Why do People Hate Living in Florida?

[Julie's Haircut]

I couldn't take the weather. It is horrible 6 months out of the year there. Plus most of the state seems like a cultural wasteland.

I like to visit and might even consider being a 4 month snowbird someday, but I wouldn't want to live in Florida year round. There is no there there.

 

[katie01]

My aunt lives near Naples. She complains about the humidity, huge bugs, snakes, and alligators--she has had all of the above right in her yard.

I get cold very easily and hate how long the winters are in Illinois. I really thought I wanted to move somewhere south, but after this summer of high humidity and many many days with temps near 100, I am not so sure. The sad thing about Illinois is that it gets SO cold in the winter and SO hot in the winter. And rains most of the spring. But oh how I LOVE fall. If I could find a place that has temps in the 70s for most of the year, three months of fall, and one month of winter without brutal cold but just some nice pretty snow, that would be great. I don't think such a place exists. Maybe Colorado?

 

[Squirlz]

My Wife lived in TN for 12 years. She knew a lot of people who moved from the northern states to FL, couldn't take it and moved to TN They were called "halfbacks".

 

[jevs]

I wouldn't be able to cope with the tourists.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot to include bugs. They are probably the worst and I'm so freaked out by them! Eeeeeek! Pest control is not optional down here either!

Move to Arizona, I can count on one hand the number of bugs I've seen in the past 12 years. It gets hot April-October, but the rest of the year it's awesome... and since there's so little humidity, it's livable. I've been in 90° heat and 90% humidity in Florida and that is hell compared to the 125° and 1% humidity we got earlier this year at my house. I'll take the 125° any day over Florida!

Negatives are the crazy nutjobs with guns and blatant racism and sexism, but that's true of Florida as well.

 

[LisaR]

oh my, I'm taking location advice from people who are happy in Ohio and Michigan- too cold for me!

I've been out of Michigan for many years. I'm long over the cold. I can't handle the "cold" that we get in FL in January now!

cockroaches - when you turn on the light and see a brown mist disappearing....and at night they run over you - eeeekkkkk! The only bug that freaks me out.

Okay, I have to admit that this one bugs me (no pun intended) when people bring it up.

Did you live in a home infested with cockroaches? Do you know people with cockroach infested homes? I have lived here for twelve years and have NEVER seen an American or German cockroach which is what you are referring to in your description. Those are the ones that infest homes. They are found in most states. They will eat just about anything and thrive on the food found in kitchens, but will eat paper, glue, cardboard or anything they can. It is common for them to come in with your groceries or cracks in your basement where water can be found. They reproduce very quickly and yes, they scatter when the lights come on. But who lives in a home infested with cockroaches? If you spot one, you need to have your home treated ASAP and continue having it treated until the problem is solved. I do not personally know a single person living with a cockroach infestation. This is not a common FL thing.


The palmetto bug is the one that is the most common in FL. While they can most certainly get in the home when doors open or on your pet, they do not do well living indoors. They thrive in piles of wood, brush, landscaping bark, etc. If one gets in your home, it isn't going to reproduce like the German or American ones and they are not the ones that scatter across your floor when the lights are turned on. It might be an ugly creature, but your home isn't going to be infested with them. It isn't much different than having any other bug in your home.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I think people move to FL expecting it to be a constant vacation in a tropical paradise... but realize that just like everywhere else, you have to work, commute, do errands, deal with the heat, etc. except they've now moved away from their friends and family.

I loved living in Orlando, but I also grew up there so that's where my support system is. I've only been away a couple of months but I'm already planning to move back.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I think it is a nice place to visit but I would not want to live there. Heat, humidity and bugs are enough to convince me.

 

[MillauFr]

If I could find a place that has temps in the 70s for most of the year, three months of fall, and one month of winter without brutal cold but just some nice pretty snow, that would be great. I don't think such a place exists. Maybe Colorado?

Ashland Oregon

 

[PollyannaMom]

I would miss the seasons, and I'm not fond of large bugs (even occasional ones) but if I could afford to live in Celebration, I still might love Florida!

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

I think people move to FL expecting it to be a constant vacation in a tropical paradise... but realize that just like everywhere else, you have to work, commute, do errands, deal with the heat, etc. except they've now moved away from their friends and family.

I loved living in Orlando, but I also grew up there so that's where my support system is. I've only been away a couple of months but I'm already planning to move back.

Yes exactly!

When I visit ANYWHERE on vacation I think it would be a great place to live. But then I have to remind myself that I'm seeing that place through "vacation goggles"

Much like "beer goggles", they can seriously alter reality and give a perspective that will be very different in the morning!

 

[DawnM]

Florida would not be my first choice

Heat
Humidity
Bugs
SNAKES
alligators
SNAKES
no mountains, way too flat
SNAKES

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Where in Polk County? My dad used to have a house in Connorsville, near Bartow.

I don't want to live in Florida, although my Dh says he's retiring there. I tell him he can live in Florida, I'm moving to Hawaii!

My reasons:

Unless you constantly water, the lawns, gardens, etc. just aren't pretty. Here in central Pa, I'm used to pretty constant greenery.

humidity

sand spurs - pulled many a one out of my feet

ants

cockroaches - when you turn on the light and see a brown mist disappearing....and at night they run over you - eeeekkkkk! The only bug that freaks me out.

all childhood not-so-happy memories!

I think our house was in auburndale, aunts and uncles live in winter haven and lakeland.

 

[phorsenuf]

We've been in Florida for about 6 years now and we love it. Yes, it's hot. Yes, there is humidity. Yes, there are bugs and bad traffic, but we have no plans on leaving. We still have a house in NH and every so often we ask each other if the other wants to move back and it's always a no! Give me any of the above over the cold, ice and snow. Plus we like there is so much more to do own here then up north (for us, at least.). The only drawback to living here is 3 of my 4 kids and 1 of my grandsons are still up there as is my parents and siblings. That's the worst part about living in FL.

 

[luvavacation]

I moved to central Florida, from Chicago, this past January. I realize I have only been here for 8 months, so I can't really say if I will be ok with the living here years from now, but so far, I really like it!

I do not like being cold. Snow is pretty when it first falls and coats everything in a white blanket. Then I am done with it. Driving on ice is not pleasurable. Layers of clothing so I don't freeze my parts is not pleasurable. Sweat is more welcome than shivering.

Being able to grow things year round is fantastic! But I love to garden, so this place is perfect for me. Sure, during the 5 months of summer, I garden in the morning and in the evening, but I don't mind that.

When we are hot, we go in the pool and admire the flowers and plants growing around the pool enclosure. Without a pool, then perhaps I would not like living here as much, as I would just go from air conditioning to air conditioning. But with the pool, we are outdoors and enjoying the weather.

Our home is on the Lake Wales, aka Mid-Florida Ridge. It takes about 12 minutes to drive down our hill into town. Where we live, it is not flat and not swampy. But, living here in the hills is the only area where we were going to move to when the time came to move to Florida. I never wanted to live in the flat areas; I like the rolling hills. Also, we tend to have a nice breeze come through every afternoon. The air is not stagnant here in the hills. It is hot, and it is humid, but it has yet to get to the extreme of hot and as humid as the Chicago area ever did.

For my family, we used to come down to Florida in the summer and visit the theme parks. That was when the children were out of school so that was when we were able to take a vacation. We survived. Now that I live here, I never have to stand in line for hours on end at a theme park in the middle of summer, melting! Living in Florida is so much easier than vacationing in Florida in the summer!

The bugs are crazy. The spiders will kill you. But the lizards will eat all of those, and we have lots of lizards and good pest control, so as long as the bugs stay outdoors, I will coexist with them. I would prefer though that the spiders stop building webs in the areas where I walk. If anything does me in, it will be my spider phobia.

We purposely bought a home on dry land, no lake. We have acreage. With no water near us, we do not worry about water moccasins or alligators. Just the killer spiders.

The traffic here is nothing compared to Chicago. People do drive slow though. I live far enough away from theme parks that I don't deal with tourist traffic. People that live here just drive slow. In Chicago, if you don't go at least 80 in a 65 mph area, you will be mowed down by a semi. Here, if you do go over 65 in a 70 speed limit area, you must not be a local! I am not yet a local. It was easier to adjust to the heat than to change my Chicago driving habits.

Living here in Florida isn't for everyone. My husband brought down his favorite shovel and ice scraper from IL, "just in case we move north again" (I guess one doesn't ever get rid of a favorite shovel?). But we moved down here with an idea of what we liked (hills, no swamp, quiet area, friendly people), and we found it. If we did not find what we were looking for, we would be facing another winter in Chicago, but instead, I am looking forward to wearing just jeans and t-shirt in January!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

same here it seems like Im insulting Fla and they have a great State, its just preference. But hey I live in Ohio, I love it but I bet I couldnt convince any human into moving here, lol

I don't think it sounds like either of you are insulting Florida. We're all different & like different things. Given a choice, I wouldn't live in 95% of the country full time. We've had a great time visiting many areas of the country. There are some beautiful country & wonderful people out there. I just have my preferences for where I'd rather live. Climate & close proximity to beaches that we can enjoy year round are our priority. I totally understand that Florida isn't for everyone. I seriously doubt there's a location in the country that everyone would be happy to live in. It's a good thing there's a big country out there for all of us to choose from.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I understand why people would dislike cold weather if it physically hurts their bones, but I personally absolutely love cold weather. I love wearing fleeces and sitting by the fire and drinking hot chocolate. The idea of having Christmas with warm weather is appalling to me. The worst type of weather for me is heat and humidity. I'm not saying I'd love 10 feet of snow either but there is a definitely a happy medium. And fall! Crisp October weather is the best thing ever.

I like vacationing in Florida during the right months (April!), but not because it's Florida. It's just where the theme parks are.

 

[scrappydew]

I've been out of Michigan for many years. I'm long over the cold. I can't handle the "cold" that we get in FL in January now!

Okay, I have to admit that this one bugs me (no pun intended) when people bring it up.

Did you live in a home infested with cockroaches? .

Yes, It was infested, quite badly. The house had been vacant for a while before my dad bought it. And while he treated it, of course, it took a LONG time to get rid of them. As in years (it was a snowbird home) before you didn't see anymore. It was not palmetto bugs.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Probably low wages

This is a legitimate concern in most of the southeast, including Florida.

 

[LisaR]

Yes, It was infested, quite badly. The house had been vacant for a while before my dad bought it. And while he treated it, of course, it took a LONG time to get rid of them. As in years (it was a snowbird home) before you didn't see anymore. It was not palmetto bugs.

Okay, but you need to understand that that wasn't a FL thing. That was a vacant home that was left untreated. If you leave a home sit empty like that without maintenance in Indiana, it can have a cockroach infestation. That isn't specific to FL. FL homes that are clean and maintained don't have cockroach infestations. There are plenty of reasons why FL isn't the ideal place to live, but fear over an infestation of German or American cockroaches isn't one of them.