Blue New York lost tens of thousands of residents to Florida in 2022, reaching historic figures, according to data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
According to the data, 64,577 New Yorkers made history, making the official switch to the Sunshine State in 2022 by changing over their licenses last year. That’s up from the 61,728 who fled the Empire State for Florida the year prior, in 2021.
According to the New York Post, one staffer at the Jacksonville DMV spoke of the influx, listening to the complaints of weary New Yorkers making the transition to what Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has dubbed the “free state of Florida.”
“They come in every day,” the staffer said. “I hear all the complaints. I feel like a therapist sometimes.”
The latest figures coincide with data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which found blue states such as California and New York facing six-figure declines in terms of population since 2020.
On April 1, 2020, for example, New York had a population of 20,201,230. That figure decreased to 19,857,492 as of July 1, 2021, and it dropped again to 19,677,151 in July 2022. Further, New York stands as the state that has experienced the largest population decrease in terms of percent– a 0.9 percent decrease.
On the flip side, Florida, along with Texas, stands as one of the “largest gaining states” over the past year as blue states continue in their trends of decline following years of mandates, restrictions, and overreaching policies from officials and leaders.
Florida, specifically, is the “fastest-growing state” in the nation, increasing by 1.9 percent, compared to New York’s 0.9 percent loss. According to data from the U.S. Census bureau, Florida’s population stood at 22,244,823.
The Sunshine State — an apparent favorite of New Yorkers seeking refuge — also falls behind Texas as the “second largest gaining state” in the country, adding over 400,000 residents.
Coinciding with that is the boom Florida Republicans are experiencing in terms of voter registration, overtaking Democrats for the first time in late 2021. That lead has grown to over 356,000 as of November 30, 2022.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who won his reelection bid by roughly 1.5 million votes, has consistently presented Florida as an “oasis of freedom” following years of standing up to mandates, restrictions, and attempts to inject woke ideology into children’s classrooms.
