I loved living in Florida. The natural disasters and constant flooding drove me out.

Homes in Bradenton, Florida.

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• Lorraine English, 72, loved living in Florida, but hurricanes made life there difficult.
• In 2025, she moved from Bradenton — a city along the Manatee River — to Asheville, North Carolina.
• English says that with fewer natural disasters and lower housing costs, her quality of life has improved.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lorraine English, a 72-year-old Floridian who moved to North Carolina in 2025.