Florida retirement dream dying for seniors who can't afford cost of living

SARASOTA, Fla. - A new report found more people are moving to Florida than most other states, with nearly 250,000 new residents in 2022.

But as more people move to the Sunshine State, especially a younger population, more older residents are moving out. The Florida retirement dream seems to be dying for many seniors who say they can no longer afford to retire in the state.

READ: City leaders celebrate groundbreaking for new Tampa Ritz-Carlton condos on Bayshore

FOX 13 spoke with a 70-year-old senior living in Sarasota, FL, who is still working three jobs to stay afloat.

"I’ve moved into a 26-foot travel trailer. That’s all I can afford anymore," Robin Delucia shared. "I feel lost. I have worked since I was 14-years-old, and I will be 70, and for what? I don’t see any pleasure in retiring because I can’t afford it."

Her struggle isn’t unique. More and more seniors in Florida feel they can’t afford their retirement dream, and even residents from across the U.S. are ditching plans to come for their late years.

READ: St. Pete nonprofit offers seniors chance to celebrate Thanksgiving early with their families

"If we look at Tampa Bay, Orlando, Miami, even Jacksonville, some of those major metro areas are experiencing a great deal of pressure when it comes to housing prices," John Ripley, of Smarter Retirement Solutions, told FOX 13. "Many of the people that thought, ‘Hey, we'll just sell our home move to Florida,’ they're struggling to make sure the housing costs are affordable in their existing budget."

Now, developers in other states are taking advantage, building more senior living communities in the Carolinas and Texas as seniors here relocate.

"We've had several clients leave [Florida]. The cost of living going just six or seven hours north of Orlando may, in fact, give people a better monthly budget to cover their housing and their expenses," explained Ripley.

Still, Delucia is set on retiring, no matter the cost.

"I don’t care if I’m going to be homeless, but I want to retire, and the cost of living is not going to beat me. I’m not going to let it. And I’m not the only senior citizen getting pushed aside."