Moving from Georgia to Florida - the Georgia outline with Atlanta landmarks and a peach beside a palm-lined Florida map with the Orlando castle, a gold arrow marking the relocation to Central Florida

Georgia to Central Florida

Moving From Georgia
to Florida

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A Georgia household earning $350,000 keeps roughly $17,000 to $19,000 more every year in Florida, the full amount of Georgia's flat income tax, with property and sales taxes that stay broadly similar. Here is exactly what changes, and where Georgia buyers are moving in Central Florida.

The Short Answer

What Changes When You Move From Georgia to Florida

When you make Florida your home, your Georgia income tax, a flat rate of about 5.39%, goes to zero. Florida and Georgia both skip estate and inheritance taxes, so the clear win is income tax: a Georgia household keeps the full flat rate it used to pay. Property and sales taxes are broadly similar between the two states, and Florida adds the Homestead Exemption and the Save Our Homes 3% cap. Georgia is consistently one of the top states relocating to Florida. Below, compare the numbers, calculate your own savings, see where Georgia buyers are landing in Central Florida, and learn exactly how to establish Florida residency.

What you keep when you move to Florida

Your State Income Tax Savings

Based on 2025 state income tax law  ·  Illustration only  ·  Consult a tax professional

The Numbers

Georgia vs Central Florida: Side by Side

Category
Georgia
Florida
State income tax
A flat tax of about 5.39%
None
Local or city income tax
None
None
Capital gains
Taxed at the flat rate
None
Estate tax
None
None
Inheritance tax
None
None
Property tax (effective)
About 0.9%
About 1.0% to 1.2%, with a 3% Save Our Homes cap and $50,000 Homestead Exemption
Sales tax
4% plus local, about 7% average
About 6.5% to 7%
Retirement income
Large exclusion at 62+; otherwise taxed
Not taxed

Rates reflect the 2025 tax year (Georgia flat tax of about 5.39% and Tax Foundation effective property tax averages). Florida figures reflect Orange and Seminole County millage. Tax rules change and individual situations vary; this is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm specifics with a CPA or attorney.

The Market Right Now

Central Florida Market Snapshot

Current single-family market data for the ten Central Florida markets Sean and Barb serve, drawn from Stellar MLS and updated May 2026. Median price, days on market, price per square foot, and year-over-year change help Georgia buyers benchmark value against an Atlanta metro median well above $600,000.

MarketZIPMedian$/Sq FtDays on MarketYoY
Winter Park32789$790,000$42046-5.9%
Windermere34786$980,000$38548-2.8%
Winter Garden34787$668,000$28561+2.1%
Lake Nona32827$663,000$31069-12.4%
Dr. Phillips32819$580,000$34046-3.9%
Lake Mary32746$580,000$27852+17.9%
Longwood32779$536,000$26531+4.1%
Oviedo32765$494,700$25544-11.4%
Maitland32751$450,000$31058-3.2%
Orlando32801$410,000$29554+1.2%

Source: Stellar MLS single-family data compiled by Sean and Barb, Premier Sotheby's International Realty, updated May 2026. The Orlando metro median is approximately $410,000 with a typical 54 days on market. Figures are medians across all single-family price points; luxury price bands by community appear below. Market data changes monthly; contact Sean and Barb for a current, address-level analysis.

Where to Live

Where Georgia Buyers Buy in Central Florida

Georgia buyers tend to want walkability, water, top schools, or new construction. These are the six markets they choose most often. Tap any one to explore current luxury listings.

Winter Park

$900K - $5M+

The most walkable, urbane address in Orlando: Park Avenue walkability, the Chain of Lakes, museums, and A-rated schools.

Lake Nona

$700K - $4M

New construction, fiber internet, a 15-minute-city design, Medical City, and 15 minutes to the airport for commuters.

Windermere

$1.2M - $25M+

Butler Chain lakefront and gated Isleworth and Keene's Pointe for buyers who want privacy, water, and prestige.

Dr. Phillips

$800K - $8M+

Restaurant Row dining, guard-gated communities, and central access; Orlando's most established luxury ZIP code.

Lake Mary

$650K - $2.5M

Top Seminole County schools, gated Heathrow Country Club, lower property taxes, and a corporate commuter base.

Winter Garden

$700K - $2.5M

Horizon West new construction, the West Orange Trail, and strong value per square foot near Disney.

Make It Official

How to Establish Florida Residency From Georgia

Ending Georgia income tax is not automatic; you have to change your domicile and document it. Because high-tax states can review a departing resident, a clean break matters. Here are the six steps:

1

Spend more than 183 days a year in Florida

Make Florida your primary home and keep simple records (a calendar, travel, card and phone data) showing where you actually spend your time.

2

File a Declaration of Domicile

Record a Declaration of Domicile with your Florida county clerk of court to formally state Florida is your permanent home.

3

Get a Florida driver license and register your vehicles

Obtain a Florida license, register your cars in Florida, and surrender your Georgia license.

4

Register to vote in Florida

Register in your Florida county and cancel your Georgia voter registration.

5

Move your financial and personal life

Update the IRS, banks, brokerages, employer, and estate documents to your Florida address, and shift doctors, memberships, and primary accounts here.

6

File a final Georgia return and sever ties

File your last Georgia resident or part-year return and, ideally, sell or lease the Georgia home. Keep your documentation organized in case of a residency review.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Work with a Florida CPA and, for higher incomes, a residency attorney; Sean & Barb can introduce you to trusted professionals.

Georgia to Florida

Your Questions, Answered

Florida has no state income tax, so the savings equal the Georgia tax you stop paying. A household with $350,000 of taxable income saves roughly $17,000 to $19,000 a year. Georgia and Florida both skip estate and inheritance taxes, so the clear win is income tax, with property and sales taxes staying broadly similar. Use the calculator above to see your exact number, then call (407) 383-0707.

No. Florida has no state income tax, no tax on capital gains, no estate tax, and no inheritance tax. Wages, bonuses, investment income, pensions, and retirement withdrawals are all free of state income tax once you are a Florida resident. Georgia, by contrast, taxes income at a flat rate of about 5.39%.

Georgia property taxes (~0.9%) and Central Florida's (~1.0% to 1.2%) are similar, but Florida adds the Homestead Exemption and the Save Our Homes 3% cap, and has no state income tax on top.

Make Florida your primary home and document it: spend more than 183 days a year in Florida, file a Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk, get a Florida driver license, register your vehicles and to vote in Florida, and move your bank, doctors, estate documents, and memberships to your Florida address. Then file a final or part-year Georgia return. This is general information, not legal or tax advice; confirm your plan with a CPA or attorney.

The practical target is to spend more than 183 days a year in Florida and make Florida your true domicile, then keep records (travel logs, card and phone data, a Declaration of Domicile). Day counting alone is not enough; what matters is where your primary home and life are centered. Once Florida is genuinely your domicile, Georgia no longer taxes your income.

Once you establish Florida as your domicile and are no longer a Georgia resident, Georgia does not tax your income. A clean break helps: a Declaration of Domicile, Florida licenses, time records, and selling or leasing the Georgia home. Income actually earned from Georgia sources can still be taxable, so confirm specifics with a CPA.

Georgia buyers gravitate to Winter Park (Park Avenue walkability and the Chain of Lakes), Lake Nona (new construction and a master-planned, 15-minute-city feel), Windermere (Butler Chain lakefront and Isleworth), Dr. Phillips (Restaurant Row and gated luxury), Lake Mary (top Seminole County schools and gated Heathrow), and Winter Garden and Horizon West (newer luxury at strong value). Sean and Barb cover all ten Central Florida luxury markets and match the neighborhood to your commute, schools, and lifestyle.

More space and newer construction for the money. Luxury homes in Winter Park, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, and Lake Nona typically run $800,000 to $3M, with lakefront estates above that, and many Georgia buyers trade up in size while eliminating state income tax.

No. Florida does not tax Social Security, pensions, IRA or 401(k) withdrawals, or any retirement income at the state level, because it has no state income tax at all. Georgia offers a large retirement income exclusion at 62 and older, but working-age income is taxed at the flat rate; Florida taxes no income at any age. For retirees, the Florida difference compounds every year.

It is close on housing and sales tax, and Florida wins decisively on income tax. Property taxes are similar, and Florida adds Homestead and Save Our Homes protections. Sean and Barb can compare your specific numbers.

Once a Florida home is your primary residence you can file for the Homestead Exemption, which removes $50,000 from the assessed value, and the Save Our Homes cap, which limits annual assessment increases to 3% no matter how fast the market rises. Accumulated Save Our Homes savings are also portable to your next Florida homestead.

Yes. Sean and Barb regularly guide Georgia buyers through the entire purchase before they ever set foot in Florida, with live video home tours, neighborhood drive-throughs, market data, lender introductions, and fully remote closing coordination. Many clients tour by video, go under contract, and only arrive for the final walkthrough and keys.

Not necessarily. Many Georgia buyers purchase in Florida first (using a bridge loan, portfolio loan, or cash) and sell afterward, while others sequence the sale first for certainty. Sean and Barb coordinate the timing and connect you with lenders who handle both ends.

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Meet Your Premier Sotheby's Global Real Estate Advisors

Sean & Barb

With 60+ combined years in Central Florida, Sean & Barb are the recognized entities for HNWI and physician transitions across these luxury markets.

Sean Spencer, Global Real Estate Advisor

Sean Spencer

Licensed Locally 20+ Years

I've had the honor of working with physicians and executives relocating to Central Florida, helping them land quickly and confidently in communities that fit their lives. Honesty, discretion, and a genuine investment in your outcome - every time.

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Barbara Vance, Global Real Estate Advisor

Barb Vance

Licensed Locally 40+ Years

With four decades of relationships across Central Florida's luxury communities, Barbara brings a depth of local knowledge that simply cannot be replicated. Her clients trust her not just for her expertise, but for her unwavering integrity.

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Hi! I'm Seba, the Sean & Barb AI assistant. I can answer questions about Central Florida luxury neighborhoods, market stats, physician relocation, and more. What's on your mind?

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