Half of Puerto Rican residents surveyed in Central Florida say they’ve thought about packing up and moving back to the island, a striking jump from past years, as grocery bills, gas prices and housing costs squeeze household budgets across Orange County. The trend marks a potential reversal for a region that has spent nearly a decade absorbing one of the largest waves of island-to-mainland migration in U.S. history.
The finding comes from a University of Central Florida primary election exit poll, which found that economic issues and cost of living were the top concerns for Orange County voters across party lines, as reported by WFTV. Voters listed groceries, gas, housing and schools as their primary financial burdens, according to the same survey. The poll highlighted economic issues and everyday concerns among voters across party lines.
Rivera said economic pressure influences where residents choose to live, and that Puerto Ricans might return to the island if opportunities remain unavailable in Florida or elsewhere in the United States. UCF’s survey work has tracked this sentiment over time: previous polling recorded 6% of respondents as very likely to return to Puerto Rico, then 19% in a later round, with 28% eventually answering yes when asked about returning. The latest survey found that half of respondents had considered moving back.
Why Orlando’s Cost Squeeze Is Hitting So Hard
The numbers behind that frustration are steep. Median apartment rent across Orlando now sits at $1,529 a month, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,619, roughly 10% above the national median, according to Apartment List. Meanwhile, average renter wages in Florida hover around just $24 an hour, a gap the National Low Income Housing Coalition says leaves service and hospitality workers straining to keep up with rent, as detailed by the report cited in Orlando Weekly…