Florida Faces Growing Youth Risks and Rising Living Costs, Study Shows

A WalletHub study places Florida 28th among U.S. states for youth-at-risk, scoring 41.75 out of 100, with higher scores indicating greater risk. The ranking highlights challenges in education and employment, where the state ranks 19th, and health, where it ranks 44th. Approximately 13% of 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds are neither in school nor employed, prompting analysts to warn that disengaged youth could threaten the state’s future economic and social progress.

Meanwhile, a Bureau of Economic Analysis report finds that the Miami‑Fort Lauderdale‑Palm Beach metro area now has a higher overall cost of living than the greater New York City region. Housing costs are about 5% higher than in New York, with the CPI rising 36% since 2019. Miami home prices have surged 79% since the pandemic, property taxes are up 62%, and home insurance averages $8,300 annually—the highest in the nation. These rising expenses are eroding Florida’s traditional advantage of no state income tax and increasing financial pressure on both homeowners and renters.