Is N.C. the new Florida?

The retirement blog Florida Islands pondered the above question recently, admitting that many Northerners are now choosing the Tar Heel State over the Sunshine State.

Florida has traditionally been the state that most chose to retire in due to its beautiful weather and excellent retirement communities. Due to the increased number of hurricanes and tropical storms of late, many northerners that moved to Florida are now moving a little bit further north to North Carolina. In Florida, because of the massive hurricane damage, the average home insurance premium for a non-coastal home has risen 26.3%. For the coastal properties, are averaging a premium insurance increase of 42.1% with some choice areas facing premium increases far higher then that. Condo associations are also increasing their costs to members by an average of $2000 per year to make up for their increased insurance costs.

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Your dollar goes a lot further when buying a house in North Carolina compared to Florida. Both property and home insurance are very affordable in North Carolina. This is yet another reason why so many who may be on a fixed income choose to retire there.

North Carolina is a beautiful state with many great places to move to for retirement. ...

The site goes on to list the amenities of the N.C. coast, the mountains and Sandhills (but not the urban, 40/85 crescent).

In closing, the site states that "North Carolina offers affordable property, great weather and activities for every taste. With baby boomers reaching retirement age, we may be seeing a larger wave of retirees moving that way. It’s easy to see why so many people are shifting to North Carolina for their retirement plans."

No surprise here.

(Florida image from Destination360.com)