Relocation Guide · Florida → Columbus
Moving from Florida to Columbus
We will be straight with you: on taxes alone, this move costs more. People still make it — and for good reasons. Here is the honest case for coming back to Ohio.
The tax reality, stated plainly: Florida has no state income tax and does not tax any retirement income. Ohio taxes pensions and 401(k) withdrawals at its flat rate. So a Florida-to-Columbus move means you will start paying state income tax you do not pay today. Anyone who tells you Ohio is the tax-saving move from Florida is not being honest. The case for this move is not about taxes — it is about everything else.
So why do so many people come back?
Reverse migration from Florida to the Midwest is a real and growing pattern, and the reasons are consistent:
1. Family
The most common reason, full stop. Adult children and grandchildren are in Ohio, and the pull to be near them — especially as people reach their late 70s and 80s and want family close for support — outweighs a tax line. Columbus’s strong healthcare systems reinforce that.
2. Florida’s insurance and cost crisis
This is the financial counterweight to the tax argument. Florida homeowners insurance has surged, with many retirees seeing premiums climb into the thousands or facing non-renewals, plus rising HOA assessments after recent condo-safety reforms. Those costs can erase a meaningful chunk of the “no income tax” benefit. Ohio insurance is dramatically cheaper and far more stable — a real, recurring saving that partly offsets the new income tax.
3. Four seasons and relief from heat
Many movers are simply done with relentless summer heat, hurricane season, and humidity. Columbus’s four seasons — including real spring and fall — are a genuine quality-of-life draw for people who missed them.
| Factor | Florida | Ohio (Columbus) |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | None | Flat 2.75% on pension/401(k) |
| Property tax (effective) | ~0.8%–1.0% (with caps) | ~1.69% Franklin / ~1.9% Delaware |
| Homeowners insurance | High & volatile | Much lower & stable |
| Proximity to Midwest family | Far | Close |
| Climate | Hot, hurricanes | Four seasons |
Net it out honestly. You will pay more in income and property tax in Ohio. You will likely pay far less for insurance, you will be near family, and you will get your seasons back. For many returning Ohioans the non-tax factors win decisively — but go in clear-eyed that the tax line moves the wrong way, and let the real reasons carry the decision.
Where Florida movers tend to land
Usually near the family they are returning for. Beyond that, Franklin County suburbs keep the property tax to the lower of the two main rates, and the 65+ homestead exemption helps if you qualify. If you want the resort feel that some left Florida communities behind, Del Webb Maygrass is the closest equivalent in the metro.
Weighing Florida vs. coming home?
Send your Florida insurance and tax picture — we will model the true all-in difference, honestly.
Run my numbersTax, insurance, and cost figures change and depend on your circumstances and location. Confirm current figures and consult a tax professional before relocating. This is general information, not tax advice.