Striking Out for Greener Pastures… Older Americans on the move!  

More than 7 million Americans moved between states in 2012.  This is the highest number of long-distance moves in four years, according to new data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, its most comprehensive snapshot of U.S. Demographic trends.

Driving the recent increase, in large part, are middle-aged and older Americans.  The share of Americans ages 35 to 44 moving between states has risen for two straight years; interstate moving for people over 65 also rose last year.  The numbers suggest more middle-aged and older Americans are benefitting from the nation’s tepid economic recovery.  Although slow, job growth has been steady and prices of stocks and real estate – which older people are more likely to own – are on the upswing.

Retirement friendly states such as Florida saw heavy inflows before the recession and are again attracting movers from the Northeast.  Florida’s net gain of 109,000 domestic migrants in 2012 – the difference between people coming in to the state and leaving – was 77% higher than the amount in 2011 and the biggest in seven years, according to Census data by Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at the University of New Hampshire.

One of the prettiest cities in all of Florida is our very own St. Petersburg. The downtown core continues to experience a period revitalization with municipal projects that include retail shops, restaurants, and movie theater.  More than 900 community events bring millions of people each year to experience yacht races, triathlons, baseball, basketball, cycling, cultural exhibits, motor racing and music. There are seven museums in the downtown district, a state university, 10 marine institutes and more than two dozen galleries that attest to the city’s commitment to education and health care. Movement into our historic neighborhoods continues as residents invest in their communities with a great source of pride.