Thursday, December 24, 2009

Florida leads the nation in international migration ... by gimleteye


The New York Times analyzed new statistics by the US Census Bureau, and concludes "Florida is now 45th in domestic migration growth after ranking first from July 2001 to July 2005." But the data has another interesting feature: Florida leads the nation, beating out California and Arizona, in net international migration from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009.

According to Table 6, "Estimates of the Annual Rates of the Components of Residents for the United States, from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009": Florida had a 1.7 percent loss in domestic population and a net increase of 4.7 percent in international migration. 87,381 moved into Florida from other parts of the world. 31,179 who were in Florida, left. For people who live in Florida, that the bloom is off the rose is scarcely a surprise. To interpret these statistics: from a distance, Florida remains attractive as the business gateway to Latin and South America. Our status as a traditional safe haven for flight capital was bolstered, too, by a weak dollar.

Without the addition of international migration, Florida would look more like the Sun Belt inheritor of the Rust Belt. Any yet, may. I know of several families from Latin and South America who have packed up and left, returning home because poor job prospects here and better economies and growth, there. We are safer, here. Everything works the way it should in the developed world. Plus, we're cheap. Sounds like the seeds of a PR campaign.

7 comments:

David said...

Since Florida has no state income tax, it would be interesting to know what percentage of those domestic movers relocated to a state that has income tax.

Gimleteye said...

Interesting observation. People moving out of Florida know they are going to have to pay a state income tax. The penalty of a state income tax is something they are willing to pay, betting that their income prospects are better outside Florida.

Anonymous said...

international migration

Since the media and politicians have blurred (actually, removed) the line between illegal immigrants and legal immigrants, one needs to wonder what kind of migrants they are referring to.

There is a BIG difference.

How many of those migrants have legal papers and came in the door legally?

How many of those that moved out-of-state disappeared into thin air?

Anonymous said...

A lot. Perhaps there is a new category to add to state-hood. We are really part of the Americas. Call Florida: a gateway state.

Anonymous said...

It appears elected officials have so corrupted the system that even with great weather people want to leave Florida.

Who wants to stay in a state that allows the average person to be paid $36,000 per year (if they are employed) and an average fireman to make $167,000 per year? The inevitable tax increases will ruin the quality of life of Florida residents and visitors who do not work for the government.

youbetcha' said...

well, I am thankful I don't have a state income tax on top of everything else.

Anonymous said...

Well, we continue to rely on Lady Luck today.... the shamnesty-peddlers’ latest bill would expand the Diversity Visa Lottery program — which currently hands out 50,000 golden ticket diversity visas blindly to applicants from “underrepresented” regions. Those regions include many jihadi-friendly strongholds. Like Yemen — which has received a total of 1,011 diversity visas so far. And Saudi Arabia. Egypt. Syria. Sudan. Libya.

Raise your hands: Who thinks Powerball-style vetting by Foggy Bottom bureaucrats is a good idea?

Janet Clownitano? Hillary? President Barack “We will never rest?” Obama? Anyone?