Right to Work Florida Attracts Domestic Migrants of All Ages

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as recently as April 1, 2010, forced-unionism New York’s population was nearly 600,000 greater than Right to Work Florida’s.  But by last summer, the 19.65 million Empire State residents outnumbered Floridians by slightly less than 100,000.  And, barring an unforeseen cataclysmic event, Florida’s population will surpass New York’s some time this year.

The Sunshine State is famously attractive to senior citizens.  However, as an insightful AP news story published today (see the link below) points out, “sun-seeking seniors are not driving” Florida’s growth.  In fact, even though people aged 65 and over constituted 13.4% of the total U.S. population as of 2012, they make up “less than 10 percent of [Florida’s] new residents in the last several years.”  Immigration from abroad, while significant, is also not the principal engine of Florida’s domestic population growth.  Residents of other states account for three-quarters of the net migration into Florida.

On the other hand, people aged 25-64 constitute slightly less than half of the U.S. population, but “more than half of the new arrivals” in Florida.  Only about one-third of all U.S. residents are under 25, but “almost two-fifths” of Florida’s new residents are under 25.

The key reason Right to Work Florida is an attractive destination for domestic migrants is superior job creation.  Over the past year for which data are available, for example, private-sector payroll employment in the Sunshine State grew by 3.0%, or half again as much as the national average.  And when cost-of-living differences are accounted for, Florida’s disposable income per capita in 2012 was $37,723, substantially higher than forced-unionism California’s $31,868 or forced-unionism New York’s  $33,766.

Florida population on verge of surpassing New York’s