Moving to Florida from Ohio

Which Ohio taxes go away, and which costs go up

Ohio has a state income tax, and many Ohio cities and some school districts add their own income tax. Florida has no state income tax and no local income taxes. Ohio repealed its estate tax years ago, so for most Ohio families the estate side does not change; Florida has no estate or inheritance tax either.

On the other side of the ledger:

• Homeowners insurance in Florida is usually a larger monthly cost, driven by wind risk, roof age and flood exposure.
• HOA and CDD fees are common in newer Florida subdivisions.
• Purchase prices in Florida's popular coastal areas are often higher than in much of Ohio.

Run the numbers with your actual income. A retiree living mostly on Social Security may save less than a working couple with wages or a business. This isn't legal or tax advice; a CPA can model the move year for you.

Property tax with homestead, step by step

Ohio buyers know reappraisals and levies on the ballot. Florida's system for a primary residence works like this:

• The assessment resets to market value the January after you buy.
• Homestead exemption: $25,000 off every levy and up to another $26,411 off non-school levies in 2026, for a total of up to $51,411.
• Save Our Homes: from the second year, the assessed value rises by no more than 3% or CPI, whichever is lower.
• Deadline: own and occupy the home on January 1, and file with the county property appraiser by March 1.
• One state only: Florida will not grant homestead to someone claiming a residency-based exemption elsewhere, including an Ohio homestead exemption on a house you keep.

A winter-only condo stays non-homestead: no exemption, and a 10% cap that covers non-school levies only. Florida voters face Amendment 3 on homestead and non-homestead taxes on November 3, 2026, with a 60% threshold; check whether it passed.

The I-75 corridor and where Ohio buyers can look

Interstate 75 runs from Ohio straight down to Southwest Florida, which is one reason the Gulf side and inland Central Florida are easy for families who drive back and forth. Along that path and nearby, using Zillow's all-homes values:

• Ocala and Marion County: $267,911 for the county in the heart of Florida's horse country.
• Nature Coast: Citrus County at $268,688, Hernando County at $306,116 and Spring Hill at $303,307.
• Tampa Bay suburbs: Brandon at $353,216 and Riverview at $363,056; Pasco County at $328,125.
• Southwest Florida: North Port at $303,227, Fort Myers at $304,566 and Cape Coral at $334,660. Sarasota County runs higher at $399,023 and Collier County at $552,087.

Away from the interstate, Central Florida's Polk County at $295,509 and Lakeland at $309,422 sit between Tampa and Orlando.

Ohio to Florida retirement: picking the setting

Census data gives the share of residents 65 and older, which tells you how retiree-oriented a town is:

• The Villages: 85.2%, with all homes at $392,424. Organized golf, clubs and activities on a large scale.
• Palm Coast: 29.5%, at $343,894, on the Atlantic side.
• Largo: 28.0%, at $335,649, in Pinellas County.
• North Port: 27.7%, with newer housing.
• Fort Myers: 23.2%, and Lakeland: 21.5%.

A 55+ community must have at least 80% of occupied units with one resident 55 or older under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act. Before you buy in one, ask for the HOA budget, amenity fees, any CDD debt, and whether the land under a manufactured home is owned or leased.

Houses are built for wind here

Ohio homes are built for cold. Florida homes are built for wind and heat, and inspections focus on different things:

• Construction: concrete block with stucco is common, especially in Central and South Florida. Basements are almost unheard of.
• Roof: insurers care most about its age and condition. Shingle roofs in Florida sun do not last as long as Ohio buyers expect.
• Wind mitigation inspection: roof straps, roof shape, and shutters or impact windows can lower the wind premium.
• 4-point inspection: for older homes, checks roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC.
• Air conditioning: runs most of the year; the age of the system is a real budget item.

Insurance numbers to plan around

The hurricane deductible is a percentage of dwelling coverage, often 2% or 5%, and Florida applies it once per calendar year. On a home insured at the state's typical single-family value of $396,809, a 2% deductible is about $7,940 and 5% about $19,840. Keep that in savings.

• Flood insurance is a separate policy. Lenders require it in FEMA A and V zones, and many inland buyers carry it anyway.
• Citizens Property Insurance is the state-backed insurer of last resort.
• Get quotes in the inspection period, using the actual roof age and the wind mitigation report.

Setting up Florida residency after the move

Ohio residents who move south often keep ties for a while: a house, a cottage on a lake, a family business or doctors they trust. That is normal, but it means you should be deliberate about the switch.

• Driver's license: new residents are expected to get a Florida license within 30 days of establishing residency, and to title and register their vehicles in Florida.
• Voter registration: register in your Florida county and cancel the Ohio registration.
• Declaration of Domicile: a short sworn statement filed with the county clerk, often recommended as supporting evidence.
• Homestead application: filed with the property appraiser by March 1, with your Florida license and vehicle registration as proof.
• Final Ohio return: file a part-year return for the move year, and check whether your Ohio city expects one too.

Keep copies of all of it in one folder. If a tax office ever asks when you moved, a clean paper trail answers the question in an afternoon.

Prices right now

Statewide, all homes are down 0.9% over the past year and up 18.6% over five years; condos are down 3.9% at $262,592. Some of Florida's lowest-priced counties sit in the north and the Panhandle, such as Columbia at $267,659 and Suwannee at $266,652, while South Florida and the Keys are far higher. For an Ohio budget, a shortlist that compares two or three of these regions at the same price point shows quickly what each one gives you.