Women Holding Down Florida’s Fort

Florida continues to rank among the least affordable housing markets in the nation but the state’s women are unmoved by the phenomenon–literally.

According to a new poll commissioned by Florida Atlantic University’s MediaLab and conducted by Mainstreet Research, a whopping 91% of voters feel that housing in Florida is unaffordable. When asked, however, if Florida is so expensive that they will leave the state for cheaper pastures, women were 21% more likely than men to say they intend to stay in Florida despite rising costs. 

While 43% of male respondents said the statement “Florida is too expensive, I’m planning to move somewhere cheaper” best represented their feelings, this was true of only 25% of the women who were surveyed. Instead, 66% of women said the statement “Florida is too expensive, but I’m planning on staying” best matched their sentiment, while only 45% of men did so. 

Additionally, Florida’s female respondents outpace men in homeownership: While 49% of men reported that they own their homes, 55% of women said the same.

These findings suggest that men are more likely to pull up stakes and abandon Florida–which, in recent years, has become one of the country’s most expensive regions–while women are digging in their heels. 

Dr. Louise K. Davidson-Schmich, a professor of political science at the University of Miami, pointed to declining marriage rates and shifting labor patterns as possible factors influencing the rise in female homeownership.

“Since the rate of marriage in the U.S. has been consistently falling, it’s probably not surprising that more people are buying homes as singles than as couples,” she said.

As fewer Americans marry, more individuals are entering the housing market independently rather than as part of a dual-income household. Davidson-Schmich also noted that men’s labor force participation has steadily decreased, potentially limiting the number of women who can rely on a partner’s income when making major financial decisions such as purchasing property.

While increased female homeownership may expand women’s long-term financial independence, she cautioned that economic disparities remain. “On average women only earn 85% of what men earn,” Davidson-Schmich said, noting that–because of the gender-related wage gap–it might be more difficult for women to absorb rising homeowners insurance premiums as well as the increasingly unaffordable maintenance costs and property-related expenses in Florida.

“The rising cost of housing and insurance in Florida is definitely a gendered issue,” she added. 

While Davidson-Schmich outlined the broader economic forces behind the trend, women living in South Florida describe the decision to stay in more personal terms. 

For Elizabeth Miller, a 52-year-old health insurance agent, staying in South Florida has never been purely about affordability. Miller, a Latina who lives in Deerfield Beach, has owned her home in South Florida since 2001. After spending years living in New York, she said Florida immediately appealed to her.

“I love Florida. I lived in New York for many years, where the prices are even higher than here, and it’s cold,” Miller said, explaining that the warm climate and comparatively lower housing costs initially drew her south.

Miller has remained a homeowner through major economic shifts, including the 2008 housing market crash and the recent surge in property values and insurance premiums. Despite market volatility, she said she has never seriously considered leaving, largely for emotional reasons. 

“I’m only three hours away from my family in Colombia by plane and I love the beach,” said Miller. 

Her experience reflects a key finding of the poll, which showed that Latina women were among the most likely demographic group to say they intend to stay in South Florida despite rising housing and housing-related costs. 

This holds true not just for homeowners but renters, as well. 

Samina Compton, 26, a cocktail waitress renting a high-rise apartment in Hallandale Beach, said her connection to the region feels just as strong.

“I was born and raised here. I am now renting a high rise and I love it,” Compton said. “The culture, the amenities like a waterfront pool or gym, the food, proximity to the beach, and the nightlife here is good, too.”

Florida, she said, is “perfect.”