Moving From New Jersey to Florida: What I Tell Every NJ Buyer
The taxes you stop paying, what your Bergen, Hudson or Monmouth County money buys here, the towns New Jersey buyers actually choose, and the costs that go up. Numbers from the state tax agencies, the Census Bureau and the Miami MLS, not a listicle.
The one-paragraph version: a New Jersey couple with $300,000 of taxable income stops paying about $15,068 a year in state income tax the day they become Florida residents, plus New Jersey's inheritance tax (up to 16% for a niece, nephew or friend) disappears entirely. New Jersey's average property tax rate, 1.88%, is the highest of any state; Miami-Dade runs about 0.81%. Rent in Jersey City runs well above Miami, rent in Newark runs well below it. What costs more here: homeowners insurance, and property tax on a fresh purchase since Florida resets your assessment to the price you paid.
- $0Florida state income tax. NJ couple at $300K taxable: about $15,068 a year saved.
- 1.88%New Jersey's average property tax rate, the highest of any state. Miami-Dade runs 0.81%.
- $680KMiami-Dade median single-family sale, Aug 2026, vs New Jersey's statewide median of $587,553.
- ~3hNonstop flight, Newark to Miami or Fort Lauderdale.
Related reading: why people are moving to South Florida, the full Florida income tax breakdown, moving from New York to Miami if you are comparing notes with a neighbor across the Hudson, cost of living in Miami, and the best places in South Florida for families.
The taxes you stop paying
Florida has no state income tax and no estate or inheritance tax. New Jersey has the highest property tax burden in the country and a real inheritance tax on anyone who is not immediate family. Those two facts do most of the work when a New Jersey client asks me why the math favors Florida.
| Where you live | $150,000 | $300,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $5,513 | $15,068 | $27,808 |
| Florida | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Jersey's top rate is 10.75%, on income over $1,000,000 or on certain nonresident and composite returns. For comparison, a New York City couple pays about $28,264 on $300,000 of taxable income and a Californian pays about $20,777 (2025 schedules); Florida charges $0 to everyone regardless of where they came from. The full worked table, a calculator and residency rules are on my Florida income tax page.
New Jersey's inheritance tax has no Florida equivalent
New Jersey has taxed no estate since 2018, but its separate inheritance tax is still very much alive, and it depends entirely on who inherits. A spouse, parent or child (Class A) owes nothing. A sibling (Class C) pays 11% to 16% above a $25,000 exemption. A friend, unmarried partner or distant relative (Class D) pays 15% on the first $700,000 and 16% above that. Florida has never had an inheritance tax and has no estate tax at all, for any beneficiary.
Where it goes wrong: the savings only exist once New Jersey agrees you actually left. See the residency section below before you assume the New Jersey side of the ledger is closed.
Property tax: the biggest single number on this page
| County | Median home value | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County, NJ | $524,100 | 2.10% |
| Bergen County, NJ | $623,000 | 1.89% |
| Morris County, NJ | $582,500 | 1.84% |
| Hudson County, NJ | $539,700 | 1.56% |
| Monmouth County, NJ | $606,100 | 1.53% |
| Broward County, FL | $414,600 | 0.96% |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | $463,000 | 0.81% |
Two Florida rules make the real bill even better for a primary residence: the homestead exemption removes up to $50,722 (2025) from your assessed value, and the Save Our Homes cap limits future increases to 3% a year or the CPI change, whichever is lower (2.9% for 2025) once you are homesteaded. The catch: as a new buyer you are assessed at your purchase price, not the seller's capped number, so never estimate your bill from the current listing sheet.
Cost of living: New Jersey vs Miami
New Jersey is not one cost of living. Jersey City runs more expensive than Miami; Newark runs cheaper. The honest answer depends on which county you are leaving.
| Measure | New Jersey | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Average apartment rent, Jersey City | $3,764/mo | $2,732–$2,770/mo |
| Average apartment rent, Newark | $1,729/mo | $2,732–$2,770/mo |
| Overall cost of living, Jersey City vs Miami | $8,900 baseline | ~$9,187 to match it (~3% higher) |
| State income tax | Up to 10.75% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 6.625% | 7% (Miami-Dade / Broward) |
Jersey City runs roughly 38% more expensive on rent alone than Miami; Newark runs 35% to 37% cheaper. Once RentCafe weighs in groceries, utilities, transportation and health care, Jersey City's overall basket and Miami's come out close, Miami running only a few percent higher. If you are coming from Jersey City or Hoboken, Miami feels like a discount on housing and a wash on everything else. From Newark, expect rent to go up even as your tax bill goes to zero.
I could not confirm a current Bergen, Hudson or Monmouth County median sale price precise enough to print here; ask me for the current number on your town. New Jersey's statewide median sale price was $587,553 in August 2026, up 2.2% year over year, per Redfin.
What your money buys
This is the number that turns "we've talked about it" into a showing trip.
| Market | Median sale price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey (statewide) | $587,553 | Up 2.2% year over year |
| Miami-Dade single-family (Aug 2026) | $680,000 | Up 4% year over year |
| Miami-Dade condo / townhouse (Aug 2026) | $410,000 | Up 2.2% year over year |
| Broward single-family (Aug 2026) | $650,000 | Up 4% year over year |
| Broward condo (Aug 2026) | $257,500 | Up 3.96% year over year |
A New Jersey statewide median buys a two-bedroom condo in Aventura or Hallandale Beach, or gets close to a starter house in Broward's family suburbs. Buyers selling a paid-off Bergen or Morris County house typically shop the $700,000 to $2,500,000 range here, landing on a waterfront condo in Aventura, a full-service Sunny Isles Beach tower, or a single-family home with a pool in Weston or Coral Springs. The listings strip below pulls what is on the market right now in that range.
Where New Jersey buyers actually land
After enough closings with Turnpike exit numbers still in the conversation, this is the pattern. Every link goes to live listings.
- Most common
Aventura
Planned, quiet, waterfront condos and gated streets, Aventura Mall, a short drive to the beach. The single most common landing spot for New Jersey families I work with.
- Building life
Sunny Isles Beach
The Collins Avenue towers: doorman, valet, gym, pool, beach service. My office is here, and I hear a New Jersey accent in the lobby often enough that it stopped surprising me.
- Value + beach
Hallandale Beach
Lower price per square foot than Sunny Isles or Aventura, still on the water, with the Gulfstream Park district growing fast.
- Family suburbs
Coral Springs & Parkland
Broward's western suburbs: A-rated schools, single-family streets, a lower cost per square foot than the coast. No dedicated Parkland page yet, but I can pull Parkland inventory any time.
- Gated + green
Weston
Planned communities, top schools, and a shorter commute to Fort Lauderdale than to Miami. A frequent choice for families who want the suburb feel without giving up the beach entirely.
- Boats and yards
Fort Lauderdale
Waterfront homes with a dock, Las Olas, a smaller airport than Miami's with direct Newark nonstops, and a lower price per square foot on the same water access.
- Country club
Boca Raton
Palm Beach County, about an hour north of Miami, and a favorite for New Jersey buyers who already know the country-club pattern from home.
The honest part
Homeowners insurance costs more
The latest finalized industry data (NAIC 2022, via the Insurance Information Institute) puts Florida's average homeowners premium at $2,677 a year, the highest in the country, against New Jersey's $1,417. Current Florida quotes run above that 2022 figure and vary enormously by property age, roof and distance from the water. Get a quote on the specific address before you make an offer; I can introduce you to the brokers my clients use.
Condo buildings have new rules since Surfside
After the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida changed its condo law. Buildings three stories and taller now face mandatory milestone structural inspections as they age and must fully fund reserves for major components instead of voting to waive them. Older towers that deferred maintenance are passing special assessments now; newer, well-run buildings are stable. Before I let a New Jersey buyer fall for a tower, I pull the milestone inspection status, the reserve study and any recent or pending special assessments.
Hurricanes
Season runs June through November. South Florida has taken eight hurricane landfalls since 2017: Irma (2017), Michael (2018), Ian and Nicole (2022), Idalia (2023), and Debby, Helene and Milton (2024), with zero landfalls in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2025. Modern towers built to the post-Andrew wind code, impact glass and elevated equipment handle it well; older single-family homes need shutters or impact windows and a roof the insurer likes. The day-to-day reality is more about August heat than storms.
Are people still moving from New Jersey to Florida?
Yes, and the flow is well documented on both ends, though the overall stampede into Florida has slowed a lot since 2022.
- IRS tax-filer data, 2022 to 2023: 20,113 New Jersey tax returns, covering 34,761 individuals and about $2.96 billion in adjusted gross income, moved to Florida. Both states' own filings confirm the identical figure.
- Census Bureau, year ending June 30, 2025: New Jersey's net domestic migration was −37,428, while Florida's was +22,517, down sharply from Florida's +310,892 peak in 2022.
What that means for a buyer: New Jersey is still a net exporter of residents to Florida, but the bidding-war years here are over. Inventory has rebuilt and there is real negotiating room, especially on condos and anything that has sat more than 60 days.
Flights, residency and timeline
Getting back and forth
Newark to Miami runs about 3 hours 12 minutes nonstop on United, American and JetBlue, with roughly 44 weekly departures. Newark to Fort Lauderdale is about 3 hours 4 minutes on JetBlue, United and Air Canada, with about 78 weekly departures, more total nonstops than the Miami route. JFK is also close enough for many North Jersey buyers to use instead: about 2 hours 32 minutes to Miami.
Becoming a Florida resident, and stopping being a New Jersey one
New Jersey uses the same 183-day statutory residency test New York does: if New Jersey was not your domicile but you kept a permanent home there and spent more than 183 days in the state during the year, New Jersey taxes you as a full-year resident anyway. Conversely, you are a nonresident if you spent 183 days or less, or spent more but did not keep a permanent New Jersey home. The practical checklist: a Florida driver's license and voter registration, a Florida homestead exemption filed on the new home, doctors and advisors moved, a day count kept, and the New Jersey property sold or clearly secondary.
A realistic timeline
- Month 0: a video call with me on budget, towns and the tax picture; I send a first set of listings.
- Month 1: one trip down, two days, ten to fifteen showings across two or three areas.
- Months 1 to 2: offer, inspection, condo document review (milestone status, reserves, assessments), insurance quote, financing if any.
- Month 3: closing. Florida closings run 30 to 45 days from contract on a financed deal, faster for cash.
- After closing: homestead exemption filed with the county property appraiser (deadline March 1 of the following year), license, registration, the residency paper trail.
Not tax or legal advice. I am a real estate broker. The tax and residency figures on this page come from the state agencies and sources listed at the bottom; your own return depends on facts I cannot see. Confirm with a CPA before you act.
Live listings New Jersey buyers are looking at
Current MLS listings between $700,000 and $2,500,000 in Aventura, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, refreshed as you load this page.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How much do I save on taxes moving from New Jersey to Florida?
Using the 2025 New Jersey rate schedule for a married couple filing jointly, New Jersey income tax is about $5,513 on $150,000 of taxable income, $15,068 on $300,000 and $27,808 on $500,000. Florida charges $0. New Jersey also has an inheritance tax of up to 16% for non-family heirs, which Florida does not have at all.
Is property tax higher in New Jersey or Florida?
New Jersey, by a wide margin. New Jersey's statewide average effective property tax rate is 1.88%, the highest of any state, with counties like Essex at 2.10% and Bergen at 1.89%. Miami-Dade County runs about 0.81% and Broward County about 0.96%, per the Tax Foundation's 2024 data.
Where do New Jersey buyers move to in South Florida?
In my practice: Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach in northeast Miami-Dade, Hallandale Beach and Weston in Broward, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Parkland for families, and Boca Raton in Palm Beach County.
Are people still moving from New Jersey to Florida?
Yes. IRS migration data for 2022 to 2023 shows about 20,113 New Jersey tax returns, covering roughly 34,761 individuals and nearly $2.96 billion in adjusted gross income, moved to Florida. Census data shows New Jersey's overall net domestic migration was negative 37,428 for the year ending June 30, 2025, while Florida's was positive 22,517 in the same period.
How long is the flight from New Jersey to Miami?
About 3 hours nonstop from Newark. Newark to Miami runs roughly 3 hours 12 minutes and Newark to Fort Lauderdale roughly 3 hours 4 minutes, on United, American and JetBlue.
Does New Jersey still tax me after I move if I keep a house there?
Possibly. New Jersey applies a 183-day statutory residency test: keep a permanent home there and spend more than 183 days in the state in a year, and New Jersey can tax you as a full-year resident regardless of your Florida homestead. Most of my clients keep their New Jersey days well under that threshold and document the move with a CPA.
Thinking about the move? Let's talk it through.
Tell me your budget, which New Jersey county you are in now and what you want your week to look like here. I will send you homes that fit, with the real property tax, insurance and association numbers for each one, and we can set up a two-day showing trip whenever you are ready.
Kevin Poler · Broker, The Poler Team · Optimar International Realty, 18246 Collins Ave, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160Sources
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Tax Rate Schedules (2020 and after). nj.gov.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Inheritance and Estate Tax Rates. nj.gov.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Income Tax for Nonresidents (183-day statutory residency rule). nj.gov.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Use Tax FAQ (6.625% sales tax rate). nj.gov.
- Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5; Florida Department of Revenue sales and surtax rates. floridarevenue.com.
- Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County (2024 ACS data). taxfoundation.org.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates (NST-EST2025-COMP). census.gov.
- IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2022–2023, New Jersey and Florida state files. irs.gov.
- Redfin, New Jersey Housing Market data, August 2026. redfin.com.
- MIAMI Realtors, August 2026 monthly statistics (Miami-Dade and Broward medians). miamirealtors.com.
- RentCafe, Newark and Jersey City vs. Miami cost-of-living comparisons, August 2026 data. rentcafe.com.
- Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurance average premiums by state (NAIC 2022). iii.org.
- Flight times: TravelMath and AirportOverview.com schedule aggregators (EWR–MIA, EWR–FLL), September 2026.