Moving To Florida From Illinois Is The New Trend!
We've been doing roofing work across the Pembroke Pines area for a long time now, and over the past couple of years we've noticed something that's hard to ignore — a lot of our new customers aren't originally from South Florida. They're transplants. And more and more of them are coming from the same place: Illinois.
It came up again just recently. We finished a full roof replacement for a family over in the Chapel Trail area, and during the final walkthrough the homeowner mentioned they'd only been in Pembroke Pines for about eight months. Before that? Schaumburg, Illinois. When we asked what brought them down, the answer was one we've been hearing a lot: "Taxes, weather, and we just wanted a fresh start."
The Numbers Tell the Story
It turns out this family is far from alone. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Illinois lost a net 82,900 residents to other states in 2024 alone — and Florida was the number one destination, drawing 11,659 of those residents southward. Even more striking, research from the Illinois Policy Institute found that 95% of the residents who left Illinois relocated to states with lower tax burdens. Florida, of course, has no state income tax at all.
The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg metro area has been hit particularly hard, losing more than 35,000 residents to other parts of the country in a single year. The reasons people cite are consistent: high property taxes, rising cost of living, concerns about public safety, and — let's be honest — those brutal winters. Meanwhile, South Florida offers year-round warmth, a growing job market, and a lifestyle that's tough to beat.
A Recommendation We're Happy to Pass Along
That same homeowner in Chapel Trail had nothing but great things to say about the moving company that handled their relocation from Schaumburg down to Pembroke Pines. They used movers Schaumburg Illinois — a company called Fly Guy Moving — and told us the entire experience was smooth, professional, and fairly priced. With over 5,000 successful moves and a 4.9 out of 5 Google rating, it's clear they've built a strong reputation in the Schaumburg area for a reason.
We're roofers, not movers, so we don't normally weigh in on this kind of thing. But when a happy customer goes out of their way to recommend a company by name — unprompted — that says something. And given how many of our clients are making this exact move from the greater Chicago suburbs to Broward County, it felt worth sharing.
If You're Thinking About Making the Move
For anyone in the Schaumburg area who's been on the fence about relocating to South Florida, all we can say is this: you won't be alone. The community down here is full of Midwest transplants who took the leap, and most of them will tell you it was one of the best decisions they ever made. And when you get here, we'd be happy to make sure your new roof is in top shape.
Welcome to the Sunshine State. We'll see you on this side.
