value | Varies by county, see below |
| Average insurance, single family home | Roughly $1,200 to $2,200 | $1,600 inland to $7,800 in the Keys |
| Average insurance, condo | Around $500 to $800 | Roughly $1,000 to $1,800 |
| Sales tax | 6% state, 6.34% average with local | 6% plus county surtax |
| Estate or inheritance tax | No estate tax. Inheritance tax of 4.5% to children and grandchildren, 12% to siblings, 15% to others. Spouses exempt | None |
Pennsylvania income tax figures are calculated at the flat 3.07% state rate on taxable income. The Philadelphia figure adds the 3.75% city wage tax and applies to wages only. Local earned income tax rates vary by municipality, so check your own borough or township rate. Insurance figures are 2026 published state averages and estimates vary by analyst.
| 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. Pennsylvania's 1.26% effective rate above comes from the same underlying source, so the two rates are directly comparable.
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 Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Pennsylvania's personal income tax rate is 3.07%, which comes to $4,605 on $150,000 of taxable income, before any local earned income tax.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida does not impose a personal income tax, so retirement income is not taxed by the state. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue's Personal Income Tax Guide, Social Security payments and distributions from eligible Pennsylvania retirement plans after retirement age are never taxable as compensation in Pennsylvania.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida's estate tax was eliminated for deaths after December 31, 2004. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Pennsylvania's inheritance tax is 0% on transfers to a surviving spouse, 4.5% to direct descendants and lineal heirs, 12% to siblings and 15% to other heirs.
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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