"Affordability was part of it, but we were also looking forward to having a slower pace of life. I lived in South Florida my entire life - and it's not anything like what it used to be."
U-Haul ranked Florida as the No. 2 growth state for 2025, second only to Texas, according to its proprietary growth index that analyzed one-way customer moves from the past calendar year. The company said Florida climbed two spots from No. 4 in 2024. It was ranked No. 2 from 2021-23 and was the leading growth state in 2019. The year 2025 marked "11 consecutive years that Florida has been among the top four U-Haul growth states," the company said in a statement.
Between the lines: Fisher Island's beauty, isolation and closeness to downtown Miami make it an easy sell. Residents pay a $500,000 membership fee and nearly $40,000 for amenities, including pickleball and tennis courts, two deepwater marinas, a golf course, and a private primary school, the Tampa Bay Times reports. "You pretty much have your own oasis in the city," Jill Eber, a resident and luxury real estate broker, told the outlet.